Welcome to your one-stop blog for low FODMAP chicken salad recipes! Are you in a nostalgic mood? Try some Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans! Are you in the mood to spice things up? Make some Low FODMAP Southwest Chicken Salad! Do you need to cool down? How about some Low FODMAP Mediterranean Chicken Salad? Whichever of these low FODMAP chicken salad recipes you choose, they're all a great way to repurpose chicken leftovers (like leftovers from my Low FODMAP Instant Pot Whole Chicken One-Pot Meal), especially when you want something cooling for lunch in warmer weather. In addition to being low FODMAP, they're also Paleo and Whole30 compliant for the most part (with the exception of the Southwest Chicken Salad, which contains corn).
Jump to:
- Why 3 Different Low FODMAP Chicken Salad Variations?
- Way #1: Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans (Paleo & Whole30)
- Way #2: Low FODMAP Southwest Chicken Salad (Paleo & Whole30 Option)
- Way #3: Low FODMAP Mediterranean Chicken Salad (Paleo & Whole30)
- Low FODMAP Chicken Salad - 3 Ways (Paleo & Whole30 Options)
- Related Recipes
Why 3 Different Low FODMAP Chicken Salad Variations?
Isn't it easier just to develop one chicken salad recipe? Yes, it certainly is. When I was writing these low FODMAP chicken salad recipes, it was one of those times when the creative juices were just flowing and I just ran with them until I was satisfied with the results. Chicken provides such a great canvas upon which to build different flavors, and I just kept building. And building. And building.
Had I known how challenging the photoshoot would be, I may have stopped sooner. This photoshoot was one of my longest and left me sore, exhausted, and bleeding. BLEEDING! The kitchen looked like the refrigerator had exploded - there were ingredients EVERYWHERE (I should have taken a picture of that - ha!).
While they're pretty simple low FODMAP chicken salad recipes, photographing them together while making sure they each stood out in their own unique way was a surprisingly huge undertaking. My hope is that people will enjoy them as well as the variety, perhaps even trying all three! If you do this (or even if you just try one or two), please let me know and tell me which one(s) you tried and liked the best in the comments below! I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Way #1: Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans (Paleo & Whole30)
Low FODMAP classic chicken salad was my starting point in this whole ordeal. Adding grapes and pecans to classic chicken salad gives it this wonderful balance of sweet and savory flavors that make every bite a delight to eat. This Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad is my husband, Jeff's, favorite of the three variations.
Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad Ingredients
Dressing:
- Dairy-free mayo (which I buy cheaper at Costco)
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper - I suggest quantities in the recipe card below, but I am a salt fiend, so if you're not, start with a small quantity (like ¼ tsp) stir, taste, and repeat if necessary. The amount of salt and pepper you will need will also depend on how / if the chicken was seasoned when it was initially cooked.
Salad Contents:
- Cooked and cooled chicken, shredded or chopped into ½-inch cubes - as previously mentioned, I use leftovers from my Low FODMAP Instant Pot Whole Chicken One-Pot Meal.
- 1 medium stalk celery, diced - according to Monash University's low FODMAP Diet App, celery contains mannitol and is low FODMAP in quantities of up to 10g or about ¼ of a medium stalk per serving. The quantity this recipe calls for amounts to about ¼ stalk per serving.
- Red grapes, quartered - depending on the size of the grapes you're using, you may want to just halve them. However, I find they're less clunky and blend better with the rest of the sandwich when they're quartered. Previously listed as FODMAP-free, grapes have been recently retested for FODMAPs by Monash University. They are now listing red grapes as containing the FODMAP fructose and low FODMAP in quantities of 6 grapes or 28 grams per serving. We're adding ½ cup or 76 grams across 4 servings, which amounts to about 19 grams per serving. If you never had a problem with grapes before this retest, this new information may not impact your relationship to grapes.
- Scallions (a.k.a. green onions), dark green parts only, chopped - the dark green parts of scallions are FODMAP-free.
- Pecans, finely chopped - containing the FODMAP fructans, pecans are considered low FODMAP in quantities of up to 10 halves (or 20g) per serving, which comes to about ⅛ cup per serving. We're only adding ¼ cup or 27 grams total across 4 servings.
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)
Way #2: Low FODMAP Southwest Chicken Salad (Paleo & Whole30 Option)
Our second of three ways, this low FODMAP Southwest Chicken Salad, is my personal favorite as it has both cooling and spicy elements. It boasts chicken and veggies slathered in a yummy chipotle mayo. When taking these photos, I forgot to add scallions to the Southwest version (one of many things that went wrong that day), thus no scallions are pictured.
Low FODMAP Southwest Chicken Salad Ingredients
Dressing:
- Dairy-free mayo (which I buy cheaper at Costco)
- Garlic-infused olive oil
- Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- Ground chipotle chili pepper - I suggest a quantity which I consider mildly spicy, but if you want more or less spice, play around with it until you have your preferred spice level.
- Salt and pepper - see my notes on salt in the section about low FODMAP classic chicken salad dressing ingredients above.
Salad Contents:
- Cooked and cooled chicken, shredded or chopped into ½-inch cubes
- Fresh or frozen sweet corn, thawed if frozen. Monash University's low FODMAP Diet App lists fresh sweet corn as low FODMAP in quantities of up to ½ cob or 38g per serving. ½ cup of corn in this recipe amounts to about 20g per serving. Even in small servings, canned sweet corn is high in FODMAPs and is not recommended for low FODMAP. Omit for Paleo/Whole30 as corn is a grain and not Paleo or Whole30 compliant.
