Healthier Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
If you love creamy chicken salad and the tangy crunch of dill pickles, this healthier version is about to become your new favorite lunch recipe. Traditional chicken salad is often loaded with mayonnaise, but this lighter recipe swaps in protein-packed Greek yogurt while still keeping that creamy texture everyone loves. Fresh dill, crunchy celery, juicy chicken, and chopped pickles create the perfect balance of flavor and texture in every bite. It’s gluten-free, easy to make ahead, and perfect for sandwiches, wraps, lettuce cups, or meal prep throughout the week.
Healthier Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp pickle juice
- ¾ cup dill pickles, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 Tbsp red onion, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Optional: sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the chicken if needed, then let it cool slightly before chopping or shredding.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, avocado oil mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and pickle juice until smooth.
- Add the chicken, dill pickles, celery, red onion, fresh dill, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Stir everything together until evenly coated and creamy.
- Chill the chicken salad for at least 20 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
- Serve on gluten-free bread, in lettuce wraps, with crackers, or over a fresh salad.
Notes
Chef Tips:
- Use rotisserie chicken for an even quicker meal prep shortcut.
- Pat the pickles dry slightly before mixing to keep the salad creamy instead of watery.
- Fresh dill adds the best flavor, but dried dill can work if needed.
- Let the chicken salad chill before serving so the flavors blend together beautifully.
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Hi, my name is Kate.
I love food. Real food. We eat all of the things that nursing school taught me were bad for you: butter, eggs, bacon, and raw milk.
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