Quick Chicken Apple Salad (No Mayo + No Diary)

Bursting with crunchy veggies, hearty precooked chicken, and a creamy homemade dressing, this nourishing one-bowl chicken apple salad is made without mayo or dairy. And it’s great lunch on-the-go, since it’s ready in just 15 minutes!

This Chicken Apple Salad Is Going to Become Your New Favorite!

Lately I’ve been receiving quite a few requests for easy, make-ahead lunch options that can be taken on the go. And I totally get it! Falling into a lunch rut can be easy to do, and taking the time to prepare an entire meal mid-day everyday isn’t always an option. But let me tell you… this easy-prep chicken apple salad without mayo is your answer!

I’m obsessed with this simple salad and I honestly eat it so often that I feel like everyone needs to know about how to make it themselves at home! Since you can make it ahead of time & store it in the fridge, it’s perfect for lunch, a light dinner, or to bring to a potluck or picnic. Best of all, and it’s one of those rare recipes that somehow tastes even better the next day! (Same goes for my beloved chicken salad with dried cranberries.)

The combination of common kitchen staples including hearty chicken, sweet apples, crisp celery, and crunchy cashews is so refreshing. And the 5-minute homemade dressing is light, tangy and adds plenty of flavor without needing any mayo, yogurt or dairy. Seriously, if you’ve never had a chicken salad without mayo or dairy before, then you gotta try this one! And then immediately try my equally creamy turmeric chicken salad also made without mayo.

Flavorful Dairy Free Chicken Salad, Straight Up or Make it Fancy

• Chicken Salad Sandwich: Of course, this versatile chicken salad recipe without mayo is delicious sandwiched between slices of bread or served on top of freshly toasted bread for an open-faced sandwich.
• That’s a Wrap: It also makes a super tasty filling for any wrap – simply use a large tortilla, stuff into a pita pocket, or even use it to make some quick lettuce wraps.
• Dip Appetizer: And it’s an easy appetizer for a brunch or party! Just set it out in a large bowl served with crackers and fresh cut vegetables on the side for dipping.

Ingredients & Ways to Switch it Up

• Cooked chicken: You can use either cooked chicken breasts or (or thighs) since both work great in this recipe. I like to roast up a double batch of 5-Ingredient Garlic Rosemary Chicken to use in this salad, but store-bought rotisserie chicken also works.
• Apple: I prefer a crisp, crunchy, sweet apple for this recipe such as Gala, Honey Crisp, Jonagold, and Envy, Jaz, and Pink Lady. But you can use any apple you like the taste of.
• Celery: Fresh celery works best for this recipe, and together with the apple it adds a really nice, lightly crunchy texture.
• Cashews: I used chopped, roasted, salted cashews for this recipe, but you can use any kind of nut you like such as walnuts or pecans. Feel free to use pumpkin seeds (or simply omit the cashews entirely) for a nut-free version.
• Arugula: I love serving this with some extra chopped greens like arugula (or you could also use another tender green like baby spinach) but its an optional ingredient in this recipe.
• Shallot: The finely chopped shallot plays really well with the other flavors & textures. It also infuses some lovely flavor into the dressing. You could also substitute 2 tablespoons of finely chopped red onion for the shallot. Or if you can’t have or don’t like onions, you can leave it out.
• White wine vinegar: Since we’re not using traditional mayo in this chicken apple salad, the homemade dressing we make from the mustard, honey, salt, vinegar, and olive oil helps to flavor and bind all the ingredients together instead. I like the neutral flavor profile of white wine vinegar, but you could also use a white balsamic or apple cider vinegar instead.
• Whole grain mustard: I like the flavor and texture of a whole grain mustard but you could also use Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard in its place. This homemade vinaigrette recipe is very versatile and forgiving, so feel free to customize it to your liking.
• Honey: The light sweetness of the honey really helps to balance the acidity of the vinegar, and the savory ingredients like the mustard & shallot in this recipe.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I like the subtle flavor from the olive oil in this dressing, but you can also use any other neutral oil you like, such as avocado, canola or vegetable oil.

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