High Protein Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

This High Protein Honey Mustard Chicken Salad has 40 grams of protein per serving and a creamy, tangy honey mustard dressing made with Greek yogurt instead of mayo. It’s loaded with finely chopped chicken, crispy turkey bacon, sweet Honeycrisp apple, celery, and pecans, so there’s crunch in every single bite. Everything gets mixed in one bowl, and it holds up in the fridge for days, which makes it one of the easiest high protein lunches you can prep.

Three glass jars filled with potato salad on a wooden cutting board with two gold spoons.

Friends, my chicken salad era isn’t done yet. Between my High Protein Pesto Chicken Salad, High Protein Dill Pickle Chicken Salad, and six others, I’ve made a LOT of chicken salad this year. This honey mustard version is my brand new one. With Honeycrisp apples back in season, I wanted a chicken salad that tasted a bit like fall: sweet apple, buttery pecans, smoky turkey bacon, and a honey mustard dressing with little pops of whole grain mustard seed.

If you know me, you know I’m a certified mayo-hater, so you won’t find any here. The creaminess comes from fat-free Greek yogurt, which whisks up thick and tangy and adds a solid amount of protein to the dressing itself. That’s a big part of how this lands at 40 grams of protein per serving. Now that strength training is a regular part of my routine, I want my lunches to keep me full and fuel my workouts, and this is exactly the kind of lunch that does it.

Then there’s the texture, which is what makes this so craveable. Everything gets chopped very finely, the chicken included, so each bite has a little chicken, apple, pecan, turkey bacon, and celery, and nothing slides off your cracker. Red onion adds some sharpness, and fresh parsley keeps the whole thing tasting bright instead of heavy. Pile it on toast, scoop it into butter lettuce cups, or eat it with crackers straight from the container at your desk.

A top-down view of ingredients for chicken salad, including shredded chicken, bacon bits, cream, chopped red onion, celery, pecans, and apple, arranged on a wooden cutting board. — To make this chicken salad, you’ll need Greek yogurt, whole grain mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, chicken breast, turkey bacon, honey crisp apple, celery, pecans, red onion, and Italian parsley.

A hand pours liquid from a glass into a bowl containing sour cream, mustard, and spices, surrounded by bowls of shredded chicken, diced red onion, bacon bits, and walnuts. — To make this chicken salad, you’ll need Greek yogurt, whole grain mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, chicken breast, turkey bacon, honey crisp apple, celery, pecans, red onion, and Italian parsley.

What You Need to Make This Crunchy Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

Greek Yogurt: What makes the dressing creamy without any mayo. You can use 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt instead, but the calories and fat will go up a bit.
Whole Grain Mustard: Gives the dressing its tangy, slightly spicy flavor, plus those little mustard seeds that pop as you eat.
Honey: Adds just enough sweetness to balance the mustard and vinegar, and it’s what gives this that classic honey mustard flavor.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Brightens up the creamy dressing and keep it from tasting flat.
Garlic Powder: Blends right into the yogurt and gives the dressing savory depth.
Kosher Salt: Seasons the dressing and everything it touches.
Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper adds a little bite that works so well with the mustard.

A wooden cutting board with a chef’s knife, chopped celery, diced apples, and apple slices, surrounded by bowls of shredded chicken, chopped red onion, and pecans. — *Finely dice the apple, celery, and red onion, roughly chop the pecans, and finely chop the parsley.*

Chicken Breast: Baked, poached, grilled, or leftover chicken all work, and store-bought rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut as long as you stick to the breast meat and remove the skin. Just know the macros will shift slightly depending on how your chicken is seasoned.
Turkey Bacon: Adds salty, smoky flavor and a ton of crunch. Cook it until it’s nice and crisp before chopping so it holds up once it’s mixed into the dressing.
Honeycrisp Apple: Honeycrisp apples are sweet, juicy, and super crisp, so they hold their crunch really well in the creamy dressing. If you can’t find them, Pink Lady or Fuji are great swaps.
Celery: Brings that classic chicken salad crunch and a fresh, clean flavor.
Pecans: Add a buttery crunch that goes so well with the apple and honey.
Red Onion: Adds a little sharpness that cuts through the creamy dressing.
Italian Parsley: Adds color and an herby freshness that keeps this chicken salad tasting light.

Two glass bowls: one containing chopped chicken, and the other containing a salad base of apples, red onion, pecans, bacon, herbs, and a creamy dressing. — *Add the chopped chicken, turkey bacon, apple, celery, pecans, red onion, and parsley to the bowl with the dressing*

A glass bowl of creamy chicken salad with diced apples and celery, being stirred by a gold spoon held by a hand. — *Add the chopped chicken, turkey bacon, apple, celery, pecans, red onion, and parsley to the bowl with the dressing*

How to Make This No-Mayo Chicken Salad

Before you start, make sure your chicken and turkey bacon are cooked and cooled. Chop the chicken very finely, then finely chop the turkey bacon. Finely dice the apple, celery, and red onion, roughly chop the pecans, and finely chop the parsley.

Next, make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, whole grain mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth. If the dressing is super thick, whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of water until it loosens up.

Then, add the chopped chicken, turkey bacon, apple, celery, pecans, red onion, and parsley to the bowl with the dressing. Stir with a spoon until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed, then serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

A white bowl filled with tuna salad containing diced apples, celery, and red onion, garnished with parsley.

A gold spoon lifting a scoop of creamy salad from a small glass jar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this chicken salad ahead of time?

Yes, and it’s a great one to prep. The finished chicken salad keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days (count from the day you cooked the chicken).

Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Yes! Pull the breast meat, remove the skin, and chop it finely. Rotisserie chicken is usually seasoned and can be saltier than chicken you cook yourself, so start with half the salt in the dressing and add more at the end if it needs it. The macros will be slightly different from the recipe card.

Can I make this dairy-free?

You can swap in a thick, plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt. Most dairy-free yogurts have much less protein than Greek yogurt, though, so the protein per serving will drop quite a bit, and you may not need any water to thin the dressing.

Is this chicken salad gluten-free?

It is, as long as your turkey bacon and whole grain mustard are gluten-free. Some whole grain mustards are made with beer, so check the label. Serve it with gluten-free crackers or lettuce cups to keep the whole meal gluten-free.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!