Lakeside Table

  • Home
  • Shop
  • Recipe Index
  • Julia Child Picture Project
  • About Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Recipe Index
  • Julia Child Picture Project
  • About Me
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Recipe Index
  • Julia Child Picture Project
  • About Me
ร—
Home ยป Ketogenic Recipes

Simple, Tasty, and Keto Chicken Salad in a Snap!

Published: Dec 8, 2015 ยท Modified: Jan 23, 2025 by Madalaine ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท

โ†“ Jump to Recipe
โ†“ Jump to Video

Keto Chicken Salad is so easy, you think to yourself, "How can this be this good?"  The trick is to start off with a beautifully roasted bird and keep it simple with only 5 additional ingredients.

chicken salad on a bed of lettuce on a white plate

Making your own chicken salad at home is much healthier than buying it at the store. A typical chicken salad at the grocery store can have up to 400 calories in a ยฝ cup serving versus this homemade version with only 250 calories. Many times the chicken salad you find in the deli section has added sugar too.

5 Ingredient Keto Chicken Salad Recipe

Use this basic recipe and play with different variations (below) if you're in the mood.  

ingredients for chicken salad laid out in white bowls: diced chicken, celery, onion, mayo, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked chicken, chopped
  • โ…” cups mayonnaise
  • 1 celery stalk diced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 small onion minced (optional)
  • ยผ cup fresh parsley chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine everything in a mixing bowl.
  2. Stir gently until combined.
  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: When I make chicken salad, it's usually the day after we've had roasted chicken for dinner.  It's a fabulous use for leftovers.  If you like the texture of shredded chicken breasts, by all means, use that.

I usually roast two chickens just to have enough for chicken salad.  If you're short on time, forget roasting it yourself and grab one already done.  I can't walk past the rotisserie chickens at Sam's or Costco without ending up with a couple of rotisserie chickens in my cart.

Chicken Salad YouTube Video

Here are 2 recipes for a basic chicken salad. The first recipe is a sweeter chicken salad made with Miracle Whip and the second is a little more savory and is made with real mayo.

Chicken Salad YouTube thumbnail of chicken salad close up piled on lettuce. click on picture to go to video
๐Ÿ‘†๐ŸผWatch the Video!๐Ÿ‘†๐Ÿผ

Chicken salad Calories

The portion size for this recipe is โ…” cup and there are about 250 calories in each serving. One of the things I love about being on a keto eating plan is NOT having to count calories.

True, I do count Net Carbs (total carbs - fiber = net carbs). And this recipe for keto chicken salad only has 2 Net Carbs per serving. ๐ŸŽ‰

Meal Prepping Keto Chicken Salad

This is one of the BEST make-ahead dishes for those super busy weeks. It makes for great sandwiches and wraps or eaten on its own as a salad. Plus there are all those great variations (below) to jazz it up so you don't get bored.

top down view of chicken salad piled on a green bed of lettuce on a white plate on a white marble tabletop with parsley sprigs
Chicken Salad salad

How long will chicken salad last in the refrigerator?

If you put your chicken salad in an airtight container, you can safely refrigerate it for 3 to 5 days. Just make sure your refrigerator is set at 40โ„‰ or 4.5โ„ƒ or lower. Ideally, it should be set between 35โ„‰ and 38โ„‰ (1.7โ„ƒ to 3.3โ„ƒ).

Can you freeze chicken salad?

As long as your chicken salad hasn't been sitting out for more than 2 hours, you can safely freeze. Put it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months.

chicken salad pin for pinterest 3 photos of salad and ingredients

Keto low carb Chicken Salad Variations

Summer chicken salad - Add 1 cup of sliced grapes and โ…” cup of toasted pecans.  The grapes add a lovely pop of juicy sweetness and the nutty flavor of the pecans is delicious.  

Lemon garlic chicken salad - Before adding all the ingredients together, mix the juice of 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 minced garlic clove to the mayonnaise.

Cranberry chicken salad - Add โ…” cup of dried cranberries and โ…” cup of toasted pecans.

Apple pecan chicken salad - Mix in 1 cup of diced apple and โ…” cup of toasted pecans.

Southern Style chicken salad - Use โ…“ mayonnaise and โ…“ cup yellow mustard, ยผ cup finely chopped dill pickles, 1 tablespoon fresh dill, ยฝ cup minced red onion, and 2 boiled eggs, chopped.

chicken salad sandwich on croissant on a wood board with grapes behind the sandwich

What are good keto options for eating a chicken salad?

