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Homemade Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Without Mayo photo
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Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Without Mayo

A light, tangy chicken salad made with Greek yogurt, basil, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts instead of mayonnaise.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast quartered
  • 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil packed and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts packed in water and roughly chopped (about 6 hearts)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes lightly packed in olive oil with herbs, minced
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup red onion minced
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts finely chopped (additional)

Instructions

  • Place the quartered chicken breasts in a large pot and add the chicken broth, water, and bay leaves so the chicken is covered by about 1 inch of liquid.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until the chicken reaches 165°F (about 12–15 minutes) and is no longer pink inside.
  • Transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl and reserve a small amount of the cooking liquid; add a little liquid to the bowl to keep the chicken moist while it cools.
  • Meanwhile, in a small food processor combine the Greek yogurt, packed basil, minced garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 cup roughly chopped artichoke hearts, salt, and black pepper and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • When the chicken is cool enough to handle, place it on a cutting board and shred with two forks until you have about 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken.
  • In a large bowl toss the shredded chicken with the yogurt mixture, minced sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, minced red onion, Italian seasoning, and the remaining 1/2 cup finely chopped artichoke hearts until well combined.
  • Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed, then serve.

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • small food processor or blender
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Cutting Board
  • Forks (for shredding)

Notes

  • This recipe uses Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for a lighter dressing.
  • Reserve a little cooking liquid to keep the chicken moist while cooling.
  • Use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for best flavor.
  • Gently pulse the dressing to avoid overworking the basil.