- Red bell pepper, chopped. Previously listed as FODMAP-free, red bell pepper has been recently retested for FODMAPs by Monash University. They now listed it as containing the FODMAP fructose and low FODMAP in quantities of ⅓ cup or 43 grams per serving. We're adding ½ cup or 75 grams across 4 servings, which amounts to about 18.75 grams per serving.
- Scallions (a.k.a. green onions), dark green parts only, chopped
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
Way #3: Low FODMAP Mediterranean Chicken Salad (Paleo & Whole30)
Containing cool and crisp cucumber and red bell pepper, this low FODMAP Mediterranean Chicken Salad is the most cooling of the three variations. It's coolness, crispness, and Mediterranean flavors are perfect for an uncomfortably hot summer day.
Low FODMAP Mediterranean Chicken Salad Ingredients
Dressing:
- Dairy-free mayo (which I buy cheaper at Costco)
- Capers, finely chopped
- Garlic-infused olive oil
- Fresh dill, chopped
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper (please see my notes on salt in the Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad variation above)
Salad Contents:
- Cooked and cooled chicken, shredded or chopped into ½-inch cubes
- Cucumber, chopped
- Red bell pepper, chopped. See my low FODMAP notes on red bell pepper in the Low FODMAP Southwest Chicken Salad contents list above.
- Scallions (a.k.a. green onions), dark green parts only, chopped
- Fresh dill leaves, for garnish (optional)
Necessary Equipment
Very little equipment needed to make these low FODMAP chicken salad recipes (cooking the chicken is another matter). The equipment I use to make all three of these low FODMAP chicken salad variations includes:
- Chopping board
- Chopping knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- Stirring spoon
Method
The method to make all three of these low FODMAP chicken salad recipes is exactly the same. In a large bowl, I first whisk together the dressing ingredients. Then, I add the salad contents, the chicken and produce, and stir everything together with a stirring spoon until the chicken and produce are evenly coated in dressing. You could prepare the salad contents and dressing in separate bowls, but this method only requires you to dirty one bowl, which means fewer dishes to wash.
Serving Options
For Paleo/Whole30 serving options, I suggest serving this chicken salad on your favorite greens or in a lettuce wrap. Butter lettuce (which I use in these pictures) works best for wraps and is widely available. I've also used green leaf lettuce with success. You could also try serving it on cucumber slices or red bell pepper halves (if you don't have a problem eating red bell pepper) for a low FODMAP and Paleo/Whole30 serving option.
For low FODMAP but not Paleo/Whole30 compliant serving options, I suggest a low FODMAP tortilla, bread, rice cakes, or crackers. The topic of low FODMAP bread products is a BEAST, so I won't go into it here, but see my Easy Sourdough Stuffing post where I discuss it a bit and provide links to more resources. Some types of sourdough made using traditional methods may be okay if it is thinly sliced. However, please note there may be risk of FODMAP stacking with the Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad recipe as both sourdough and pecans contain the FODMAP fructans. You could always omit the pecans if you decide to use sourdough.
Storage
Leftover low FODMAP chicken salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. This amount of time may vary depending on the age of your leftover chicken.
Low FODMAP Chicken Salad - 3 Ways (Paleo & Whole30 Options)
Ingredients
Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans:
Dressing:
- ½ cup dairy-free mayo
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Contents:
- 2 cups cooked and cooled chicken, shredded or chopped into ½-inch cubes*
- 1 medium stalk celery, diced (about ½ cup)*
- ½ cup red grapes, quartered
- ½ cup scallions, dark green parts only, chopped
- ¼ cup pecans, finely chopped
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)
Low FODMAP Southwest Chicken Salad:
Dressing:
- ½ cup dairy-free mayo
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper, or to taste*
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Contents:
- 2 cups cooked and cooled chicken, shredded or chopped into ½-inch cubes*
- ½ cup fresh or frozen sweet corn, thawed if frozen (omit for Paleo/Whole30)*
- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup scallions, dark green parts only, chopped
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
Low FODMAP Mediterranean Chicken Salad:
Dressing:
- ½ cup dairy-free mayo
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Contents:
- 2 cups cooked and cooled chicken, shredded or chopped into ½-inch cubes*
- ½ cup cucumber, chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup scallions, dark green parts only, chopped
- Fresh dill leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Add salad ingredients (chopped chicken and produce) to the bowl and stir with a stirring spoon until evenly coated with dressing. Garnish with fresh herbs (optional).
- Serve on your favorite greens, in a lettuce wrap, on cucumber slices or red bell pepper halves (if you can tolerate red bell pepper), in a low FODMAP tortilla (not Paleo/Whole30), on crackers or rice cakes (not Paleo/Whole30), or on low FODMAP bread (not Paleo/Whole30; see Monash University’s Low FODMAP Diet App for bread options and FODMAP information).
Notes
- Pre-cooked chicken: Such as leftovers from my Low FODMAP Cajun-Spiced Rotisserie Chicken or Low FODMAP Instant Pot Whole Chicken One-Pot Meal
- Celery: According to Monash University’s Low FODMAP Diet App, celery is low FODMAP in quantities of up to 10 grams or about ¼ of a medium stalk per serving.
- Chipotle chili pepper: while generally believed to be low in FODMAPs, chipotle chili pepper contains capsaicin, which can trigger symptoms in some people with IBS.
- Corn: Monash University lists fresh sweet corn as low FODMAP in quantities of up to ½ cob or 38 grams per serving. ½ cup of corn in this recipe amounts to about 20 grams per serving. Canned sweet corn is high in FODMAPs even in small servings.
- Seasoning quantities: are only suggestions and should ideally be done to your personal taste. The amount of seasoning will depend on how your chicken was seasoned when it was initially cooked.
- Serving size: About ¾ of a cup of chicken salad (varies slightly per each recipe).
- Nutritional information below is for Low FODMAP Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans only.
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