This is the best ever weightloss chicken salad you will ever treat yourself with without any guilt whatsoever! The no-mayo creamy dressing with a secret ingredient is a game changer and you will forget about mayo for good!
Since the time I am in my transformation journey, I have been looking for a great tasting chicken salad which does not come with loads of calories. Finally, I created the best weightloss chicken salad I have ever made which fits perfectly in my high-protein low-calorie diet.
The dressing of this chicken salad creates the magic and makes it the best of all salads. Apart from the dressing, the ingredients used in the salad are made for each other and you would not want to make this any differently.
I call this my weightloss chicken salad as this could be the only salad you would go back to again and again without any guilt, especially if you are in your weight loss journey like me. The salad is very low in calories and at the same time significantly high in protein and fiber.
What is my weightloss chicken salad?
Most of the chicken salads I have come across so far use a lot of mayo. As you all already know, mayo is nothing but whipped-up oil; hence it comes with loads of calories. So any salad made with mayo in the dressing cannot be consumed frequently if you want to shed a few extra kilos.
My weightloss chicken salad uses hung curd/yogurt as the base of the dressing. Hung curd is nothing less than a magic ingredient because it brings the creaminess as well as a subtle tartness which is perfect for a good salad dressing!
The salad dressing is very simple; just whisk the hung curd with Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and a good dose of extra virgin olive oil. This simple salad dressing is extremely powerful to bring together all the salad ingredients and churn out a mind blowing creamy chicken salad.
The other salad ingredients are also very unique but creates a perfect combination. You may or may not have combined grapes with chicken ever; but trust me and give this a try and I can guarantee you will come back to it again and again!
Ingredients for weightloss chicken salad
Let’s take a stock of water you need to make the best weightloss chicken salad ever!
Chicken breast: Even though I am a chicken thigh kinda girl, for this chicken salad recipe, I still prefer a good old chicken breast simply because it is the leanest meat possible and cooks really fast!
But don’t worry, if you cook your chicken breast correctly, it won’t turn out tough and rubbery. Check the step 1 below to know how to cook the perfect chicken breast every time!
Red grapes: The sweet & tangy red grapes turned out to be a super companion of this creamy chicken salad. I got this idea from the chicken salad recipe from Downshiftology. It was a refreshing addition and I insist you not to skip it. Just ensure to use seedless grapes.
Walnut: Addition of a nut brings a soul-satisfying crunchiness to this otherwise creamy salad. I personally prefer walnuts (which I also love to eat on its own!); but you can also replace it with sliced up almonds or any other nuts you prefer.
Dried cranberry: I love dried cranberries and keep looking for ways to add them in any of my meals. Chicken salad is a perfect dish to add dried cranberries to as they add a hint of sweetness as well as mild tartness. Dried blueberries can also be another option.
Celery: Fresh stalk of celery and the leaves add immense flavor and pair perfectly with this creamy weightloss chicken salad. They also increase the fiber content of the salad making it all the more perfect as a balanced weightloss meal!
Spring/green onion: This is one of my favorite ingredients not only for Oriental dishes but also for such creamy salads. Spring onion adds a subtle hint of onion flavors but not as strong as a regular one. Also, the addition of such greens increase the nutritional quotient of your dish simply by enhancing the fiber content!
Hung curd/yogurt: Hung curd or yogurt is the secret magic ingredient which makes this weightloss chicken salad such a hit! Since all the water has drained out of the curd, you are only left with the creamy portion of it.
Trust me, if you don’t know it is curd, you won’t be able to tell the difference between a bowl of hung curd and cream!
How to make hung curd?
To make hung curd, pour your regular curd in a large muslin cloth. Then tie up all the four corners tightly and squeeze out as much water as possible.
Then hang that muslin bundle by tying a knot with the tap over the kitchen sink and let the remaining water drip off. Leave it for 4 to 5 hours until most of the water is drained out.
Extra virgin olive oil: A good dash of extra virgin olive oil adds extra creaminess to the salad dressing. But do not go overboard with the oil – just 2 tablespoons are good enough!
Dijon mustard: If you are a salad person, I am sure you have a bottle of Dijon mustard handy. It adds a good amount of pungent flavor without overpowering other ingredients. If you don’t have dijon mustard handy, you can add mustard sauce or powder.
Salt & Pepper: A good seasoning is a must for your best ever weightloss chicken salad!
How to make weightloss chicken salad?
Step 1: The very first step is to poach your chicken breasts perfectly so that they retain their juiciness and remain tender. Follow this process exactly how I have explained and you would be treated with the most succulent & tender chicken breast ever!
