finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

  • Recipes By Type
    • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Goodies
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes & Veggies
    • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
    • Snacks
    • Full Recipe Index
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
    • Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist
  • Whatcha Need??
    • Foods I’m Obsessed With
    • 30 Minutes or Less…for the Time-Challenged Cook
    • What Bread To Make (Based on Your Time)
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Super Healthy
    • Cooking for One
    • Soup
    • Unleavened Bread Recipes
  • About Me & More
    • Get In Touch!
    • How-Tos
    • Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With
    • Food and Travel—Two of My Favorite Things
    • Bunion Surgery Recovery Tips
    • Tips for Liver Detox / Gut Health Protocol

Healthy Lemon Almond Chicken Salad

August 26, 2015

So, I had this post all written and ready to publish, then it mysteriously disappeared. Like, hit save and *poof*—everything was gone. So you’ll have to take my word that it was probably the most interesting, witty piece of food writing known to man.

Healthy Lemon Almond Chicken Salad

Or probably not. Guys, my brain is totally fried. Looooong hours, too much on my plate, getting ready for travel, not sleeping well. I know from experience that the way I’m living right now is a no-fail recipe for gaining weight (I have last fall to prove it). I’ve had absolutely no time or energy to cook, but I knew that if I didn’t make something I’d end up having a Farm Burger #4 chicken burger every day for lunch. Which…hello, 15 pounds.

Healthy Lemon Almond Chicken Salad done

So this caught my eye a few weeks ago. I’m a sucker for chicken salad. All of it. All the kinds. But I tend to be lazy about making it, because it takes a number of ingredients and then I eat it so fast. Plus, it’s not always the healthiest.

lemon almond chicken salad green onions lemon

lemon almond chicken salad lemon zest

The ingredients for this chicken salad were super simple. And more importantly, healthy. I didn’t even cook my own chicken breasts. Just saute up cooked chicken with some spices, zest the lemon, slice the scallions, and you’re rockin’ and rollin’. It’s light and fresh and perfect for August in Georgia (and a healthy work lunch).

lemon almond chicken salad chicken cooked

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Place the chicken in the skillet and season with the tarragon, salt, and garlic powder, and cook for around 5 minutes—until it’s golden and seasoned up. Remove from heat and let the chicken cool.

lemon almond chicken salad green onions chopped

lemon almond chicken salad lemon zested

While the chicken is cooking, add the almonds to a small nonstick skillet on medium-low heat. Stir constantly, until the almonds toast and get golden brown and fragrant, about 5-ish minutes. Don’t take your eye off them, they will burn in a hot second! Remove the almonds and let them cool as well.

Slice the green onions and zest and juice the lemon.

Lemon Almond Chicken Salad

Put the chicken, almonds, lemon zest and juice, green onions and greek yogurt in a large bowl. Stir to combine.

lemon almond chicken salad combined

You can add a tablespoon of mayo if you want, I didn’t have any, and honestly don’t think it needs it (though let’s be honest, everything’s better with mayo…). Taste the chicken salad and season with more salt and pepper if desired.

Healthy Lemon Almond Chicken Salad closeup

You can add more yogurt if you want a creamier salad (I usually do). It gets even better when it sits overnight, so feel free to make it the night before!

Healthy Lemon Almond Chicken Salad finished

If you haven’t tried these Trader Joe’s 12-Grain crackers, they are THE BEST. Seriously, I want them with everything, they’re the only cracker I eat.

Healthy Lemon Almond Chicken Salad

  • 1 pound of pre-cooked chicken (like rotisserie), diced very small or shredded
  • 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of coarse sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of sliced almonds
  • Zest and juice of 1 small lemon (go light on the lemon juice)
  • 4 green onions, sliced (white and light green parts)
  • 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt (I recommend whole or 2%)

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Place the chicken in the skillet and season with the tarragon, salt, and garlic powder, and cook for around 5 minutes—until it’s golden and seasoned up. Remove from heat and let the chicken cool.

While the chicken is cooking, add the almonds to a small nonstick skillet on medium-low heat. Stir constantly, until the almonds toast and get golden brown and fragrant, about 5-ish minutes. They can burn in a second so keep an eye on them! Remove the almonds and let them cool as well.

Put the chicken, almonds, lemon zest and juice, green onions and greek yogurt in a large bowl. Stir to combine. You can add a tablespoon of mayo if you want, but I didn’t feel it needed it. Taste the chicken salad and season with more salt and pepper if desired. You can add more yogurt if you want a creamier salad (I usually do). It gets even better when it sits overnight, so feel free to make it the night before!

Original recipe from How Sweet Eats

1 Comment CATEGORIES // Cooking for One, Recipe Experimentation, Super Healthy

« Strawberry Chia Jam (no pectin)
Dutch Baby (or German Pancake) »

Trackbacks

  1. Best Healthy Recipes of 2016 – finding time for cooking says:
    January 2, 2017 at 12:04 pm

    […] Healthy Lemon Almond Chicken Salad […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

Follow Along!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent IG Adventures!

