Healthy Chicken Salad Sandwich

Chicken Salad Sandwich At A Glance

• ⏱ Ready In: 30 minutes (with cooked chicken)
• 🍽 Serves: 4 sandwiches
• 🌱 Diet: High-protein, high-fiber, nut-free, dairy-light
• 💪 Nutrition Highlights: Roughly 440 calories and 38 grams protein per sandwich, plus fiber from whole-grain bread and veg
• 🥕 Main Ingredients: Shredded chicken breast, Greek yogurt, light mayo, celery, apple, avocado, whole-grain bread, tomato, lettuce
• 🔥 Flavor Profile: Creamy and tangy with a little sweetness from the apple, briny pickles and a mustardy kick
• 🧊 Meal-Prep Friendly: The chicken salad keeps 4 days in the fridge; assemble sandwiches fresh
• Best Served With: Fruit, veggie sticks, a green salad or baked sweet potato fries

Here is what you’ll need for this chicken salad sandwich recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

For the chicken salad

• Cooked chicken breast: The leanest option and where most of the protein comes from. Leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken works too. If you’re starting from raw, I poach the breasts gently and shred them while still warm, which you’ll find in my healthy chicken salad recipe. Here is my stovetop shredded chicken and oven-baked shredded chicken methods.
• Celery: Adds that classic chicken salad crunch. Dice it finely so it doesn’t overpower. Leave this one out if you don’t love celery!
• Dill pickles: Briny little bites that cut through the creamy dressing. Don’t skip them.
• Apple or red grapes: A bit of sweetness and juiciness. Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Fuji are my favorites here because they stay crisp.
• Green onion (spring onion): Mild oniony freshness without the harshness of raw red onion.
• Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise: The yogurt keeps things light and adds a bit of extra protein, while the mayo keeps that familiar rich flavor. Use full-fat mayo if you prefer, it’s still a much lighter dressing than most.
• Dijon mustard, pickle juice and lemon juice: This trio is what makes the dressing taste bright and seasoned rather than flat. Apple cider vinegar works instead of lemon.
• Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper: Simple seasoning that gives the filling real savory depth.

For the sandwiches

• Whole-grain or sourdough bread: Sturdy enough to hold the filling and gives you more fiber than white bread. Seeded bread is lovely here.
• Avocado: Healthy fats and creaminess, so you don’t need extra mayo on the bread.
• Lettuce or baby spinach: Freshness, and it acts as a barrier between the bread and the filling.
• Tomato: Juicy and fresh. Pick a ripe one with good flavor.
• Cucumber or carrot (optional): Extra crunch and more veg if you want it.
• Olive oil spray: For toasting the bread in the pan.

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make a chicken salad sandwich.

• Mix the chicken salad: In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, celery, pickles, apple and green onion.
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, mayo, mustard, pickle juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and lemon juice until smooth.
• Combine: Pour the dressing over the chicken and stir until everything is coated. Taste it now. It usually needs a little more salt or a squeeze of lemon.

• Toast the bread: Lightly spray a frying pan with oil and toast the bread over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp. A toaster is fine too.
• Build the sandwiches: Layer lettuce, tomato and avocado on four slices of toast, then pile on the chicken salad. Add cucumber if using, crack over some black pepper and top with the remaining bread.
• Slice and serve: Cut in half and eat straight away while the toast is still crisp.