Pumpkin spice is nice, but we love apple season just as much! Apples are a great source of vitamin C and fiber, and they’re also rich in antioxidants.
There are so many varieties of apples available at the grocery store all year, but why not take advantage of the season and visit the orchard this weekend and make a fall outing of it? At some local orchards you’ll be able to get a little more activity into your excursion by walking around the orchard and picking your own.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad is a great healthy lunch option and easy to meal prep for the week, plus the Greek yogurt helps to make it low in fat and high in protein. In 3/4 cup there are 24g of protein and only 9g of fat which come from the pecans. You can omit them if you’re looking for less fat!
This chicken salad is SO versatile. You can easily customize it with whatever you like/don’t like or have on hand. Here are some ideas for you:
Yogurt – We use plain, unflavored, non-fat greek yogurt in this recipe. You can use 1%, 2%, or full fat yogurt if you like. If you want the yogurt to taste a little more like mayo we’ve heard you can add a little bit of fat such as olive oil.
Parsley- If you don’t have fresh parsley, you can substitute with 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley. If you don’t have that either, or if you just don’t like parsley, you can sub in some fresh dill, thyme or even basil.
Fruit- You can also omit the fruit if you’d like. Apples can also be subbed for grapes or berries. If you decide to use dried fruit like cranberries or raisins we suggest cutting the amount in half.
Celery– If you don’t like or don’t have celery, omit it.
Pecans – To make it lower calorie you can omit the pecans or cut back on the amount. You can substitute slivered almonds, walnuts or another nut you have on hand. Use them “as is” or give them a quick toast in a dry pan if that’s what you prefer.
Keto – If you are following a strict keto diet – it’s best to omit the apples from this recipe.
Honey – If you want a hint of sweetness, add a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup.
Mustard – 1-2 teaspoons of mustard is a delicious add in! Try dijon for some extra zing!
Ingredients:
2.5 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 1 lb.)
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped finely
1/2 cup celery diced finely
1 cup apples chopped
1/4 cup pecans chopped
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Cook chicken. Bake, grill, roast… however you prefer to cook your chicken works here. You can also cook the chicken in an instant pot or slow cooker. Short on time or don’t feel like cooking? Pick up a rotisserie chicken and use that instead.
While the chicken is cooking, chop parsley, celery, apples, and pecans.
Once the chicken is cooked, shred the chicken by pulling it apart with 2 forks.
Add chopped ingredients, spices, Greek yogurt and shredded chicken to a bowl and toss together until thoroughly coated with the yogurt mixture.
Serve on a sandwich, in a wrap or over a salad. You can top cucumber slices with it for a quick snack or eat it out of the bowl standing over the kitchen sink. We don’t judge. 😉
