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Chicken Salad may have started as a “Ladies who Lunch” classic, but my Green Goddess version has so much more personality! It’s everything you want in a summery meal—bright, herbaceous, and incredibly satisfying—plus it comes together quickly. Packed with fresh herbs for layers of flavor, it’s the perfect make-ahead dish for lunches, picnics, or light dinners.
My kids love it piled onto a soft brioche roll, while I prefer it in crisp bibb lettuce cups. However you serve it, it holds up beautifully in the fridge for up to 5 days—making it easy to prep on Sunday and enjoy all week long.
😍 Why You’ll Love my Green Goddess Chicken Salad
The Green Goddess dressing is really the star here: a blend of fresh basil, parsley, and tarragon with just the right balance of tang and creaminess from Greek yogurt, mayo, lime, and white wine vinegar. It’s light, bright, and deeply satisfying—perfect for hot summer days when you want something nourishing but that comes together quickly! You can also get creative with how you serve it, as it works for lunch, dinner, even an after camp snack.
🗒️ Ingredients:
Cooked chicken breasts – The heart of the salad: tender, juicy, and ready to soak up all the creamy, tangy goodness.
Celery – Adds that essential crunch, because no one wants a mushy chicken salad.
Red onion – A little bite, a little sweetness, and a pop of color to keep things interesting.
Kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper – The non-negotiables for seasoning, because bland chicken salad is just not an option.
Mayonnaise – The silky base that makes everything luscious and spoon-worthy.
Plain Greek Yogurt- Lightens things up with a little tang, and the Greek yogurt makes the dressing thick and dreamy.
Fresh Basil- Sweet and slightly peppery; adds a bright, aromatic finish.
Fresh Parsley- Clean, grassy, and slightly bitter; will brighten and balance flavors.
Fresh Tarragon leaves- Delicate with a subtle licorice or anise flavor; adds an elegant, slightly sweet depth to the salad
Lime- A Bright and tangy that will lift flavors.
White Wine Vinegar- This light vinegar adds a light subtle fruity undertone giving a gentle sharpness.
Scallions- A mild and fresh addition that will give a subtle onion flavor with a bit of sweetness.Toasted Walnuts- Rich and nutty with a deep, warm crunch that adds an earthiness to the recipe.
How to Make Green Goddess Chicken Salad
🥣 Add all of the dressing ingredients (Mayo, Greek yogurt, Lime, White Wine Vinegar) to a blender and blend for 10 seconds or until very smooth. Set aside.
🔪 In a medium bowl, add the minced Red Onion, Celery, shredded or diced Chicken (you can easily use a rotisserie chicken), and Walnuts.
Pour the dressing into the bowl and mix to coat well.
🧂 Sprinkle in kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Give it a toss, then taste and adjust as needed.
❄️ Serve right away or Pop it in the fridge to let the flavors meld together. The longer you wait, the better!
🥪 Scoop onto toasted sourdough or a fresh brioche bun, serve in a bib lettuce wrap, or enjoy with crackers!
🥳 Enjoy!
🤲 Substitutions
- No fresh chicken breasts? Use rotisserie chicken for extra flavor or swap in shredded turkey – it works just as well.
- Out of celery? Try diced cucumber for a fresh crunch or chopped green apple for a touch of sweetness.
- No red onion? Shallots or scallions will give you a milder bite, or leave them out if you prefer a softer flavor.
- Mayo not your thing? Use all yogurt for a tangier, lighter version, or try mashed avocado for a creamy, dairy-free option.
- No Basil? Try Arugula for a peppery kick
- No Walnuts? Try with toasted almonds or pecans
📓 Best served with:
- Bibb Lettuce cups
- With crackers
- In a sandwich with fresh Sourdough or a Brioche bun
- On a bed of lettuce
👝 How to Store Leftover Green Goddess Chicken Salad
- For the best flavor and freshness, store your Green Goddess Chicken Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 5 days – just give it a good stir before serving to redistribute the dressing.
- If you like your chicken salad extra creamy, you might find that it thickens as it sits. A quick fix? Stir in a spoonful of yogurt or mayo before serving to freshen it up.
Absolutely! Pre-cooked chicken, such as a rotisserie chicken, is a fantastic shortcut for this recipe. Just make sure to remove the skin and bones, then shred or dice the meat as desired. This will save you time and make the prep even quicker.
You have a few options! You can boil, poach, bake, or grill your chicken breasts until cooked through. Poaching (simmering gently in water or broth) often yields very tender chicken, perfect for shredding.
Toasted walnuts add a wonderful depth of flavor and a little extra crunch to the chicken salad. While you can use untoasted walnuts, we highly recommend taking the extra few minutes to toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant for the best results.
We recommend sticking with plain Greek yogurt for the dressing. Greek yogurt is thicker and tangier than regular yogurt, which contributes to the creamy texture and balanced flavor of the Green Goddess dressing. Regular yogurt might make the dressing too thin.
The color of your dressing largely depends on the freshness and vibrancy of your herbs. Ensure your basil and parsley are very fresh and green. Also, the natural color can vary slightly based on your blender’s power and how long you blend. The ice cube trick (often used in pesto) isn’t typically necessary here as the other ingredients help maintain color.
Green Goddess Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 Red Onion, minced
- 2 Stalks Celery, minced
- 2 Cooked Chicken Breasts, shredded or diced
- 1/3 Cup Toasted Walnuts
- 1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 Lime , juice
- 1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
- 2 Scallions, diced
- 2 Tbsp Fresh Tarragon leaves
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender and blend for 10 seconds or until very smooth. Set Aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the red onion, celery, shredded or diced chicken, and walnuts.
- Pour the dressing into the bowl and mix to coat well.
- Serve or refrigerate until ready to eat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Great, versatile recipe that will be on repeat for lunch prep in our house! I had everything on hand except the tarragon and celery so I omitted the tarragon and used chopped romaine hearts and it was still so good!
This is SO good! Can’t.stop.eatingit!
My family loved this!