10-Minute Keto Chicken Salad {Low-Carb}
Looking for something keto-friendly that you can eat on-the-go? How about a recipe that's protein-packed and stays good in the fridge all week? If that sounds like you, give this keto chicken salad recipe a try.
It's about as versatile as a recipe gets when it comes to your weekly meal prep. You can eat it for dinner, pack it in a container for lunch, or enjoy it as a snack throughout the day.
- Try it with toasted Keto Bread
Plus, it's full of healthy, wholesome ingredients, some of which might surprise you. (Trust us -- it's not just mayonnaise and chicken).
You can find everything that goes into this keto chicken salad recipe right at home, and with less than 1g carbs per serving, this is sure to become one of your regular lunch and dinner options.
Below, we'll look at why you should try this keto chicken salad recipe over others, and show you all the health benefits of chicken thighs.If you make this recipe, be sure to post a photo on Instagram and tag @ketologic!
This Keto Chicken Salad recipe uses:
- Chicken thighs
- Broccoli
- Celery
- Kale
- Tomatoes
- Pecans
- Mayonnaise
- Yellow Mustard
Why Try This Keto Chicken Salad Recipe
It's probably not news to you that chicken salad is a keto-friendly dish. Chicken and mayonnaise (which is usually made with eggs and healthy fats) are probably staples of your diet already, so it makes sense.
But there are tons of chicken salad recipes out there.
Some use sweet ingredients like cranberries that aren't keto-friendly, and others, quite frankly, just don't taste that good.
That's why this recipe is perfect for a keto diet. There's less than one gram of net carbs per serving in this recipe, and the ingredients you'll use to "jazz" things up—mustard, pecans, crunchy veggies—ensure you aren't going to get bored of this recipe anytime soon.
Here are a few other reasons this chicken salad is a keeper:
- The tomatoes add a little acid to your chicken salad, which helps it stay longer in the fridge. You can make a big batch on Sunday and eat it for lunch or dinner for the next 4-5 days!
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Broccoli, celery, kale, and tomatoes are all packed with micronutrients, the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly and ward off diseases.
- For example, broccoli is full of vitamin C, E, and K (good for skin, immune system function, and freeing the body of free radicals) [1].
- There are 3.5 grams of fiber per serving of chicken salad. Fiber is a proven weight loss tool because it keeps you full longer after you eat and improves gut health [2][3].
Before we show you the recipe, let's look at the nutritional benefits of this dish's main ingredient: chicken thighs.
Top Health Benefits of Chicken Thighs
As explained in the previous section, we can call several ingredients in this dish "health all-stars." But since chicken is the centerpiece of this keto-friendly entree, let's look at some of the health and nutritional benefits:
- Eating poultry along with lots of vegetables has been associated with successful weight loss when dieting [4]. Chicken is high in protein, which has a satiating effect [5]. This means you're less hungry after meals and less likely to overeat.
- Because chicken thighs are a darker type of meat, they contain more iron than white meat [6]. Iron is especially important for our body's energy systems and cardiovascular health. Iron deficiency may increase the risk of other diseases [7].
- Chicken thighs have more fat in them than white meat does, but a good amount of that fat is monounsaturated, which is good for heart and brain health and may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease [8][9].
- Finally, one serving of this keto chicken salad has 28 grams of protein, which is more than 20% of the amount you need to eat daily on a ketogenic diet [10]. (You can calculate your keto diet macros here if you're interested.) Protein helps rebuild and repair muscles after exercise, and is essential for the growth and proper function of other bodily tissues (organs, fingernails, hair, etc.) [11].
Sold on this recipe? We hope so. We're confident you'll love how simple and delicious it is!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound chicken thighs, cooked and shredded
- ¼ cup broccoli florets, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- ½ cup kale, finely chopped
- ¼ cup tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons pecans, chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, broccoli, celery, kale, tomatoes, and pecans.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard together.
- Add the mayo and mustard mixture to the medium bowl.
- Mix all the ingredients thoroughly until well coated.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4
