Chicken salad lettuce cups make a practical packed lunch from cooked chicken, crisp celery and a creamy lemon-dill dressing. A little yogurt lightens the dressing while mayonnaise keeps its familiar flavor.
Tips for chicken salad lettuce cups
Use cold chicken and chop it evenly. Skinless breast gives a consistent starting point; rotisserie chicken can vary in seasoning, yield and fat. Dry lettuce thoroughly and fill it just before eating.
Substitutions and serving ideas
Chives may replace scallions, and parsley may replace dill. Serve the same filling on bread if desired, counting bread separately. Extra grapes, nuts or bacon would need to be included in a revised estimate.
Helpful equipment: mixing bowls give the chicken and dressing enough room for gentle folding.
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Classic Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked skinless chicken breast already cooked, chilled and diced; about 1 pound
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 8 large leaves romaine lettuce washed and dried
Instructions
- Start with the stated amount of chicken that is already fully cooked and chilled. Dice into small bite-size pieces. This is a 20-minute assembly recipe; cooking raw chicken is not part of the listed time.
- Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, dill and pepper in a mixing bowl until smooth.
- Fold in chicken, celery and scallions. Mix gently until coated without shredding the chicken into a paste.
- Divide the entire salad among eight lettuce leaves, serving two filled leaves per person. For packed lunches, keep the filling cold and carry lettuce separately until eating.
Notes
Storage and reheating
Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below. Use within 3 days or the earliest use-by limit of the prepared ingredients. Keep lettuce separate until serving. Do not freeze the assembled dish.
More meal ideas
For another option, try Chicken Cobb Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette. Our meal-prep guide covers portioning and keeping components fresh.
About the nutrition
Two lettuce cups with one quarter of the chicken salad. All listed sauces, sides and toppings are included; extra serving suggestions are separate. Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed quantities and serving count. Total carbohydrates include fiber. Brands, portions and substitutions change the result.