Easy Chicken Salad (Paleo & Whole30)

Here’s a little secret about me. I LOVE chicken salad. Like llloooovvvveeee it. I’m not quite sure when this love affair began, but it’s been going on for quite some time. If a restaurant has chicken salad on the menu and it’s nut free (#nutallergy), I’m almost guaranteed to order it. In fact, when I was pregnant, Chicken Salad Chick was one of the only things I could stomach when I was super nauseous during the first trimester. And the first thing I ate after giving birth at 2:00 a.m.? Yep, a chicken salad sandwich from Zoe’s Kitchen. Needless to say I’m obsessed and won’t be surprised if Lively shares my affinity for this lunchtime favorite with as much as I ate it during pregnancy.

Now that you know how much I love chicken salad, you won’t be surprised by the fact that it’s one of my favorite things to make at home and is a staple in my fridge year round. It’s perfect for lunch on top of a spinach salad or nestled in some lettuce cups. I also like to snack on it with these paleo crackers or on top of cucumber slices to hold me over until dinner.

While I like to mix up my chicken salad ingredients depending on my mood – if I’m craving sweet and salty I’ll add grapes or diced apples or if I’m in the mood for spicy I might make one with jalapeños or buffalo sauce – but the version below is by far the one I go to the most. It’s rich and savory yet light and refreshing thanks to the fresh lemon zest and juice. It’s the perfect dish for spring and summer and would make a great addition to a Mother’s Day lunch spread this weekend.

This chicken salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Time saving tip: I will often use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. When I do, I will use both the light and dark meat as I think it really adds to the rich and savory flavor. Enjoy!