Heat a pot of water and add 1 teaspoon of salt to it. Once the water starts to boil, drop in the chicken breasts. Let the chicken breasts cook in boiling water for 15 to 18 minutes until they are fork tender (i.e. you can easily poke a fork without much resistance).
Pro tip: To ensure that the chicken breasts are completely cooked through, you can either check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer if you have one handy; if the temperature reaches between 165 F to 175 F (74 C to 79 C), then your chicken is fully cooked through.
In case you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can make a cut at the thickest portion and check if any pink is left. If the meat has turned completely white and opaque, your chicken is done.
Step 2: Take the chicken out of the pot and let them cool down a bit. Once it is cool enough to handle, cut them using a sharp knife into small bite-sized pieces. Set them aside.
Step 3: Salad is all about chopping and preparing the ingredients.Cut the grapes into half. Separate celery leaves from stacks; finely chop the stalks and roughly tear the leaves.
Step 4: Separate the whites and greens of spring onion and chop them finely. Cut the walnuts into half.
Step 5: Make the salad dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl – hung curd/yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Give a very good whisk using a fork to mix all ingredients evenly.
Step 6: Now take a large salad bowl, big enough to mix all the ingredients. Add all the salad ingredients to the bowl one by one – chopped chicken pieces, grapes, celery stalks & leaves, spring onion whites & greens, walnuts and dried cranberries. Give them a quick toss.
Step 7: Add half of the prepared yogurt salad dressing. Using 2 spatulas, start mixing the yogurt dressing with the salad ingredients. Adding half of the dressing will make it easier to mix.
Step 8: When the dressing is mixed in well, add the remaining half and continue mixing it the same way. All the ingredients should be coated with the yogurt dressing evenly & nicely.
Step 9: When you are satisfied with the mixing, cover the bowl with a plastic wrap or a lid and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This salad tastes best when cold.
Step 10: You are ready to serve your salad when it is nicely chilled. You can serve it on its own or make a salad sandwich using a couple of toasted multigrain breads. Either way, this chicken salad will taste delicious!
Other delicious weightloss recipes from flavor quotient
- Chicken breast - 2, about 300 gms,
- Walnut - ½ cup
- Celery - 3 to 4 stalks with leaves
- Red grapes - 1 cup (preferably seedless)
- Spring/green onion - 6 to 7 stalks
- Dried cranberry - ¼ cup
- Hung curd - ¾ cup
- Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp
- Salt - ¾ tsp
- Pepper - ½ tsp
- Dijon mustard/mustard sauce/mustard powder - 1 tsp
- Heat a pot of water and add 1 teaspoon of salt to it. Once the water starts to boil, drop in the chicken breasts. Let the chicken breasts cook in boiling water for 15 to 18 minutes until they are fork tender (i.e. you can easily poke a fork without much resistance).
- Take the chicken out of the pot and let them cool down a bit. Once it is cool enough to handle, cut them using a sharp knife into small bite-sized pieces. Set them aside.
- Cut the grapes into half. Separate celery leaves from stacks; finely chop the stalks and roughly tear the leaves.
- Separate the whites and greens of spring onion and chop them finely. Cut the walnuts into half.
- Make the salad dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl - hung curd/yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Give a very good whisk using a fork to mix all ingredients evenly.
- Now take a large salad bowl, big enough to mix all the ingredients. Add all the salad ingredients to the bowl one by one - chopped chicken pieces, grapes, celery stalks & leaves, spring onion whites & greens, walnuts and dried cranberries. Give them a quick toss.
- Add half of the prepared yogurt salad dressing. Using 2 spatulas, start mixing the yogurt dressing with the salad ingredients. Adding half of the dressing will make it easier to mix.
- When the dressing is mixed in well, add the remaining half and continue mixing it the same way. All the ingredients should be coated with the yogurt dressing evenly & nicely.
- When you are satisfied with the mixing, cover the bowl with a plastic wrap or a lid and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This salad tastes best when cold.
- You are ready to serve your salad when it is nicely chilled. You can serve it on its own or make a salad sandwich using a couple of toasted multigrain breads. Either way, this chicken salad will taste delicious! Enjoy!
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I love your recipes…especially the chicken salad. I use Dahi Whole Milk Yogurt in many! Thank you, Dee
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Dee! So glad you like our recipes! 😀
I’m running low on Dahi a yogurt and am cooking now! Can I use just a little mayonnaise with the Dahi yogurt? Thank you, Dee Kradz
Yes sure you can! Enjoy!