This Lemon Dill Chicken Salad is spicy, herby, and I can’t get enough. I make it literally every Monday so I can enjoy it for lunch during the week next to a spicy, garlicky tomato salad and crackers or this yummy nectarine salad!

A velvety smooth lemon dill chicken salad served alongside a nectarine salad and crackers.

This recipe is…

This chicken salad is really special. It’s incredible flavorful (herby, spicy, tangy, light, and bright), packed with a ton of protein between the chicken and cottage cheese, and the texture is *chef’s kiss*! It’s the lunch I make every single week, and I haven’t gotten sick of it yet. You’re going to love it!

Looking for more meal prep lunch recipes? We’ve got a BUNCH. Add these chicken gyro bowls, Big Mac salads, and chicken cobb salads (with the yummiest green goddess dressing) to your list.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s EASY – no kidding, this is possibly the easiest recipe on the website. There’s exactly two steps: (1) put the ingredients in a food processor, and (2) blend until smooth. That’s it.
  • It’s customizable – don’t like spice? Omit the cayenne pepper. Not a fan of dill? Grab a different herb that you do love instead. Make this recipe your own!

Lemon Dill Chicken Salad Ingredients

A handful of really simple, easy to find ingredients stand between you and this scrumptious chicken salad. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.

All of the ingredients for lemon dill chicken salad in different sized bowls and plates on a light green surface.
  • Chicken – feel free to cook and shred fresh chicken (you’ll need about a pound) or buy pre-cooked and shredded chicken (you’ll need about 2 cups).
  • Cottage cheese – grab full-fat or low-fat depending on your nutrition goals. Both work great!
  • Fresh dill – we highly recommend *fresh* dill here (vs. dried). The flavor is brighter!

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Recipe Variations and Modifications

  • Use a different herb – swap the dill if you don’t love it. Any fresh herb will do here!
  • Make it dairy-free – if you’re dairy-free, simply swap the cottage cheese for mayo.
  • Make it gluten-free – the chicken salad itself is already gluten-free, but to make the whole meal GF, simply serve your chicken salad alongside gluten-free crackers, gluten-free bread, or fresh veggies.

How to Make Lemon Dill Chicken Salad

This recipe is incredibly easy! Follow along below for the full how-to.

All of the ingredients for lemon dill chicken salad in a food processor before being mixed together.
Lemon dill chicken salad in a food processor.

Step 1: ​​Place all the ingredients into a food processor.

Step 2: Blend until velvety smooth, then serve with crackers, cucumbers, or between a couple thick slices of bread.

Recipe Tip

  • Be sure to really let the ingredients come together to form a velvety smooth texture. If this is your first time eating chicken salad like this (almost a thick paste-like texture vs. a chunkier chicken salad), trust the process. YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT!

How to Serve

Keep things super simple and pair your chicken salad with fresh veggies (cucumbers are a great pick) and crackers, or make lunch really exciting and add either this nectarine salad (pictured in the chicken salad photo at the top of this post) or this tomato salad.

How to Store

Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

A velvety smooth lemon dill chicken salad crackers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does chicken salad stay good for?

Good question! You can store your chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

What gives chicken salad its flavor?

A lot of chicken salad recipes taste bland because they’re missing salt and acid. This recipe, however, accounts for both crucial ingredients.

If you tried this Lemon Dill Chicken Salad or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!

Lemon Dill Chicken Salad Recipe

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Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients  

  • 1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (about 2 cups already cooked and shredded chicken)
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh dill
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
  • Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions 

  • Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until velvety smooth.
  • Serve with crackers, cucumbers, or between a couple thick slices of bread.

Additional Info

Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 Servings
Keyword: chicken salad, lemon dill chicken salad

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Recipe Contributors

Cassy Smiling

Cassy Joy Garcia

Recipe Developer

Brandi Headshot

Brandi Schilhab

Copywriter

Jessica Gaertner

Photographer



About the Author

Cassy Joy Garcia, NC

Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit.


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