HOMEMADE PESTO CHICKEN SALAD (DAIRY-FREE)

HOMEMADE PESTO CHICKEN SALAD (DAIRY-FREE)

In under 15 minutes, you can enjoy a ready-to-eat, protein-packed chicken salad that keeps you satisfied all afternoon. Simple, quick, and perfect for meal prep!

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken breast recipes, Chicken Salad, Meal prep salads, Pesto recipes

Servings: servings

Author: Olivia Adriance

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

Chicken salad is great for meal prep. Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. You could easily double this recipe if you plan to meal prep for several members or if you want to serve it to a crowd.

Nutrition