Whole30 Chicken Salad with Blueberries and Pecans (Paleo)

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This Whole30 Chicken Salad with Blueberries and Pecans is a fresh, easy take on a classic! Tender chicken is coated in creamy mayo and combined with crunchy celery, juicy blueberries and toasted pecans.

This chicken salad recipe is so good, anyone can enjoy it no matter if they’re doing a Whole30 or not.

Plus it’s also naturally Paleo, gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free!

Paleo chicken salad with blueberries and pecans in lettuce cups on a wooden cutting board.

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Whole30 Chicken Salad

Whole30 is a month-long food elimination program to help you learn reduce inflammation and learn about how food affects you. I’ve done it and it really helped me on my journey to making better choices so I can feel better. If you want to learn more about the program, check out their website.

And while the program might seem restrictive, there’s actually still so much great food you can have while doing it! Such as, you know, this chicken salad.

The typical chicken salad already features chicken breast tossed with mayo, celery and usually grapes and walnuts. And while I love it this way, I don’t love how most store-bought mayos use unhealthy vegetables oils.

But with just a few changes it’s easy to make this chicken salad Whole30 and Paleo friendly.

So we’re swapping out the usual mayo for avocado oil-based mayonnaise, which is getting easier and easier to find in stores and can also be found online. I particularly like Chosen or Sir Kensington’s (not ads, I just like them).

I’m keeping the celery because the salad still needs its juicy crunch, but this chicken salad has no grapes. Instead we’re using blueberries because why not? They’re less sweet than grapes but add bursts of fresh flavor.

And we’re using toasted pecans because…well, because I love them. And their nutty crunch is different from celery’s crunch and we want as many flavors and textures as possible to keep things interesting.

Plus I add fresh herbs to, again, make everything feel as fresh and light as possible.

Serve it on lettuce cups or apple slices, or on lightly toasted bread (gluten-free if necessary). You can also pack it up for an easy Whole30 lunch idea.

Protein, healthy fats, lots of great taste and flavor – this Whole30 chicken recipe has everything. What’s not to love? So let’s make this healthy chicken salad!

chicken salad made with avocado oil mayonnaise piled into lettuce cups on a wooden cutting board strewn with blueberries, pecans and fresh thyme leaves

What you need

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, from about 10-12 oz. uncooked chicken breasts – You can use rotisserie or pre-cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts (make sure they’re Whole30 compatible, if necessary), or you can cook your own chicken (see notes below the recipe)
1 cup diced celery (from about 5 oz. celery)
1 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, basil, mint or parsley
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary
lettuce cups (from Romaine or Boston lettuce) or apple slices, for serving

Equipment:

a cutting board
a chef’s knife
measuring spoons (these are my favorite because they actually fit into spice jars)
measuring cups
a large mixing bowl
a small bowl or plate
a wooden or silicone spatula
a small skillet (for toasting the pecans)
an instant read thermometer or oven probe thermometer (optional, for cooking the chicken)

How to make this Whole 30 Chicken Salad

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, mayonnaise, blueberries, pecans and thyme (if using) until everything is thoroughly coated. Taste and add salt and/or freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Serve on the lettuce cups or apple slices.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I make substitutions?

You can swap out the blueberries and pecans for halved grapes and walnuts, if you want more of a classic flavor.

You can also try other nuts, like sliced or chopped almonds, hazelnuts or cashews.

If using herbs, you can try thyme, basil, parsley, mint or rosemary (use half as much rosemary as its flavor can be very strong).

Can I make this Paleo chicken salad in advance?

This healthy chicken salad can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the fridge.

Can I freeze Whole 30 chicken salad?

I do not recommend freezing it.

Other recipes you might like

Cranberry and Pecan Chicken Salad (Whole30, Paleo)
Tuna Sardine Salad (Whole30, Paleo)
Caesar Tuna Salad (Whole30, Paleo)
Creamy Lemon Chicken, Olives and Artichokes (Whole30, Paleo)
Baked BBQ Chicken (Whole30 option)
Or just check out all my Whole30 recipes here!

Whole30 Chicken Salad with Blueberries and Pecans

Don Baiocchi

This easy, healthy Whole30 chicken salad features juicy chicken, fresh blueberries, crunchy celery and toasty pecans, all slathered in creamy mayonnaise. It's a simple twist on the classic version and so easy to make gluten-free, dairy-free and Paleo friendly!

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 0

Total Time 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 562 kcal

Ingredients

2 cups cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast (from about 10-12 oz. uncooked chicken; see notes)
1 cup diced celery (from about 5 oz. of celery)
1 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
½ cup blueberries
⅓ cup toasted, chopped pecans (see notes)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, basil, mint or parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary
lettuce cups (Romaine or Boston) or apple slices, for serving

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, mayonnaise, blueberries, pecans and thyme (if using) until everything is thoroughly coated. Taste and add salt and/or freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Serve on the lettuce cups or apple slices.

Notes

For a Whole30 friendly mayo, see recommendations in blog post.

You can use rotisserie or pre-cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts (make sure they’re Whole30 compatible, if necessary).

Cooking your own chicken:

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Place 10-12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a baking dish and coat lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake until they reach 165ºF. If they’re different sizes, you might need to pull the smaller one out first while a bigger one needs to keep cooking.

Let the chicken cool completely, then cut into small cubes. You’ll need 2 cups.

If your pecans aren’t toasted, pour the pecans into a cold, dry skillet. Place over medium heat and cook, tossing and stirring occasionally, until aromatic and slightly darker in spots, about 6-8 minutes. Remove to a small bowl or plate to let cool.

Make ahead/freezing

This chicken salad can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the fridge.

I wouldn’t recommend freezing it.

Substitutions and variations

You can swap out the blueberries and pecans for halved grapes and walnuts, if you want more of a classic flavor.
You can also try other nuts, like sliced or chopped almonds, hazelnuts or cashews.
If using herbs, you can try basil, parsley, mint or rosemary (use half as much rosemary as its flavor can be very strong).

Nutrition

Calories: 562kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 17gFat: 52gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 36gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 308mgPotassium: 423mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 400IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg

Keyword avocado oil mayo, chicken salad, healthy lunch, whole30, Whole30 chicken

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