High Protein Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Here is my favorite keto Mediterranean chicken salad, with canned chicken, crisp cucumber, tangy feta cheese, olives, and a creamy dressing made with mayo, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and fresh dill.

This chicken salad has become my go-to lunch when I’m craving something fresh and satisfying but want to keep things low-carb. I love making a big batch on Sunday and eating it throughout the week—it tastes even better the next day once all those Mediterranean flavors have time to blend together.

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What Kind of Canned Chicken Should I Use?

For this Mediterranean chicken salad, you can use any brand of canned chicken you prefer, though I find that chunk white meat tends to have a better texture than shredded varieties. If you want to skip the canned option altogether, you can easily substitute with rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken breast – just shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces. Make sure to drain your canned chicken well before using it, as excess liquid can make your salad watery. And if you’re going the fresh chicken route, you’ll need about the same amount by weight, which is roughly one and a half cups of cooked, chopped chicken.

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Options for Substitutions

This chicken salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Canned chicken: You can swap canned chicken with rotisserie chicken, leftover cooked chicken breast, or even grilled chicken thighs. Just shred or chop about 2 cups of cooked chicken to match the amount.
• Feta cheese: If feta isn’t your thing, try crumbled goat cheese for a similar tangy flavor, or use shredded mozzarella for a milder taste. You could also skip the cheese entirely if needed.
• Greek yogurt: No Greek yogurt? Use sour cream or just add a bit more mayonnaise. The yogurt adds tang and creaminess, so you might want to add an extra squeeze of lemon juice if you go the mayo-only route.
• Olives: Kalamata, black, or green olives all work great here. Pick whichever type you prefer or have on hand.
• Greek seasoning: Don’t have Greek seasoning? Mix together dried oregano, dried basil, a pinch of dried thyme, and a tiny bit of onion powder to create a similar flavor profile.
• Dijon mustard: Regular yellow mustard works in a pinch, though it’ll be a bit less tangy. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this chicken salad is not draining the canned chicken thoroughly, which can water down your dressing and make the whole salad taste bland – press the chicken with paper towels or let it sit in a strainer for a few minutes to remove excess liquid.

Another common error is adding the cucumber without removing the seeds first, as they release moisture that can make your salad watery after a few hours, so scoop them out before dicing.

To get the best flavor, let your salad sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving, which gives the garlic powder and Greek seasoning time to blend with the other ingredients.

Finally, don’t skip the lemon juice – it brightens up all the flavors and cuts through the richness of the mayo and feta, so add it gradually and taste as you go until you hit the right balance.

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What to Serve With Keto Mediterranean Chicken Salad?

This chicken salad is perfect stuffed into lettuce wraps or served over a bed of mixed greens for a light lunch. If you want something more filling, try scooping it onto cucumber slices, celery sticks, or bell pepper halves for a crunchy low-carb option. Since it’s already packed with Mediterranean flavors, it pairs really well with a side of cherry tomatoes drizzled with olive oil or some marinated artichoke hearts. You can also serve it alongside some keto crackers or cheese crisps if you’re looking for something to munch on with it.

Storage Instructions

Store: This chicken salad keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. I actually think it tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to mingle together. Just give it a quick stir before serving since some liquid might settle at the bottom.

Make Ahead: You can totally prep this a day or two in advance, which makes it perfect for meal prep. If you’re planning ahead, you might want to add the cucumber right before serving to keep it extra crunchy, but honestly, it’s still great mixed in from the start.

Serve: This salad is best enjoyed cold straight from the fridge. You can eat it on its own, scoop it onto lettuce wraps, or serve it with some keto crackers or veggie sticks for dipping.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 430-490
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 28-33 g
• Carbohydrates: 8-12 g

Ingredients

• 12.5 oz canned chicken (I use Swanson Premium for the best texture)
• 1/3 cup cucumber (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 6 tbsp feta cheese crumbled
• 2 tbsp olives
• 1/4 cup red onion (finely minced for a milder bite)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for a creamier base)
• 3 tbsp greek yogurt (Fage total 5% adds great richness)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2.5 tsp dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp greek seasoning
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 1/3 cup cucumber
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1 tbsp fresh dill
• 6 tbsp feta cheese
• 2 tbsp olives

Dice the cucumber into 1/4-inch pieces and finely mince the red onion—I like to mince the onion quite small so it distributes evenly throughout the salad without overpowering any single bite.

Chop the fresh dill, crumble the feta cheese, and chop the olives.

Having everything prepped and ready before mixing ensures you can combine everything efficiently and the onion flavor stays bright rather than breaking down from sitting out too long.

Step 2: Build the Creamy Dressing Base

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2.5 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp greek seasoning

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, greek yogurt, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, and greek seasoning until smooth and well combined.

The mayonnaise and yogurt create a rich, creamy base while the lemon juice and mustard add brightness and depth.

I find whisking these ingredients first ensures the dressing is perfectly emulsified before adding the delicate proteins and vegetables.

Step 3: Combine Everything and Finish

• 12.5 oz canned chicken
• dressing mixture from Step 2
• prepared vegetables and garnishes from Step 1

Add the canned chicken (drained if packed in liquid) to the dressing base and gently fold until fully coated.

Then fold in the diced cucumber, minced red onion, crumbled feta, olives, and fresh dill, using a gentle hand to keep the feta chunks intact and the cucumber crisp.

The salad is ready to serve immediately, or you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days—the flavors actually meld beautifully as it sits.

High Protein Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Delicious High Protein Mediterranean Chicken Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 3.5 servings

Calories 460 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 12.5 oz canned chicken (I use Swanson Premium for the best texture)
• 1/3 cup cucumber (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 6 tbsp feta cheese crumbled
• 2 tbsp olives
• 1/4 cup red onion (finely minced for a milder bite)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for a creamier base)
• 3 tbsp greek yogurt (Fage total 5% adds great richness)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2.5 tsp dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp greek seasoning
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

 

• Dice the cucumber into 1/4-inch pieces and finely mince the red onion—I like to mince the onion quite small so it distributes evenly throughout the salad without overpowering any single bite. Chop the fresh dill, crumble the feta cheese, and chop the olives. Having everything prepped and ready before mixing ensures you can combine everything efficiently and the onion flavor stays bright rather than breaking down from sitting out too long.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, greek yogurt, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, and greek seasoning until smooth and well combined. The mayonnaise and yogurt create a rich, creamy base while the lemon juice and mustard add brightness and depth. I find whisking these ingredients first ensures the dressing is perfectly emulsified before adding the delicate proteins and vegetables.
• Add the canned chicken (drained if packed in liquid) to the dressing base and gently fold until fully coated. Then fold in the diced cucumber, minced red onion, crumbled feta, olives, and fresh dill, using a gentle hand to keep the feta chunks intact and the cucumber crisp. The salad is ready to serve immediately, or you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days—the flavors actually meld beautifully as it sits.