This recipe originally came from a blogger named Karen, who ran a site called Myskinnysweettooth.
Unfortunately, Myskinnysweettooth has been taken down (like too many other great sites), but you can still find her on Pinterest here.
Having Weight Watchers Chicken Salad for a quick lunch on a weight loss journey offers numerous benefits. First, it is low in calories and high in protein, making it an excellent choice for you if you’re looking to lose weight. The lean chicken breast provides a good source of protein that promotes muscle growth and helps keep you feeling full for longer periods. By staying full for longer, you’ll reduce the urge to snack on unhealthy options.
Second, this chicken salad is rich in essential nutrients. It contains a variety of fruits and healthy fat through the addition of nuts. It’s a great way to get in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. These nutrients support overall health, aid digestion, and contribute to a balanced diet.
Third, the convenience factor of this recipe is another advantage. It is quick to prepare and easy to pack for on-the-go lunches, making it a practical choice for individuals with busy lifestyles. By opting for Weight Watchers Chicken Salad, you can save time and ensure you have a nutritious meal that supports your weight loss goals.
Three reasons why you need to make this recipe!
It’s the perfect meal prep lunch.
Whether you’re at home or on the go, chicken salad doesn’t need to be heated. So if you’re looking for a healthy lunch option, this is it. You can eat it anywhere. Pack it with ready-to-eat carbs, like pretzel thins and you don’t even need a fork.
It’s very low in saturated fat.
A traditional chicken salad croissant sandwich has about 11 grams of saturated fat. Saturated fat can increase your risk of heart disease and raise your cholesterol. This chicken salad recipe has less than 1 gram of saturated fat per serving.
You can get creative with ZeroPoint Foods.
There are a ton of different ways chicken salad is made, from the traditional grapes, celery, and nuts to beans, corn, and peppers. Check out the variations below.
Ingredients you need to make WW Chicken Salad:
- 14 oz chicken breast (about 2 large)
- 3/4 C + 2 Tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp mayo
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1/2 cup apple, diced
- 1 cup grapes, halved
- 1/4 cup (30g) walnuts, chopped.
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 385°F. Take two sheets of parchment paper and place a chicken breast onto each piece. Add salt and pepper. Bring up the long ends of the parchment and roll them down. Then, fold in the two sides and tuck under the bottom. Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 min. Turn off the heat and let them sit in the oven for 10 minutes. Take out of the oven and allow to cool.
- Place cooked chicken breast into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Turn on medium and you’ll have perfectly shredded chicken in seconds!
- In the mixing bowl with the shredded chicken, add the Greek yogurt and mayo. Turn on low and mix until incorporated.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Using a spatula or spoon, gently mix in the apples, grapes, walnuts, and scallions until everything is combined.
- Store in the fridge for 4-6 hours so all the flavors can come together. (This is a very important step. It’s worth the wait!)
Makes 6 servings. Nutrition info per serving: Calories 173, Fat 7g, Saturated fat .57g, Carbs 10g, Fiber .83g, Sugars 7.2g, Sodium 399mg, Protein 18g.
WW Points
- Chicken breast 0 points
- Nonfat Greek yogurt 0 points
- Mayo 6 points
- Scallion 0 points
- Apple 0 points
- Grapes 0 points
- Walnuts 6 points
- Salt & pepper 0 points
2 points per serving based on the WW app recipe creator.
If you’re using an older version of WW, check out these points below.
2-4 personal points, 2 SP freestyle blue & purple, 4 SP green or 5 points plus each serving approx 5.5oz
Different ways to change up this recipe:
- You could omit the mayo if you wanted, but at only 2 points per serving, it’s worth keeping it for the flavor.
- You can change up the nuts. Use almonds or cashews instead of walnuts.
- Around the holidays, make a version with some dried cranberries and pecans.
- During the summer, strawberries would be a great substitute for the apples or grapes.
- Get creative with ZeroPoint Foods. You can add celery, onions, bell peppers, corn, beans, etc. Experiment with different flavor profiles.
- Use Bibb lettuce to make WW Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps- keeps it low carb.
- For a middle eastern spin, mix the base recipe with shredded carrots, cilantro, Za’tar seasoning, and almonds. This version would go great with naan bread if you have the points for it.
- You could leave out the fruit, and add sriracha, onions, and celery for a spicy chicken salad.
