Chicken Salad Recipe 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, mayonnaise-free chicken salad!
What readers are saying...
“This is the best chicken salad recipe I have ever made; so light and delicious!“
– RADWA
No mayo?! Ok…fine.
I’m a mayo lover. I’ll shameless admit it. I was totally against un-traditional chicken salad recipes until I tried a chicken salad with honey mustard vinaigrette from a cafe in Napa. It was light and packed with flavor!
I had to recreate it and when I did, I started making it several times a week and for meal prep! Use store-bought rotisserie chicken breast and whip this up in about 10 minutes. It’s also a great way to use up leftover chicken!
I still love my more classic chicken salad recipe with avocado, but I’ll admit, this one is hard to beat! Enjoy it, my mayo-hating friends!!!
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Chicken Salad Without Mayo Recipe:
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 it into small pieces (Pro Tip: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer will get the chicken nice and fine).
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together your dressing ingredients.
Step 3: Combine the shredded chicken with veggies, and toss with the dressing.
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.
Casey’s Top Tip: 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 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 for up to 2 months. Note that a little water from the veggies will be released 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: Fresh dill, parsley, or chives are a great addition.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Yes! There are a few great ways to make mayo-free chicken salad! One way is to replace the mayo with something else creamy such as plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
However, this recipe uses a light honey mustard vinaigrette to coat the chicken. The result is a delicious healthy chicken salad recipe that’s light and has a hint of sweetness from the honey mustard. DELISH!
There are four main ways I love to enjoy this chicken salad:
1. Chicken Salad Sandwich: Enjoy this easy chicken salad 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: It 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. Lettuce Wrap or Salad: Pile this chicken salad into butter lettuce cups or serve on top of salad greens for a healthy, low-carb lunch or light dinner.
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.
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
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!
- Make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients: dijon mustard, honey, vinegar and oil. Set aside.
- Combine and toss: In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion, and celery, Add dressing and toss gently until the chicken is coated with the dressing.
- Finish: If possible, chill at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to marry (optional). Season with fresh cracked black pepper, if you like. Serve on sandwiches, in wraps, over a bed of lettuce, or with crackers!
Honey Mustard is made by mixing mustard and mayo. Thanks for wasting my time
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.
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.
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!
So delicious and nutritious! This is going to be in rotations of lunch meals.
Dressing was a good base. I added 2 T. Of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Kicked it up a notch!
This is the best chicken salad recipe I have ever made; so light and delicious!
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.
Thank you for this recipe. I hate mayo and this was delicious in our sandwiches.
My non mayo eater is going to love this quick and easy chicken salad! Delish!
This looks very good. I love this healthier version with no mayo. It actually looks better!
Hi Casey, Thank you for this recipe because in January I’m gonna need it! Thanks for sharing!
This looks so moist and flavorful. Can’t wait to try it out! Thanks for the beautiful step-by-step pics!
I’m not super fond of Mayo, so this chicken salad is right up my alley! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
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!
I love that this recipe is without mayo. Lighter and so much tastier in my opinion!
I love chicken salad but have never liked all the mayo; this is a great alternative! So easy and delicious; easily, a new favorite recipe!
I am loving this lightened up, mayo-free version of classic chicken salad! 🙂 Looks delicious.