Lighter Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups
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There are so many reasons to love my Lighter Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups: an easy, lightened-up version of classic chicken salad made even healthier in lettuce wraps. It’s a delicious, low-carb meal that is perfect for the season and ready in just 10 minutes!
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Why I love this recipe
Rotisserie chicken or precooked leftover chicken is a huge time saver for this chicken salad, which evokes all things light and sunny. Perfect for this time of year, it is a lightened, healthy version of the standard chicken salad.
For me, this chicken salad lettuce cups recipe is the ultimate. It has all of the flavor of a classic chicken salad, but it’s fresher and lighter than ever with a combination of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt.
Consider this a great appetizer, side dish, or the main event for light dinners or luncheons. You’ll love how quickly this salad comes together!
Ingredients
The recipe card at the bottom of this post contains ingredient measurements. Here’s a quick list of what you will need.
- Toasted nuts: I’m using toasted walnuts, but pecans are delicious too!
- Dressing: Mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, fresh dill, salt, and pepper.
- Herbs: I’m using a combination of fresh dill and flat-leaf parsley, but any other soft herb growing in the garden would be good here.
- Green onions: for extra crispy texture and flavor.
- Bibb lettuce leaves: for the wraps.
- Dried fruit: I love the combination of tart dried cherries with chicken salad, but use your favorite dried fruit like cranberries or raisins – or leave it out entirely if it’s not your thing!
Frequently Asked Questions
If the cooked chicken you’re using is fresh, you can refrigerate leftover chicken salad in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. The USDA recommends using refrigerated, cooked leftover chicken within 3-4 days.
I know the only cooking needed for this recipe is to toast the nuts. And while that is an optional step, it provides such delicious flavor you won’t want to miss! You can toast nuts either in the oven or in a dry skillet on the stovetop. To toast in the oven, preheat it to 350° F, spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake for about 5 minutes. Let them cool before adding them to the salad.
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Lighter Chicken Salad in Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
Chicken Salad
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 6 green onions white and light green parts, chopped
- 6 Bibb lettuce leaves
- 1/3 cup dried tart cherries or cranberries
Dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350° oven for 5 minutes or until browned or in a dry skillet until toasted. Let cool.
- Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl; stir to combine. Set aside.
- Place chicken, toasted walnuts, parsley, and green onions in a large bowl; toss to combine. Add dressing, stirring well to coat.
- Place 1 lettuce leaf in each of 6 bowls. Divide chicken salad evenly among the bowls; top with cherries.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.