High Protein Dill Pickle Chicken Salad With Zero Mayo
I'm obsessed with this dill pickle chicken salad. I make it whenever I've got defrosted chicken breasts and a jar of pickles (or leftover chicken, that works too), which is basically always. It's simple, it's fast, and it's high protein since the base is Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
I scoop it up with chips, pile it on Mestemacher (my favorite German bread), or just eat it straight from the bowl. The crunch from the pickles, the tang from the brine, and that everything dill seasoning make it a delicious chicken salad.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- High protein from the chicken and Greek yogurt, so it actually keeps you full
- The dill pickles add crunch and tang without extra fat or calories
- You can eat it five different ways (bread, wrap, crackers, greens, or a spoon)
- The chicken poaches in seasoned water, so it's not bland
- Takes about 25 minutes including the chicken cook time
- Makes great meal prep since it holds up in the fridge for days
What You'll Need
- Chicken breasts. I poach them in a stainless steel saucepan with seasoned water. You could also use leftover rotisserie chicken if you're short on time.
- Dill pickles. The crunchier the better. I use whole kosher dills and dice them small. You could swap in pickle relish if you prefer a smoother texture, but you lose some of that crunch.
- Scallions. These add a mild bite. You could use finely diced red onion instead.
- Fresh parsley. Just for a little brightness. Fresh dill works here too if you want to go all in on the dill flavor.
- Everything dill seasoning. This is the move. It adds sesame, garlic, onion, dill, and poppy seed all at once.
- Mustard seed powder. A little background heat and depth.
- Dill pickle liquid. Don't dump that pickle jar juice. It ties the whole salad together.
- Full fat Greek yogurt. This is the base instead of mayo. High protein, tangy, thick.
- Sour cream. Mixed with the yogurt for creaminess without making it too heavy. You could go all yogurt if you want it leaner.
- Salt, bay leaves, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder. For the poaching liquid.
Instructions
Start by bringing a stainless steel saucepan of water to a boil. Season it with 1/2 tbsp salt, 2 bay leaves, white pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Add your chicken breasts, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Once done, turn off the heat and let the chicken cool right in the water while you prep everything else. This keeps it juicy instead of drying it out on a cutting board.
While the chicken cools, mix your dressing base in a bowl: Greek yogurt, sour cream, dill pickle liquid, everything dill seasoning, mustard seed powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir that together. Then add the chopped scallions, diced pickles, and parsley.
Pull the chicken out of the water, shred it with two forks (or your hands if it's cool enough), and fold it into the bowl. Mix everything until it's evenly coated. Taste it, adjust salt if needed, and you're done.
Tips
Let the chicken cool in the poaching water. This keeps it from drying out and gives it more flavor.
The everything dill seasoning does a lot of heavy lifting here. Don't skip it.
This holds up well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, so it's great for meal prep.
If you want more pickle punch, add an extra splash of pickle liquid.
What to Serve With This
- Pickle-Garlic Butter Cuban Inspired Pull-Apart Sliders. If you want to serve this chicken salad on bread, these sliders are unreal. The garlic butter and pickle flavor stacks perfectly with the dill pickle chicken salad.
- Cucumber Feta Salad with Lemon Greek Vinaigrette. A cold, crunchy side that keeps the whole meal light and fresh.
- 15 of My Go-To Charcuterie Board Crackers. If you're scooping this chicken salad onto crackers, this list has the ones I always buy.
- Smoky Tomato Chicken and Corn Soup. Soup and chicken salad sandwich is a lunch combo I'll never get tired of.
If You Like This, You'll Love These
I make a lot of creamy salads and pickle-forward recipes. Here are a few others I've made and loved:
- Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad Same dill pickle energy but in pasta salad form. These two share a brain.
- Cornflake-Crusted Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap. Another chicken lunch situation, but with heat and crunch from the cornflake crust.
- Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad. If you like creamy protein salads, this is in the same family. Tuna instead of chicken, pasta instead of crackers.
- Chicken Thigh and Mango-Avocado Wild Rice Salad Bowl. A totally different vibe but still a protein-heavy salad that works for meal prep.
- Easy Pickle Pico De Gallo Pasta Salad. More pickle love. This one's tangier and has a Tex-Mex angle.
If you make this high protein crunchy dill pickle chicken salad, leave a comment. I love reading your comments and will try to get back to every single one.
High Protein Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add salt, bay leaves, white pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Add chicken breasts, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let the chicken cool in the water while you prepare the salad mixture.
- In a large bowl, combine Greek yogurt, sour cream, dill pickle liquid, everything dill seasoning, mustard seed powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir together.
- Add chopped scallions, diced dill pickles, and parsley to the bowl. Mix to combine.
- Shred the cooled chicken with two forks and add it to the bowl.
- Fold everything together until chicken is evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve on bread, in a wrap, over greens, or with crackers.
Nutrition
Notes
Tips
- Let the chicken cool in the poaching water. This keeps it from drying out and gives it more flavor.
- The everything dill seasoning does a lot of heavy lifting here. Don't skip it.
- This holds up well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, so it's great for meal prep.
- If you want more pickle punch, add an extra splash of pickle liquid.
