I never thought I would write "chicken salad is trending" yet here we are — and as a dietitian I am not mad about it. From Hamptons pop-ups to social media takeovers, people are taking their chicken salad very seriously. In true food trend fashion, additional questions are starting to swirl including: "what’s in chicken salad?" and (my personal favorite) "is chicken salad healthy?" Below, you'll find some chicken salad two cents from a registered dietitian.

Chicken Salad Basics

According to food lore, the earliest chicken salad recipes date back to the mid 1800s, and just like many people do today, it was a way to use up cooked and cold chicken. Much like popular picnic staples like tuna or potato salad, common ingredients of today’s chicken salads include mayo, mustard, hard-boiled eggs, celery, pickles, onion, herbs and spices. Viral videos have even unveiled recipes featuring creative components such as Greek yogurt, dried cranberries, fiery peppers, miso, dates and tahini. Curry powder, Buffalo sauce, chili crisp, and diced apples are a few other ways to give this beloved dish a boost.

Traditionally served on a bed of lettuce or between two slices of bread, chicken salad is now serve on everything from bagels and croissants to crackers and rice cakes; some people even opt to skip the bread altogether, and just enjoy it with veggie sticks or a few sturdy potato chips, which I highly recommend!

Chicken Salad Nutrition

One 1/2 cup of a traditional chicken salad with mayonnaise dressing averages around 200 to 250 calories. This portion of chicken salad also contains anywhere from 12 to 25 grams of total fat (which includes 2 to 3 grams of saturated fat) as well as 10 to 12 grams of protein and 400 to 500 milligrams of sodium. Depending on some of the special add-ins, these numbers can jump; dried fruit, nuts, seeds and avocado add excellent nutrients, but may also contribute significantly to the calorie count.

Is Chicken Salad Healthy?

A combo of lean chicken, fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs is always a healthy choice, but the dressing might be where things can go wrong. Gobs of mayo, an over pour of oil, or excessive amounts of salt can all be to blame. If you're making your own chicken salad, poached, roasted or grilled chicken breast can all contribute to a high-protein, lower fat base. Take some help from the store and use a rotisserie chicken but discard the skin. Crunchy veggies, fruit, nuts, herbs and spices add flavor, texture, color and, best of all, fiber.

When making the dressing, use a sensible amount of mayo; while this classic condiment is made from simple, whole food ingredients, it has 100 calories and 12 grams of fat in each tablespoon. Dial back on the fat and calories, but keep the dressing creamy, by using less mayo or light mayo combined with Greek yogurt, avocado or blended cottage cheese.

When you aren’t making the chicken salad yourself and are buying it prepared instead, the best move is to be mindful of the portions. Serve it along with greens (lettuce wraps anyone?) or other fresh cut vegetables for dipping. As for breads, choose whole-grain bread, tortilla or crackers for a little extra fiber.

Chicken Salads Recipes To Try

There are endless chicken salad possibilities. Here are just a few winning flavor and ingredient combinations:

• Whisk equal parts mayo and Greek yogurt, plus a splash of Buffalo sauce, then mix it with poached chicken, shredded carrots and chopped celery.
• Mix a touch of curry powder with plain yogurt and a splash of vinegar to make a colorful dressing. Next, add chicken, cilantro, golden raisins, red onion, diced bell pepper and a handful of chopped cashews.
• Dress up your shredded chicken with thinly sliced cucumber, scallion and chili crunch, then add a squirt of kewpie mayo and a squeeze of fresh lime.

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