Poppy Seed Lemon Chicken Salad Recipe

Another fresh take on a lunchtime favorite. This Poppy Seed Lemon Chicken Salad Recipe will brighten up any day! This recipe is Paleo compliant, Whole30, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free and great for meal prep!

This post may contain affiliate links.

close up of poppy seed lemon chicken salad with sliced meyer lemons and micro greens in white bowl

Paleo Whole30 Compliant Lemon Chicken Salad

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I may have a slight obsession with chicken salad. This is no secret. What’s not to love?

Chicken salad is so quick and easy to make. It is a healthy meal and the flavor combinations are endless. This Poppy Seed Lemon Chicken Salad Recipe is just one of many unique flavor combinations to keep your lunchbox interesting.

And of course, Lemon Poppy Seed 💛 🍋 Perfection. It is so bright and slightly tangy with fresh flavors and a bit of crunch. I’m sure you’ll love it!

More chicken salad recipes for your lunchbox →

Chicken Salad with Grapes & Chives
Avocado & Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad by FoodieCrush
Lightened Up Chicken Salad by Barbara Bakes
Cucumber Dill Chicken Salad by Whole Kitchen Sink
Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad
No-Mayo Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad

full view of white bowl filled with poppy seed lemon chicken salad. white cheesecloth on the side

How should you cook the chicken?

Check out this tutorial for OVEN BAKED CHICKEN BREAST, my preferred method.

You can cook the chicken however you prefer: grilled, pan fried or even use a rotisserie chicken.

How should you serve this Lemon Chicken Salad?

If limiting carbs (like me) serve this chicken salad over a bed of lettuce or arugula. Or make into chicken salad lettuce wraps.

If carbs aren’t an issue, this chicken salad is great in tortilla wraps, sandwiches or over rice.

What tools do you need for this recipe?

You’ll need a good Baking DishMeat Thermometer and Citrus Juicer. For meal prep, I use these Glass Meal Prep Containers with Lids. Quality, sharp knives are always good to have in your kitchen. I use these Chef’s Foundry Ceramic Knives and LOVE them!

Tips → Tricks → Suggestions →

  • Feeling lazy? No judgement here…we all have those extra busy days. Use a store bought rotisserie chicken instead!
  • Sensitive to lemon? Feel free to use a little less. Or, if you’re like me and could suck on a lemon 😣 feel free to add a little more.
  • Don’t have poppy seeds? You could use sesame seeds instead and have a lemon sesame chicken salad. Or, leave them off and just go with the lemon.

side view close up of lemon chicken salad with black poppy seeds and bright yellow lemon slices

overhead photo of white bowl with chicken salad. lemons and micro greens around the bowl

Poppy Seed Lemon Chicken Salad

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Another fresh take on a lunchtime favorite. This Poppy Seed Lemon Chicken Salad Recipe will brighten up any day! This recipe is Paleo compliant, Whole30, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free and great for meal prep!

Ingredients

  • 1 Lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, (cooked & chopped)*
  • 3 Celery Stalks, (thinly sliced)
  • 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
  • 1/4 Cup Toasted Slivered Almonds
  • 1 Tablespoon Meyer Lemon Zest**
  • 2 Tablespoons Meyer Lemon Juice**
  • 1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients.
  2. Serve over salad, as a wrap or on a sandwich

Notes

*Preheat oven to 450ºF. Coat chicken breasts with olive oil, salt and pepper then transfer to a roasting dish. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until 165ºF internal temperature. (time will vary depending on thickness of chicken)

**Regular lemons can be used instead. Start with 1 Tb juice, taste and add additional 1 TB if preferred. (regular lemons are more sour than meyer lemons)

Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 374Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 104mgSodium 228mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 38g
This post contains affiliate amazon links. Basically, I get a little kick back for sending you over to amazon . . . at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

6

Leave a Reply

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

2 Comments