This Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad is packed with shredded chicken, a light dressing of Greek yogurt and mayo, and bursting with juicy strawberries and poppy seeds. This dish is fresh, flavorful, and filled with just the right amount of sweetness!
Let’s talk about chicken salad today.
What are your feelings on this versatile dish? For me, I like it, but I’m very selective about it.
You may remember me mentioning my least favorite (or most hated) foods in this post from a few weeks ago. Celery is in the top three of that list, and it also happens to be a main ingredient in most chicken salads. Hence, that is the reason why I normally don’t eat chicken salad, unless I make it myself.
I’m also selective because of the miracle whip found in a lot of chicken salads. I’m a huge mayo girl. Always have been, and always will be. Miracle whip? Yucko. I just can’t get over the taste, which is also why I’m not a big fan of potato salads.
So, even though I love chicken salads, I hardly ever eat them. Most restaurants can’t change up the ingredients, and most people make theirs with miracle whip and celery. And that’s ok…to each his own, right?
Last summer, I whipped up this Lightened Up Zesty Chicken Salad, that’s packed full of shredded chicken, corn, bacon, and garlic. It’s also on the lighter side because I used mostly plain, Greek yogurt, with just a few tablespoons of mayonnaise for that added richness. It quickly became one of my most popular summer recipes, and for good reason. Man, oh man, is it good!
So, when my chicken salads cravings hit a few weeks ago, I decided to put a summery spin on the dish and make this lightened Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad. I randomly thought of the idea after consuming way too many strawberry and spinach salads lately. I didn’t even check to see if this was already a recipe idea on Pinterest or Google, I just went with it. And I’m SO glad I did.
This Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad is packed with shredded chicken, a light dressing of Greek yogurt and mayo, and bursting with juicy strawberries and poppy seeds. This dish is fresh, flavorful, and filled with just the right amount of sweetness. I’ts perfect to pile onto bread, toss with a salad, or just to eat it by the spoonful!
Now, you may think that strawberries and chicken salad don’t go together, but, trust me when I say that they do. They REALLY do! The flavor is incredible, to put it mildly.
To start, I used a base of mostly plain, Greek yogurt and added in just a touch of mayonnaise. It makes the dressing healthier, light and not so tangy. I also used shredded, rotisserie chicken found near the deli section of my grocery store. You can also cook and chop your own chicken, or shred it yourself, but I love grabbing some already shredded, fresh chicken. Makes my job so much easier!
Simply mix the dressing together, toss in the shredded chicken, fold in the strawberries and poppy seeds, and this Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad is ready to be devoured. It literally takes just 5 minutes, from start to finish. You can’t get much easier than that!
One bite and you’ll be hooked on the burst of flavor that shines through from the strawberries. It pairs so well with the lightened dressing and fresh chicken. This easy, summer salad is perfect for healthy sandwich, a delicious topping to a sandwich, or just to eat it by the spoonful. But, whatever your pleasure may be, I guarantee this will be the chicken salad of the summer!
Looking for more salad recipes? I’ve got you covered!
- Quinoa and Chickpea Pesto Salad
- Cranberry and Mushroom Spinach Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
- BLT Ranch Pasta Salad
P.S. Check out my very first E-CookBook, 30+ Twenty Minute Meals: From Breakfast to Desserts and Everything in Between, designed with you in mind!
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Fat
Carbs
Protein
Yields 4 servings
This Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad is packed with shredded chicken, a light dressing of Greek yogurt and mayo, and bursting with juicy strawberries and poppy seeds. This dish is fresh, flavorful, and filled with just the right amount of sweetness!
5 minPrep Time
5 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/2 cup plain, Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used shredded rotisserie chicken found near the deli section of my grocery store)
- 1 cup sliced, fresh strawberries
- 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add in the chicken and toss to combine.
- Fold in the strawberries and poppy seeds.
- Serve on bread, a bun, or on top of a salad, if desired.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Chicken salad will keep refrigerated for up to five days.
Adapted from my Lightened Up Zesty Chicken Salad
Mir says 
Gayle says 