Heart Healthy Lentil Chicken Salad

(5.0)
By Judy Capodanno
Published 2/7/2022
Dietitian Reviewed: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT
Approved for These Diets:
Heart Healthy | Gluten Free | Diabetic
Heart Healthy Lentil Chicken Salad
Photo Credit: Baldwin Publishing Staff Photographer

This heart healthy lentil chicken salad is a refreshing, low-calorie dinner salad packed with lean protein, fiber-rich lentils, and fresh veggies. Gluten-free and low sodium, it is one of the best heart healthy salads to serve friends who follow a diabetic diet. With only 100 calories and no mayonnaise, it’s a nutritious choice for lunch or meal prep.

Explore more heart healthy chicken meal ideas for flavorful and wholesome recipes!

Total Time
30 minutes
Servings
6
Calories
100
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Why You'll Love This Healthy Lentil Chicken Salad

If you love chicken salad but don’t love all the fat and calories in traditional chicken salad with mayo, then you’ll want to give this chicken lentil salad a try. It’s easy to make and combines diced chicken and lentils with a medley of fresh vegetables such as cucumber, bell pepper, celery and scallions. Pimentos, basil, parsley and red wine vinegar add a punch of flavor. Not only will you appreciate the bright and fresh flavors of this dish, but you’ll love its nutrition profile. Each serving is a mere 100 calories and it’s also low fat, low cholesterol and very low sodium. This heart healthy chicken recipe also has 4g of fiber and a good amount of protein (13g). It’s a popular lunch meal prep recipe and lasts for a few days after preparation.

Many people may ask the question “Is chicken salad heart healthy?” And the answer to that question is that most commercially prepared chicken salad is not so good for your heart because it is loaded with mayonnaise, which contains a lot of fat and calories. But this chicken salad with lentils is not only good for your heart but is good for you in many other ways, too. It has protein from the chicken and lentils, fiber from the lentils and veggies and virtually no fat or sodium. It’s a tasty chicken lunch recipe you’ll want to eat again and again - and it may just become one of your favorite heart healthy meals with chicken!

This healthy chicken salad recipe tastes great on its own, but you may also want to serve it on top of a salad, between a couple of slices of bread or in a wrap. Since a serving of lentil chicken salad is only 100 calories, you also have room to eat something along with the dish or to enjoy a sweet treat when you’re done. Here are a few healthy choices to round out your meal:

Chicken and salad go together so well and there are so many ways you can combine these ingredients to create a delicious lunch or dinner. Here are a few of our favorite salad recipes with chicken:

Health eCooks Cookbook on Amazon

Ingredients

Recipe yields 6 servings

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Helpful How-To Video

How to Make Lentil Chicken Salad

  1. Step 1

    In a saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add lentils. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are just tender. Drain and refrigerate until cooled. (Alternative no-cook method: Soak the lentils in the refrigerator overnight.)

  2. Step 2

    In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients and lentils and mix well. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:
3/4 cup

100
Calories
1
g
Fat
20
mg
Cholesterol
40
mg
Sodium
10
g
Carbs
0
g
Sat. Fat
4
g
Fiber
13
g
Protein
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