HOMEMADE PESTO CHICKEN SALAD (DAIRY-FREE)
on Jan 16, 2026
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You can never go wrong with chicken salad, and this fresh, vibrant version with homemade dairy-free pesto is bound to become one of your favorite meal prep-friendly recipes.
What’s not to love about a protein-packed, versatile Homemade Pesto Chicken Salad that’s quick to make and ideal for meal prep? I’ve shared countless chicken salad recipes on my Instagram and blog, and this is a tried-and-true favorite.
You’ll start by making a super simple, vibrant pesto in a food processor. It requires just six ingredients and comes together in under five minutes.
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Pin ItOnce it’s ready, you’ll toss it with precooked chicken, avocado-based mayo, celery, green onions, pine nuts, and sliced almonds.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of my chicken salad recipes or trying one for the first time as an easy weekday lunch, I can’t wait for you to try this one out. Enjoy!
Key Ingredients for Chicken Pesto Salad Recipe
Call me crazy if you want but I’ve never liked store bought pesto…. IYKYK! Here’s what you’ll need for the homemade pesto and chicken salad recipe.
- Basil: The base of a classic pesto!
- Spinach: Sneaking in a big handful of iron-rich spinach is another way to boost the nutrient content of this salad. I promise you can’t even taste it!
- Garlic: Raw garlic amps up the flavor profile, balancing out the sweetness from the greens.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice adds just the right amount of acidity, while also maintaining the pesto’s vibrant green color.
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Pin It- Nutritional Yeast: To keep this recipe dairy-free, I added a bit of nutritional yeast to the mix. This plant-based ingredient is nutty and cheesy in flavor. You could use Parmesan cheese if you aren’t dairy-free.
- Chicken: Precooked chicken is your friend for quick, protein-packed meals. You could make a big batch of chicken at the start of the week (such as my “Lazy Girl” Chicken Thighs), or pick up a rotisserie chicken from your grocery store.
- Mayo: I used @primalkitchenfoods avocado oil mayo, but feel free to use whatever dairy-free or regular mayo that you prefer. If you don’t want to use mayo, I’d suggest Greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt.
- Celery: Is it even chicken salad without the crunch of diced celery?
- Green Onion: Mild, sweet green onion (also known as scallions) provides a burst of flavor without overpowering the other salad components.
- Pine Nuts: Many classic pesto recipes call for pine nuts. But instead of adding it to the pesto sauce, I decided to add it to the salad. I love the crunch of these small, buttery seeds.
- Sliced Almonds: The addition of sliced or slivered almonds is the texture that I love in a hearty salad like this one.
- Serving Suggestions: One of my go-to ways to eat this is as a sandwich. Choose a good gluten-free bread, such as @baseculture, and layer with thick tomato slices and butter lettuce. This is also great on lettuce cups.
How to Make Basil Pesto Chicken Salad
To start, make the pesto. Add the basil leaves, spinach, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a food processor and process until well combined.
Making Pesto in a Food Processor vs. Blender
I like to make pesto in a food processor as opposed to a high-speed blender because it tends to come together more easily. Of course, you could make it in a blender.
Give the pesto a taste, and season as you go. Add more salt and pepper or olive oil as needed.
Next, make the chicken salad. Gently toss together the diced chicken, mayo, prepared pesto, celery, green onion, pine nuts, and sliced almonds.
To serve, you could make a sandwich with tomatoes, butter lettuce, and gluten-free bread. It’s also delicious in a lettuce cup, or honestly, right out of the serving bowl. Enjoy!
Other Fan-Favorite Chicken Salad Recipes:
- Asian Chicken Salad
- Waldorf Chicken Salad (Dairy-Free and No Mayo)
- High Protein Greek Chicken Salad
- Curry Chicken Salad
HOMEMADE PESTO CHICKEN SALAD (DAIRY-FREE)
Ingredients
For the Pesto:
- 2 handfuls fresh basil leaves
- 1 handful spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 heaping tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup olive oil + more as needed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Chicken Salad:
- 4 cups cooked chicken
- ½ – 1 cup mayo, depending on how moist you like it
- ¾ cup diced celery
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
For Serving:
- Gluten-free bread (I used Base Culture)
- Tomato slices
- Butter lettuce
Instructions
Make the pesto:
- Add the pesto ingredients (basil, spinach, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, and pepper) to a food processor and process until well combined.
- Give the pesto a taste, and season as you go. Add more salt and pepper or olive oil as needed.
Make the chicken salad:
- Gently toss together the diced chicken, mayo, prepared pesto, celery, green onion, pine nuts, and sliced almonds.
- Serve the pesto chicken salad on toasted gluten-free bread with tomato and butter lettuce as a sandwich. You can also enjoy them as lettuce cups or right from the bowl… Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
