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An easy and healthy, savory and sweet Paleo chicken salad with dates and toasted walnuts that’s also Whole30 friendly. This is a great recipe for leftover roasted turkey or chicken and is perfect for the holiday season or anytime! Gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free.
It’s official – I have finally pulled away from my enmeshed relationship with pecans and tried out another nut. Change is hard sometimes, don’t you think? I definitely won’t be breaking up with chicken salad anytime soon though, that’s for sure. Chicken is just way too fun to make fancy, and, I swear, it literally goes with everything.
What other meat can you pair with fruit and nuts so well, then eat cold and it actually tastes good? I guess sausage might be an option? Except for the cold part. I thought sausage would always be an option for me, but, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe chicken is really where my heart’s desire lies. Can’t I have both? Yes, yes, I think so – and you can too.
But let’s focus on the chicken today since that’s exactly what my recipe involves – an easy, make ahead or make-for-right-now recipe that’s both Paleo and Whole30 friendly, and so easy that even Adam can manage it. And seriously guys, he has trouble with boxed mac n cheese so this is saying quite a lot.
This chicken salad get EVEN EASIER if you happen to already have leftover cooked chicken or turkey lying around the house (in the fridge, of course) just waiting to be given new life. Super dramatic, I know, but re-purposing leftovers is serious business over here!
And yes, I do realize that using turkey makes this a turkey salad, but, well, these things are not meant to be over-thought! Use what you have, or make the chicken from scratch with 10 minutes extra of your time. Easy peasy, with an actual lemon squeeze at the end 😉
In addition to the cooked chicken, you’ll need some chopped walnuts and cinnamon, pitted dates, Paleo mayo and fresh lemon juice. I used my recipe for easy homemade Paleo mayo which I highly recommend, or you can purchase this amazing Avocado Oil Paleo Mayo to make things super easy! As much as I love my own mayo, I have to say the Primal Kitchen brand is seriously tasty.
Once you have your chicken cooked and chopped, walnuts toasted with cinnamon and dates chopped, all you have to do is mix, squeeze (the lemon!) and EAT! I highly recommend some sort of greens – either a lettuce wrap or over a simple green salad. You can also eat this chicken salad all on its own since it’s so packed with flavor and very satisfying. Let me know what you think!
Paleo Chicken Salad with Dates & Walnuts {Whole30}
Paleo Chicken Salad with Dates & Walnuts {Whole30}
A savory, sweet and healthy Paleo chicken salad with pecans and dates, Paleo mayo and fresh lemon that’s perfect for lunch or dinner, and great for the holiday season or anytime! You can cook the chicken ahead of time and it’s also perfect for leftover roasted chicken or turkey. Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 30 minutesCourse:Lunch/DinnerCuisine:Paleo &, Whole30Servings: 4 -6 servings
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Ingredients
For the Chicken*
1lbchicken breasts cut into stripsor tenderloinssalt & pepper1/4tsponion powder1/4tspdried poultry seasoningor 2 tsp chopped fresh**ghee or coconut oil for cooking the chicken
For the Salad
1cupraw walnutsroughly chopped1/2tspcinnamon1/2cuproughly chopped pitted dates1/4cupPaleo mayomake your own or purchase Paleo Avocado oil mayo2tspfresh lemon juice
Instructions
First, if you haven’t cooked your chicken yet, heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat and add your ghee or coconut oil to melt (1-2 Tbsp)Season your uncooked chicken with salt, pepper, onion powder, and poultry seasoning. Add to the pan and sauté, allowing each side to cook about 3 minutes, until the outside is golden brown and the inside is no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.Meanwhile, you will toast the walnuts. Heat your oven to 300 F and in a small bowl, toss your walnuts with the cinnamon, then spread out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the preheated oven about 10 minutes or until lightly toasted, remove from oven and set aside.Once your chicken has cooled to room temperature, chop it into bite sized pieces (or shred) and add it to a large bowl. Then add the toasted walnuts, chopped dates, Paleo mayo, and lemon juice. Toss everything together to coat and serve right away over greens. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Skip this step if you’re using leftover roasted chicken or turkey
*I chopped a mixture of fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme, but I also love this dried poultry seasoning
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Want more Paleo Chicken Salad Recipes? Try one of these!
Chicken Salad with Bacon and Scallions
Chipotle Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad with Creamy Maple Dressing
Paleo Chicken Salads on the Web:
Paleo Whole30 Chicken Salad
Paleo Chicken Salad Wraps
Tell Me!
What have you been lunching on lately?
What nut will you never break up with?
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