Creamy chicken salad
Gently poached chicken mixed with Greek yogurt, celery and walnuts, served in lettuce cups.
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Total time
37 min, show breakdown
- Prep 12 min
- Cook 20 min
- Clean up 5 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 9
- Cost/serving
- $3.19
Per serving
- Calories
- 344
- Protein
- 43 g
- Fiber
- 3.1 g
- Net carbs
- 5.9 g
- Fat
- 15 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin K 122%, Niacin (B3) 94%, Vitamin B6 83%, Selenium 77%, Riboflavin (B2) 40%, Vitamin B12 32%, Folate 28%, Vitamin A 25%, Thiamin (B1) 22%, Magnesium 21%, Potassium 20%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 2
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
- 1½ breasts chicken breast, boneless skinless (300 g)
½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2% (122 g)
Same amount as: 120 mL.
1 tsp Dijon mustard (5 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
1 tbsp lemon juice (15 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL, ¼ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
- 2 stalks celery (80 g)
- 2 medium green onions (30 g)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (7.6 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
¼ cup walnuts, chopped (29 g)
Same amount as: 60 mL.
8 large lettuce leaves (80 g), butter or romaine leaves
Same amount as: about 1¾ cups.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 2 servings. Keeps 3 days in the fridge. Fill the lettuce right before eating.
Nutrition Facts
2 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (335 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 344 | ||
| Total fat | 15 g | 19% | |
| Saturated fat | 2.6 g | 13% | |
| Cholesterol | 114 mg | 38% | |
| Sodium | 312 mg | 14% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 9 g | 3% | |
| Dietary fiber | 3.1 g | 11% | |
| Total sugars | 4.2 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 5.9 g | ||
| Protein | 43 g | 87% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.15 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 140 mg | 11% | |
| Iron | 2 mg | 11% | |
| Potassium | 931 mg | 20% | |
| Vitamin A | 227 mcg | 25% | |
| Vitamin C | 14 mg | 15% | |
| Vitamin E | 0.71 mg | 5% | |
| Vitamin K | 147 mcg | 122% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.26 mg | 22% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.53 mg | 40% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 15 mg | 94% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.4 mg | 83% | |
| Folate | 111 mcg | 28% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.77 mcg | 32% | |
| Magnesium | 89 mg | 21% | |
| Zinc | 2.1 mg | 19% | |
| Selenium | 42 mcg | 77% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Put the chicken in the pot and cover with cold water by 3 cm (1 in). Add a pinch of salt.
Bring it up on medium heat until the water starts to tremble, with a few small bubbles. Turn the heat to low.
Done looks like: Water barely moving. No rolling bubbles. Poach 12–15 minutes. Check the thickest part with a thermometer.
Done looks like: Thermometer reads 74 °C / 165 °F or higher. Meat white all through. Lift the chicken onto the board and let it cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, dice the celery, slice the green onions and chop the parsley and walnuts.
In a bowl, stir the yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Shred or dice the chicken. Fold it into the yogurt with the celery, green onion, parsley and walnuts. Taste and add salt or lemon.
Done looks like: Every piece of chicken coated, no dry patches. Spoon into the lettuce leaves to eat.
Equipment
Medium pot with lid, about 2 L (2 qt) $15–35
What to look for
- Lid that fits snugly
- Thick base so it does not scorch
Skip: Glass lids that fog up are fine; copper is not needed.
Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30
What to look for
- Reads in 5 seconds or less
- Thin probe tip
- Shows °C and °F
Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tough, rubbery chicken | Water boiled hard. | Keep the water barely trembling. Turn the heat down as soon as bubbles appear. |
| Runny dressing | Chicken mixed in while hot, or wet from the pot. | Cool the chicken first and pat it dry before mixing. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 15 min, total 37 min. | 344 kcal 43 g protein 3.1 g fiber 5.9 g net carbs 15 g fat |
| Nut-free | No walnuts. Hands-on 15 min, total 37 min. | 248 kcal 41 g protein 2.2 g fiber 4.9 g net carbs 5.4 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Poach the chicken to at least 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part.