This is the Achilles heel for anyone on a low-carb keto diet. How do I eat a sandwich without bread? Here are some options:

  • Low-carb (gluten-free) bread or bagels
  • Lettuce wrap
  • Celery sticks
  • Cucumber "boats" or slices
  • Parmesan crisps
  • Low-carb tortilla wraps
chicken salad on a bed of lettuce on a white plate
5 from 2 votes
Print

Keto Chicken Salad

A great way to use a leftover rotisserie chicken or last night's oven roasted chicken. ย Either way it's delicious and always sure to go over in a BIG way! | www.lakesidetable.com
Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword fast and easy recipe, keto, low carb, make ahead
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 252 kcal
Author Madalaine

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked chicken chopped
  • โ…” cups mayonnaise
  • 1 celery stalk diced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 small onion minced (optional)
  • ยผ cup fresh parsley chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine everything in a mixing bowl.
  2. Stir gently until combined.
  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Variations:

  • Substitute a homemade mayonnaise for store bought mayo
  • Add a bit of summer by adding ยฝ cup of chopped green grapes and ยฝ toasted pecans
  • 2 teaspoons of curry powder, ยฝ cup of dried currants or raisins, & ยฝ cup of pistachios
Nutrition Facts
Keto Chicken Salad
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup)
Calories 252 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.04g
Polyunsaturated Fat 9g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 60mg20%
Sodium 173mg8%
Potassium 204mg6%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 18g36%
Vitamin A 212IU4%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 26mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More ketogenic

  • sous vide chicken wings being finished on the grill
    Sous Vide Chicken Wings: Unbelievably Easy
  • Blue magik panna cotta with whipped cream and blue powder magik
    How to make EASY PANNA COTTA RECIPE | 15 Variations
  • Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Marinade - A little sweet and a whole lot savory, slow roasted for tender moist succulent pork. | www.lakesidetable.com
    How to Cook a Pork Tenderloin in the Oven
  • Dip for veggies in a red bell pepper with little veggie stick bundles tied with chives
    โค๏ธ ๐Ÿฅฆ Best Dip for Veggies | Healthy & Easy in 5 Minutes!

Comments

  1. Deb Hatfield says

    November 25, 2018 at 6:19 pm

    5 stars
    I'm always looking for a good chicken salad recipe and this sounds wonderful. Would a rotisserie chicken work in this?? Might just have to whip some up this week. Can't wait to try it!
    How do you feel about using Miracle Whip in place of Mayo? lol

  2. Carol G says

    June 14, 2020 at 6:40 am

    We enjoy chicken salad during our hot summers. Never thought about adding Italian seasonings, thanks for the idea. I have added curry powder and granny smith apples on occasion which is so good.

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)
Woman with short curly red hair in blue collared shirt smiling in a kitchen.

Welcome!

Hi Iโ€™m Madalaine and I love helping people have FUN in their kitchen. You'll find lots of easy-to-follow gluten-free recipes and tons of tips I learned in culinary school.ย  Most of my recipes are French-inspired butย allย of my recipes are family favorites.

Be sure to check out my cookbook Lakeside Table SAUCES ๐Ÿ‘‡๐Ÿผ. 

More about me

Popular

  • serving platter with meatloaf surrounded by beans, potatoes, and carrots
    Make Ahead Meatloaf | Easy Recipe for Happy Dinners
  • No Carb Pancake Recipe - This will keep you in ketosis but it feels like a pure indulgence. I love this easy recipe! | www.lakesidetable.com
    How to Use a Whipped Cream Dispenser Recipe
  • golden yellow classic hollandaise sauce over poached egg and english muffin
    Classic Hollandaise Sauce for One in 1 Easy Minute
  • Foolproof Poached Egg in 5 Easy Steps

Seasonal

  • white bowl full of red cabbage soup with green parsley on top with lemon, parsley and a red lid in background
    Detox Cabbage Soup for a New Year
  • Magic leek soup with book French women don't get fat
    Emily in Paris Magic Leek Soup So Good!
  • Date Night Dinners: 3 full meals inspired by 3 romantic cities. 3 Step by Step menus you can make ahead of time so you can have FUN in your kitchen!
    How to Make a Flourless Chocolate Torte (Recipe)
  • close up of thick slice of corned beef oven baked on a white plate
    How to Make Winning Corned Beef Recipe | Results are in!

Check Out My Cookbook!

cookbook shown as a hardback and on a tablet

This is the PERFECT GIFT for your favorite foodie.  I gift-wrap each one before I ship them out. SAUCES is a 300-page hardback coffee table centerpiece with beautiful photos of each recipe.

This cookbook is packed with both sauce recipes AND dishes that complement them.

sample cookbook pages with chicken in pan and piccata sauce

Footer

โ†‘ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services
  • FAQ

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright ยฉ 2025 Lakeside Table

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.