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Healthy No-Mayo Chicken Salad Lunch Box Cups – Easy Meal Prep

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These Healthy No-Mayo Chicken Salad Lunch Box Cups are the ultimate grab-and-go meal prep. Made with creamy Greek yogurt, sweet apples, crunchy celery, and juicy grapes, they’re a delicious and protein-packed lunch that comes together in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (about 1 lb or 450g)
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
  • ½ cup finely diced celery (about 2 stalks)
  • ½ cup finely diced apple (about 1 small apple, such as Honeycrisp or Fuji)
  • ½ cup red grapes, halved (about 75g)
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries or cherries (40g)
  • ¼ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped (30g)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill or chives, chopped (optional)
  • For the cups: 12 large lettuce leaves (butter or romaine) or 12 small whole-wheat tortillas

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: If using a rotisserie chicken, remove the skin and shred the meat with two forks to get 3 cups. If using cooked chicken breasts, dice into small, bite-sized cubes. Let the chicken sit out for 10 minutes if cold.
  2. Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and honey (or maple syrup). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust sweetness or tanginess as desired.
  3. Chop the mix-ins: Finely dice the celery and apple. Halve the grapes. If using nuts, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, then let cool and chop.
  4. Combine everything: Add the shredded chicken, celery, apple, grapes, dried cranberries, toasted nuts, and fresh herbs (if using) to the bowl with the dressing. Gently fold together with a spatula until every piece of chicken is coated. Do not overmix.
  5. Season and taste: Taste the chicken salad and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.
  6. Assemble the cups: For lettuce cups, lay out large, sturdy leaves and spoon about ⅓ cup of chicken salad into each leaf. For tortilla cups, lightly spray a muffin tin with oil, press small whole-wheat tortillas into each cup, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes until crispy. Let cool, then fill with chicken salad.
  7. Chill and serve (optional but recommended): Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

The chicken salad gets better after a day in the fridge. Store the chicken salad and cups separately to prevent sogginess. For a dairy-free version, use thick coconut or almond milk yogurt. For a nut-free version, replace nuts with roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken salad, no mayo, healthy, meal prep, lunch box, Greek yogurt, easy, gluten-free

Find it online: https://yumbelle.com/healthy-no-mayo-chicken-salad-lunch-box-cups-easy-meal-prep/