Cranberry Chicken Salad 

This Cranberry Chicken Salad without mayo combines chicken breast with Greek yogurt, lemon, tarragon, dried cranberries, and walnuts to make 4 perfectly portioned lunches. Each serving is only 300 calories with 32 grams of protein, and it all comes together in 15 minutes.

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If you love chicken salad but want a healthier, more nutritious lunch, try this Greek yogurt chicken salad with cranberries. It skips the mayo and adds more protein with the Greek yogurt.

Many of the women I coach tend to under-eat protein, especially for lunch. Eating enough protein is necessary to fuel your body and reduce your cravings for carbs and sugar, which is necessary for weight loss.

This recipe makes enough protein-packed chicken salad for 4 lunches, so you’re set with a healthy lunch for most of the week.

If you like healthier, creamy salad recipes, you will love this low-calorie egg salad and my high-protein broccoli salad!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No Mayonnaise: While mayo is rich and creamy, it’s also full of unnecessary fat and calories. This recipe uses Greek yogurt instead to add protein and keep calories low.
• Ready in Just 15 Minutes: This easy cranberry chicken salad recipe comes together in 15 minutes and doesn’t require any cooking. That makes it ideal for busy meal prep days or a last-minute lunch.
• Makes 4 Grab-and-Go Lunches: Not only does this chicken salad come together without cooking, but it also makes 4 servings at once. That means you have 4 meals ready to go for the week with little effort. 

Ingredients

• Canned Chicken: Keep this chicken and cranberry salad simple by making it with canned chicken. Be sure to drain it well so the salad doesn’t turn watery.
• Greek Yogurt: Use plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt that’s either 2% or low-fat. 2% is creamier, but low-fat has fewer calories.
• Dried Cranberries: Low-sugar dried cranberries are best because regular cranberries are loaded with added sugar. 
• Walnuts: Sprinkle a few toasted or plain walnuts into your salad for a nutty crunch.
• Tarragon: This potent herb has a bittersweet, licorice-like flavor that complements the flavors of the chicken and Greek yogurt.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations & Dietary Modifications

• Use a Different Meat: Instead of using canned chicken, you can also shred a rotisserie chicken. This is also a great salad to make with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, or try using tuna like in my tuna taco salad.
• Add Veggies and Fruit: Mix in chopped celery, red onion, or grapes into your chicken salad for more veggies and flavor. Apples, like in this apple chicken salad, are a great way to bring more fall flavor to the chicken salad.
• Make It Dairy-Free: If you’d like a dairy-free chicken salad, make this using a plant-based Greek yogurt instead. 

How to Make Cranberry Chicken Salad

Since this chicken salad with dried cranberries comes together in 15 minutes, it needs no prep work or complicated tools. Just a mixing bowl and a fork or spoon! The result is a lunch that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for most of the afternoon.

1. Step 1: Add Chicken.  Drain the water from the canned chicken using a colander, then transfer the chicken to a mixing bowl.

2. Step 2: Stir In Other Ingredients. Add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, tarragon, dried cranberries, and walnuts. Divide the salad into four 1-cup servings and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat.

Serving Suggestions

The flavors of the tarragon and cranberry make this the perfect chicken salad for a fall lunch. You can enjoy it over a bed of lettuce, in a sandwich, or as a dip with pita bread or chopped vegetables.

It comes together quickly with simple ingredients and lasts most of the week. This chicken salad is a great way to eat more protein for your midday meals.

• If you love a chicken salad sandwich, serve this between two pieces of homemade gluten-free oat bread or make a wrap using low-carb cauliflower tortilla wraps.
• Capture even more fall flavors and make a side of air fryer sweet potato fries with a sprinkle of cinnamon to go with your creamy salad.
• You can also serve your chicken salad with a more traditional salad, like a Mediterranean orzo salad, to fit more greens and veggies into your lunch.

Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe FAQs

More Delicious Chicken Salad Recipes

Low Calorie

Greek Yogurt Buffalo Chicken Salad

Dinner

Guacamole Chicken Salad

Salad

Chicken Gorgonzola Salad

Gluten Free

Chicken Cashew Salad

If you tried this Cranberry Chicken Salad recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.