Let’s talk about lunch.
Lunch is like that awkward meal in the middle of the day that no one really knows what to do with. With that being said, I get a lot of questions about what to eat for healthy and easy work lunches. I personally rely heavily on leftovers from dinners, and I strategically plan my meals for the week so that we have leftovers available almost every day. However, I know not everyone LOVES eating the same thing over and over, and dinner leftovers are not always available. Sometimes it is nice to have something made specifically for lunches during the week to provide a little bit of variety — I get that!
A few years ago, I was not-so-low-key OBSESSED with this recipe. I would make a double batch of it every single week and it would disappear very quickly (with the help of my parents — this was when I still lived at home). I think I kinda burned myself out on it, but I’m finally ready to bring it back into my life! I love it because a) it is so dang quick and easy to make, b) it’s full of good-for-you ingredients and c) it is delicious!
The original recipe calls for a dry ranch packet. I know not everyone loves using pre-made packets for things, but let’s be honest — they are convenient AF. For all you peeps out there with kids, or puppies, or multiple jobs, etc., I know you can appreciate the convenience factor. If you want to make your own dry ranch seasoning with spices you have in your pantry, you do you. Simply Google or Pinterest “homemade ranch seasoning”. Same goes for the canned chicken. You can absolutely bake or grill your chicken and then shred it yourself, but canned chicken is easy to keep on hand in your pantry when you need it, and requires a lot less work.
You can make any modifications you want to make this “healthier”, but just know that I’m not here to judge you for taking any shortcuts. I’m all about the shortcuts these days.
A couple things I don’t skimp on in this recipe are the other add-ins. I like to use grapes in place of dried cranberries because for some reason unsweetened dried cranberries DO NOT EXIST. You can find the 50% reduced sugar ones, but unsweetened isn’t a thing… someone please explain this to me!? Anyway, I like to use grapes. I suck at getting fruit in my diet so this helps me out a bit. (Again, if you want to use dried cranberries, totally fine. There is nothing wrong with them, but I do prefer to get whole, fresh fruit when I can since that is a struggle for me. I’m more of a veggie gal.)
I also love adding in slivered almonds for a little bit of crunch, and healthy fats, of course! Some people like to use celery in their chicken salad, and that provides some crunch too. I personally despise celery with a firey passion, but if that’s your jam, go for it! I think little bits of apple would be delicious and a lil crunchy as well. Or red onions. Might have to play around with both of those on my next batch!
This recipe is pretty versatile in that you can serve it up several different ways. Throw it on whole grain bread as a sandwich, lettuce wraps, along with Triscuits or on a bed of mixed greens! I’ve eaten it all of the above ways and it is delicious no matter what.
Okay, that’s enough detail — recipe time!
Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz canned white meat chicken or 12 oz chicken, baked & shredded
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp dry ranch mix or homemade, if preferred
- 1/2 cup grapes cut in fourths, red or green
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Place chicken in a large bowl. (Drain first if using canned). Shred chicken using a fork.
- Add in Greek yogurt, dry ranch mix, grapes and slivered almonds, and stir until everything is combined well.
- Serve chilled on lettuce wraps, whole grain bread, or along with whole grain crackers.
Notes
Aaaand that’s it! I hope you love this simple recipe as much as my family does! Let me know if you try it and be sure to tag me in your beautiful food photos on Instagram at @wellnessforthewin.
Talk to you soon!
Shanna
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