This easy keto chicken salad recipe with bacon is a great low carb snack or lunch idea! It combines lean protein and healthy fats and is super quick to make!
While it’s low carb, gluten-free, and ketogenic friendly, it’s also a family favorite! It tastes great on its own, in a wrap, or with vegetables. This recipe has 2.4 net carbs per serving.
This low carb chicken salad recipe is one of our favorite dishes to meal prep too! It can last for a 3-5 days, and it’s easy to budget for because it’s only 2.4 g net carbs.
Keep in mind, that many condiment brands contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, or a list of processed ingredients you can’t pronounce. You’ll want to keep an eye on the ingredients in each condiment for this reason!
Is chicken salad keto?
Different chicken salads will vary on how keto-friendly they are. It’s important to look for recipes high in protein and fat and low carbs for a ketogenic diet. This recipe contains chicken breast, avocado, bacon, mayonnaise, sour cream, and fresh vegetables.
Is it OK to eat salad on keto?
Yes, you can eat a variety of salads on the keto diet. You just want to make sure they are rich in healthy fats and low in carbs. You should be able to find or make keto-friendly chicken salad, egg salad, arugula salad, Greek salad, and antipasto options to enjoy!
Does chicken salad have high carbs?
Some chicken salads can be high in carbs. Classic chicken salad without fruit has about 3 grams of carbs, but fruit and dressings can add to the carb count. It’s important to research the nutrition facts before eating chicken salad.
Is mayonnaise keto-friendly?
Mayonnaise is keto-friendly because it’s high in fat, low in protein, and contains 0 carbs. If you choose a store-bought mayonnaise, check to make sure it doesn’t have canola oil or added sugars. The canola oil is highly processed, and the sugar adds carbohydrates.
How to Serve Keto Chicken Salad & Stay Low Carb
So here are a few of our favorite things to enjoying keto chicken salad with:
- Lettuce wraps
- Stuffed tomatoes
- Stuffed bell peppers or other sweet peppers
- Topping a tossed salad with it
- On low-carb crackers
- Spreading it over cucumber slices
- On paleo or keto bread
- Inside low carb tortillas
- As a dip with cheese crisps or cloud bread
Keto Chicken Salad Ingredients:
Our high fat, low carb chicken salad is full of flavor and texture and will satisfy your craving for comfort food!
It contains:
- Chicken breast (fresh, rotisserie, or canned)
- Red onion
- Avocado
- Celery
- Bacon
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
You could also add in hard-boiled eggs, feta cheese, green onions, sunflower seeds, fresh dill, or dill pickles to this low-carb chicken salad.
Is canned chicken OK for keto?
Yes, canned chicken is OK for keto diets.
Can you use canned chicken for chicken salad?
Absolutely! You can used canned chicken breast for this recipe, as well as, rotisserie chicken.
If you’re using canned chicken, just make sure to drain the juice and pull the chunks apart using a fork.
How to Make Keto Chicken Salad
To make our keto chicken salad recipe even easier, you can use canned or rotisserie chicken.
If you use full chicken breasts or thighs, you can cook them in an instant pot or slow cooker beforehand as well to save time.
You have a few options, but we do recommend cooking your chicken and bacon beforehand.
If you’re cooking your chicken, you can boil it in water for 30 minutes or bake it at 350 for 30 mins or until done.
While chicken is cooking, you can prepare the dressing.
Mix all dressing ingredients together by hand and place in the refrigerator.
Once, chicken has cooked and cooled, cut into small cubes. Kitchen scissors work well to do this.
In large bowl, mix together the diced onion, finely chopped celery, crumbled bacon, and cubed chicken.
Add the dressing mixture and stir in well until all is covered. Gently fold in the avocado. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Note: If you prefer a shredded chicken salad, do all the above and then add to a food processor to shred.
Then place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour or so to let it chill. (You can always eat it before then, but we like it cold!)
How to Store Your Easy Low Carb Chicken Salad
You just want to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
How long does chicken salad last in the fridge?
If your chicken salad is in an airtight container in the fridge, it should last up to 3-5 days.
How do you enjoy your chicken salad?
More Keto Recipes:
You may also like Sorey Fitness’ Keto Quick Start Guide for Beginners!
Easy Keto Chicken Salad Recipe
Our easy keto chicken salad provides lean protein, healthy fat, and tons of flavor to help you stay low carb! It's also so simple to make and tastes great on its own, in a wrap, or with vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 12 oz each chicken breasts, boiled , (You can use also canned or a rotisserie)
- 1/4 cup small red onion, diced
- 1 small avocado, cubed
- 1 stick 5" to 6" stick of celery, finely chopped
- 6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 dash salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook bacon and chicken beforehand. To cook the chicken, you can boil for 30 mins in water, or you can bake at 350 for 30 mins or until done.
- While chicken is cooking, you can prepare the dressing. Mix all dressing ingredients together by hand and place in the refrigerator.
- Once, chicken has cooked and cooled, cut into small cubes. Kitchen scissors work well to do this.
- In large bowl, mix together the diced onion, finely chopped celery, crumbled bacon, and cubed chicken. Add the dressing mixture and stir in well until all is covered. Gently fold in the avocado. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate.
- If you prefer a shredded chicken salad, do all the above and then add to a food processor to shred.
Notes
Cook bacon and chicken beforehand. To cook the chicken, you can boil for 30 mins in water, or you can bake at 350 for 30 mins or until done. To save time, you can use pre-cooked bacon and canned chicken or a rotisserie chicken.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 279mgCarbohydrates: 4.1gNet Carbohydrates: 2.42gFiber: 1.7gSugar: 1.2gSugar Alcohols: 0.03gProtein: 29.4g
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I’ve been craving chicken salad and can’t wait to make this! Love the added avocado!
I was so happy I had everything on hand to make this yummy salad! So delicious, I’ve eaten it twice today already!