There’s a reason every deli in America serves chicken salad. Easy, versatile and delicious, chicken salad can be as simple or as complex as you like. The best chicken salad showcases tender, juicy meat and tastes just as good on its own as it does in a sandwich.

In fact, the only complaint we can make about chicken salad is that, thanks to mayo and other ingredients, it can pack a surprising calorie-laden punch.

With summer here and most of us keeping an eye on our diets, we’ve decided to help you silence even that nagging qualm once and for all. The secret to low-cal chicken salad? Use a lighter mayo (or even yogurt) as your base, then amp up the flavor with plenty of fresh, healthy ingredients, like apples, grapes, raspberries or avocados.

In honor of the aforementioned delis, we are including the traditional chicken salad sandwich, but we’ve also got a fresh Mediterranean chicken salad full of crisp veggies, and a delicious chicken-and-zucchini salad. There’s even a Chicken Waldorf Salad as rich as its namesake hotel, but still clocks in at less than 300 calories.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

This chicken salad tastes indulgent but is actually low-calorie, thanks to fat-free mayo and salad dressing. Apples, pecans and celery add delicious crunch to the lean chicken breast.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Here’s the sandwich you can find at delis, but this one uses yogurt and light mayo as its creamy base. Serve it alongside a fresh fruit salad, and you have the perfect summer lunch.

Spring Chicken Salad

Served on a biscuit or roll, this chicken salad recipe is great for a party or summer brunch. We love the added sweetness grapes bring to the recipe, and we also love how easy it is to prepare.

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Here’s a great use for your leftover grilled chicken. Combined with chickpeas, olives and plenty of fresh herbs, ordinary chicken becomes a trip to the Mediterranean on a plate.

Chicken Zucchini Salad

A great way to get picky eaters to eat their veggies, this chicken salad is loaded with both zucchini and fennel (or kohlrabi). We love the citrusy tang that orange juice and fresh orange slices bring to the dish.

Chicken Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

This beautiful chicken salad tastes just as good as it looks. It’s also packed with healthy fruits and vegetables, including raspberries, avocado, grapefruit and arugula.

Perfect for picnics, light for lunch — explore all our chicken salad recipes!

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Categories: Dinner Tonight | Tags: Chicken, Chicken Salad, Healthy Cooking, low-calorie, Summer Salads
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