While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in o While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in one last winter cocktail...here's some Sage Advice! It's a winter-y version of a whiskey sour bringing both cinnamon and sage, and then skirting the line of daiquiri with the substitution of lime juice for the traditional lemon. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#cocktailrecipe #bourbon #bourboncocktails #whiskeysour
Forget your run-of-the-mill double chocolate cooki Forget your run-of-the-mill double chocolate cookies 🍫 These TRIPLE dark chocolate cookies (with a hint of whiskey & balance with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt) are rich indulgence without being sickly sweet. They're also soooo easy...no special tools, no dough chilling. Delish cookies in under 30 minutes! 

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the full recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#chocoholic #chocolatecookies #darkchocolate #cookierecipe
A recipe that gets me to eat broccoli every day?? A recipe that gets me to eat broccoli every day?? SOLD. And it is so fast & easy that it can barely be called a "recipe"...these cumin roasted broccoli bits in the air fryer (though you can use an oven instead) are crazy fast, healthy, & delicious!

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to see the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#airfryer #broccoli #easysidedish #airfryerrecipes
I've been making these healthy 5-ingredient browni I've been making these healthy 5-ingredient brownies on REPEAT for a couple months now. And knowing that they only take a few minutes to make has been a bit dangerous on random Tuesday nights when my sweet tooth strikes! 

Oh, and I forgot to mention that they're naturally gluten- & grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, and (optionally) no sweetener added? 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 

#healthydessert #healthybrownies #glutenfreerecipes #vegandessert
This cranberry snack cake is seriously my platonic This cranberry snack cake is seriously my platonic ideal for a cake. I DREAM of this cake. A soft, moist, dense buttery vanilla cake batter is studded with tart fresh cranberries, with a tiny crunch of raw sugar on top. A perfect dessert or snack for pretty much any occasion...including with a cup of tea on a random Tuesday afternoon...

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! 
--> @findingtimeforcooking 
#cranberrycake #cranberries #cranberryrecipe #bestdessert
These super easy marinated white beans are packed These super easy marinated white beans are packed with flavor & only take a few minutes to make! Even better?? They're best when made ahead of time (in 5 minutes!) and left for a day or two in the fridge for the flavors to really meld & intensify. 

This has become a go-to plant-based recipe, but I often throw some grilled salmon or chicken on top for a full meal. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this pic to get the recipe!
#veganrecipes #vegetarianrecipes #whitebeans #plantbasedrecipes
A lot of people don't realize how easy & cheap it A lot of people don't realize how easy & cheap it is to make your own kombucha at home...you can have an entire gallon for less than the cost of one bottle at the store! 

I can't even keep a bamboo plant alive, yet have managed to keep the same "scoby" starter healthy & active for well over a decade. 

Here are easy step-by-step instructions for making your own kombucha at home, & the tools you'll need to do so! Tap the link in my IG bio (@findingtimeforcooking) & click on this photo to see the whole post.
#homemadekombucha #kombuchabrewing #healthyguthappylife #scoby
I'm not generally a soup person, though I'm trying I'm not generally a soup person, though I'm trying to be more 🍜 But this Turkish corba (a spiced red lentil soup) has always been one of my exceptions.  It's CRAZY easy to make, full of veggies and the protein from the lentils, and just feels like a warm hug in a bowl!  A great vegetarian dinner idea, perfect on any detox protocol, and just a great cozy recipe for the winter months.

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe!
#corba #redlentils #souprecipe #drcabraldetox
Today, we FANCY. But also lazy. When I first saw a Today, we FANCY. But also lazy. When I first saw a recipe for the "lazy person's kouign amann", I was intrigued...and it definitely lives up to the hype! The texture isn't quite the same as the much more time-consuming and complex authentic French pastry it's hacking, but it's darn close and absolutely delicious. 

To see the recipe, tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#kouignamann #frenchpastries #bakingfromscratch #frenchbaking
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

Chetna’s Easy Chicken Curry

Chicken Tikka Masala

Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Cold Brew Coffee

Creamy Curried Carrot Soup

Travel Postcard: Las Vegas!

Recent Posts

  • Sage Advice: A Winter Bourbon Cocktail
  • Weekday Indulgence: Easy Triple Dark Chocolate Coo…
  • The Best Easy Air Fryer Broccoli Bits (Roasted wit…

Categories

  • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Breakfast Goodies
  • Cooking for One
  • Desserts
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Eating Out
  • Family Secret Recipes
  • Food-Related Miscellany
  • Foods I'm Obsessed With
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Go-To Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • Kitchen Gear
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Experimentation
  • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
  • Side Dishes & Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Super Healthy
  • Travel and Food
  • Uncategorized

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

Copyright & Terms of Use

Copyright 2023 Finding Time For Cooking

0 shares