Chicken Salad Recipe Without Mayo

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Making a Chicken Salad Recipe Without Mayo could not be simpler…or more flavorful! We replace the mayonnaise in this recipe with a delicious sweet and tangy honey mustard. A few crunchy veggies are added and this becomes the perfect, light mayo-free chicken salad!

Chicken salad in a white bowl with a wooden spoon.

If you want a new take on traditional chicken salad, this is the recipe for you! This salad skips the traditional heavy mayo and replaces it with a light, honey mustard vinaigrette.

This easy chicken salad is super quick to pull together making it perfect for busy weeknights.

Need another easy dinner? You can also try my Avocado Chicken Salad! It’s just as easy to make as this one and also uses rotisserie chicken breast.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

  • A healthy chicken salad recipe that contains no mayo, keeping it light, yet super flavorful!
  • So simple to toss together for a quick lunch or light dinner.
  • High protein, healthy salad that is yummy enough for the whole family.
  • Leftovers are great and makes a great meal prep!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Chicken Salad Without Mayo Recipe:

Ingredients needed for this chicken salad recipe without mayo.

INGREDIENT NOTES

Chicken: Any cooked chicken breast works fine in this recipe. I like to use rotisserie chicken for the ease!

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SALAD WITHOUT MAYO: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Shred your chicken, or chop into small pieces (Pro Tip: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer will get the chicken nice and fine).

Cooked chicken right after it has been shredded with a hand mixer.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together your dressing ingredients.

Honey mustard dressing for the chicken salad in a small bowl with a whisk.

Step 3: Combine chicken with veggies, toss with the dressing and serve!

All ingredients for the chicken salad in a yellow bowl not mixed.

Step 4: If possible, chill at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to marry. Season with fresh cracked black pepper, if you like.

Chicken salad without mayo in a white bowl.

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS

  • Using leftover rotisserie chicken is a quick way to make this dish in a few minutes flat!
  • To get your chicken finely chopped, use a hand mixer or stand mixer (See full instructions in the recipe card!).

STORAGE

  • Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container (my favorite storage containers!) or covered tightly with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days. Get more tips and tricks for storing chicken salad here: How Long Does Chicken Salad Last in the Fridge?
  • Freezing: Since this is a non-mayo chicken salad, you can freeze it! Place leftovers in a freezer bag or in a freezer safe container and freeze up to 2 months. Note that a little water from the veggies will release when the chicken salad is thawed. That’s perfectly OK. Just drain it off, I like to freshen it up with a little extra honey mustard, too!

ADDITIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Here are some substitutions:

Red Onion: Green onion or white/yellow onion works just fine.

Celery: Celery is king in traditional chicken salad, but you can replace it with cucumber, radishes or another crunchy veggie! See 15 Simple Substitutes for Celery.

Vinegar: You can use red wine vinegar or even just traditional white vinegar in this recipe

Here are a few great additions:

Fresh Herbs: Such as fresh parsley or chives are a great addition.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is there a way to make chicken salad without mayo?

Yes! There are a few great ways to make mayo-free chicken salad! One way is to replace the mayo with a something else creamy such as Greek yogurt or sour cream.

However, this recipe uses a light honey mustard vinaigrette to coat the chicken. The result is a delicious salad that’s light, super flavorful with a hint of sweetness from the honey mustard. DELISH!

What’s the best way to eat this chicken salad without mayo:

There are four main ways I love to enjoy this chicken salad:

1. Sandwiches: on regular bread, croissants or pita bread!
2. Wraps: Wrap in a flour tortilla, add some crispy lettuce and you have the perfect wrap.
3. As a pasta salad: Might sound odd, but stir this chicken salad into cooled, cooked pasta and drizzle the honey dressing over everything! This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this chicken salad!
4. With Greens: Pile this chicken salad into butter lettuce cups or serve on top of a salad greens for a healthy, low carb meal.

What can you serve with chicken salad sandwiches?

Serve this chicken salad with a simple side of fresh fruit. If you are making chicken salad sandwiches, soup, roasted potatoes or sweet potato fries are great options.

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Close up shot of the chicken salad recipe without mayo on a wooden spoon.

I hope you love this Chicken Salad without Mayo! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Chicken Salad Without Mayo

Making a Chicken Salad Recipe Without Mayo could not be simpler…or more flavorful! We replace the mayonnaise in this recipe with a delicious sweet and tangy honey mustard. A few crunchy veggies are added and this becomes the perfect, light mayo-free chicken salad!
4.59 from 39 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 513 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded about 2 chicken breasts (See Note 1)
  • 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp honey
  • 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • fresh black pepper, if you like!

Instructions
 

  • Shred or finely chop chicken. Use an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes to get the chicken to your desired size and texture. You can also just shred the meat by hand or chop it!
  • In a small bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients: dijon mustard, honey, vinegar and oil. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion and celery, Add dressing and toss gently until the chicken is coated with the dressing. If possible, chill at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to marry. Season with fresh cracked black pepper, if you like.
  • Serve on sandwiches, in wraps, over a bed of lettuce or with crackers!

Notes

Note 1: Leftover chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken works great! If you don’t want to use a rotisserie chicken, 2 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts will work just fine! Cook them in the air fryer on the stovetop, cool chicken completely, then shred. 
How to shred you chicken: There are a few ways to get your chicken shredded.
Mixer: Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer! It takes about 3-4 minutes on medium speed to get the chicken finely shredded. You can do less time if you want larger pieces.
Chopping: Just use a good old fashioned knife and chop chicken into small pieces.
By Hand: I often like larger pieces of chicken for my chicken salad, so I will just use my hands the chicken breasts apart as I remove it from the whole chicken or cooked chicken breasts.
Nutrition information is only an estimate. Info is based on the Very Well Fit Nutrition Calculator.
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Nutrition

Calories: 513kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 41.6gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 4.8gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 278mgPotassium: 359mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18.2gCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Recipe Rating




18 Comments

    1. There is no may in this recipe. The author refers to honey mustard vinegarette, which in the recipe doesn’t contain mayo. You may want to actually read the recipe before making negative comments.

      Made this today, it’s very refreshing. Added some diced apple and used less oil. The recipe is very forgiving and can be modified to suite your taste.

  1. I didn’t have Mayo, so I found this recipe. It was very good—and I even used onion and celery flakes. I will make this again, but I’ll cut the olive oil by at least half.

  2. 5 stars
    Love this no-mayo option! Chilling the salad definitely helped to firm it up a bit. Served on wrap with arugula, avocado and tomato. Yum!

  3. 3 stars
    Just my personal opinion- it was a little too watery/sweet! I also would do less onions or it’s a bit overwhelming. I think pickles would be a good addition.

  4. I’m not super fond of Mayo, so this chicken salad is right up my alley! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

  5. 5 stars
    The BEST chicken salad recipe! I’ll never go back to mayo after tasting your honey dijon mustard dressing! Thanks for the great tip to use a stand mixer or hand mixer to easily get the chicken in fine pieces, too. Your recipes are always amazing, and this chicken salad is definitely a KEEPER!

  6. 5 stars
    I am loving this lightened up, mayo-free version of classic chicken salad! 🙂 Looks delicious.