Tips and Tricks for Making WW Chicken Salad.
- Because each serving is only two points, you can have this chicken salad with almost anything – sliced apples, Wheat Thins, a baked potato, 45-calorie bread, or as is!
- Use canned chicken breast for a very quick recipe. It will save about 30-40 minutes.
- You can use light mayo instead of regular mayo.
- If you use rotisserie chicken, make sure to only use the chicken breast and no skin. It will keep the points the same.
- Triple this recipe because it can last in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze individual servings by scooping each serving into a round pile on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Once frozen enough to handle, wrap each chicken salad round in saran wrap and put it in a large freezer bag. All you have to do is pull a serving out in the morning and put it in your lunch box as the “cold pack” and it will be thawed, but still cold by lunch.
- Make a large enough batch to share with the family. It’s a crowd-pleaser.
Similar recipes you’ll enjoy:
Weight Watchers Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breast, cooked**, shredded*** (about 14oz)
- 3/4 C + 2Tbsp nonfat greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp mayo
- 1 scallion/green onion, chopped
- 1/2 Cup apple, diced (I use granny smith … could also use celery)
- 1 Cup grapes, halved
- 1/4 Cup 30g walnuts, chopped or pieces.
- salt & pepper to taste.
Instructions
- *you could omit the mayo for a 1pp difference per serving, but I love the flavor it adds.
- **Preheat the oven to 385°F. Take two sheets of parchment paper and place a chicken breast onto each piece. Add salt and pepper. Bring up the long ends of parchment and roll down. Then, fold in the two sides and tuck under the bottom. Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 min. Turn off the heat and let them sit in the oven for 10 minutes. Take out of the oven and allow to cool.
- ***To get the texture of the original derby chicken chicken salad, place cooked chicken breast into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Turn on medium and you’ll have perfectly shredded chicken in seconds!
- • In the mixing bowl with the shredded chicken, add the greek yogurt and mayo. Turn on low and mix until incorporated.
- • Add salt and pepper to taste.
- • Using a spatula or spoon, gently mix in the apples, grapes, walnuts and scallions until everything is combined.
- • Store in the fridge for 4-6 hours so all the flavors can marry and become awesome.
- • Enjoy on a croissant, sliced apples, triscuit crackers, baked potato, or as is! Oh, the possibilities! Makes 6 servings at 2-4 personal points, 2 SP freestyle blue & purple, 4 SP green or 5 points plus each, each serving approx 5.5oz
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What is portion size for each serving for your Derby City chicken salad
Hi there, that is actually not my recipe, I had someone guest post that one.. I am pretty sure it says how many cups it makes and the WW points on the post, you can also follow the link to Karen’s blog, she made the recipe 🙂
I absolutely loved this recipe, although I did make some variations…instead of walnuts I used almond slivers, I added 1/4 C of a sweet onion, and some garlic pepper for to taste. I’m thinking of adding a few dehydrated cranberries to my sandwich wrap for a little holiday flair! ? Love your site!
Thank you! 🙂 Your substitutions sound awesome.. Happy Holidays 🙂
Can you use canned chicken breast? Also would light mayo be ok instead of regular?
If you like canned chicken sure, I’m just not a fan of it.. and yes light mayo is okay 🙂
i have made this for years the mayo way. I made yours for the first time today it is amazing!!!!! Thank you so much!!!
So glad you enjoyed it, I can’t take credit for the recipe, it was shared by the lovely Karen at myskinnysweettooth.com 🙂
Can you use rotisserie chicken ?
I shredded the chicken with my stand mixer! I was skeptical but it was so awesome!!!!! This is the quickest I have ever shredded chicken and it was perfection! Oh and family loved the chicken salad.
Awesome, glad it was enjoyed! I have seen others do that but yet to try it myself.. I will be sure to thanks
This is really delicious! Thank you for an awesome recipe It’s definitely one I will be making over and over 🙂
Hi Nicole so glad you enjoyed it, I was thankful that a fellow blogger shared it on my page 🙂
Is the parchment paper covering the chicken or just a place for the chicken to sit on? I’m confused with why you’re rolling it down and tucking it? I can’t wait to try this for lunch this week!
To my understanding it is covering it, it was a shared recipe from a fellow blogger
The chicken salad looks so good can’t wait to try it
Hope you enjoy it 🙂