If you are trying to lose weight, you know the pain. You eat less. You skip tasty food. But still the weight does not go down. One big reason is wrong food choice. Many people think eating less is enough. That is not true. You need food that fills your stomach but gives less calories. This healthy chicken salad recipe for weight loss does exactly that.
What Goes Inside This Salad?
I keep things simple. Four things only.
- First is chicken. I buy chicken breast. No skin. No fat. Boil it. That is it.
- Second is vegetables. Whatever is in your fridge. Cabbage, carrot, onion, tomato, cucumber. I use these because they are cheap in India.
- Third is the dressing. Most people ruin salad here. They put mayonnaise. Then they say why I am not losing weight. I will tell you why.
- Fourth is taste. Green chilli, coriander, lemon, salt, black pepper. That is all.
Is Chicken Salad with Mayo Healthy for Weight Loss?
I see so many people eating mayo chicken salad thinking it is diet food. It is not. One spoon mayonnaise has 90 calories. When you make a full bowl, you put four to five spoons. That is 400 calories only from mayo. Then add chicken and vegetables. Total becomes 600 calories. You are eating salad but gaining weight.
Mayo is made from oil and egg. Both are high fat. That fat stays in your body. So please stop. Do not believe food bloggers who say low fat mayo is good. Low fat mayo has sugar. Sugar is worse than fat for weight loss.
Read More: Healthy Grilled Chicken Sandwich Recipe for Weight Loss
Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe with Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is my favourite. It is thick. It is creamy. It tastes a little like our desi curd but better for weight loss. Because it has less water and more protein.
Here is the recipe. I write exactly how I make at home.
What You Need
Take a small bowl and collect these things.
- Chicken breast – 200 grams (boil first)
- Greek yogurt – 4 big spoons (not small spoon, big eating spoon)
- Cabbage – half cup, chop very fine
- Carrot – one, peel and grate
- Onion – one small, chop fine
- Tomato – one, remove the wet seeds, then chop
- Cucumber – half, chop small pieces
- Green chilli – one, chop very fine
- Coriander leaves – two spoons, chop
- Black pepper – half spoon
- Salt – as you like
- Lemon juice – one spoon
How I Make It Step by Step?
- First I boil chicken. Take a pan. Put water. Add salt. Put chicken breast. Boil for 12 minutes. Not more. If you boil too much, chicken becomes hard like rubber. After boiling, I take it out. I let it sit for 5 minutes. Then I cut into small pieces with my hands or knife.
- Second I prepare vegetables. I wash everything with water. I chop cabbage fine. I grate carrot. I chop onion, tomato, cucumber, green chilli and coriander. I put all in a big bowl.
- Third I make dressing. I take Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Add black pepper. Add salt. Add lemon juice. I mix with a spoon. The mix becomes smooth.
- Fourth I mix everything. I put chicken pieces in the vegetable bowl. Then I pour the Greek yogurt dressing on top. I mix with my hand. Yes hand is better than spoon. The dressing goes everywhere.
My healthy chicken salad recipe with Greek yogurt is ready. I eat it right away. If I keep for later, vegetables leave water and salad becomes wet.
Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe Indian Style
Some of you will say bhaiya Greek yogurt nahi milta. That is fine. I have a Indian version. I use curd but thick curd. Not the watery one.
Here is my desi chicken salad.
Ingredients for Indian Version
- Chicken breast – 200 grams
- Fresh curd – 4 big spoons (but first hang it in a cloth for 30 minutes to remove water)
- Cabbage – half cup
- Carrot – one
- Onion – one small
- Tomato – one
- Cucumber – half
- Green chilli – two (Indians like more spice)
- Ginger garlic paste – half spoon
- Roasted cumin powder – half spoon
- Black salt – one pinch
- Fresh coriander – two spoons
- Lemon juice – one spoon
How I Make Indian Chicken Salad?
First boil chicken like before. Cut into pieces.
Second I take hung curd in a bowl. I add ginger garlic paste. I add roasted cumin powder. I add black salt. I add lemon juice. I mix everything.
Third I take a big bowl. I put all chopped vegetables. I add chicken pieces. I pour the curd mixture. I mix slowly.
This healthy chicken salad recipe Indian style tastes like home. The cumin and ginger garlic give that desi flavour. I eat this for lunch. Sometimes I eat for dinner. My weight stays down.
Which One is Better for Weight Loss – Greek Yogurt or Indian Curd
Both are good. I use both in different weeks. But Greek yogurt has more protein. Protein helps your body burn fat faster. Indian curd has more water. That is why I tell you to hang curd first. Remove the water. Then it becomes almost like Greek yogurt.
If you have money, buy Greek yogurt. If you want to save money, take normal curd. Hang it in a cotton cloth for one hour. Use that thick curd. Never use thin watery curd. Your salad will become wet and taste bad.
How This Chicken Salad Helps You Lose Weight?
First thing. Protein fills your stomach. When you eat chicken and yogurt, your stomach feels full. You do not feel hungry after one hour. That is important. Many salads fail because they have only vegetables. Vegetables do not have protein. You eat the salad. One hour later you are hungry. Then you eat something bad like chips or biscuit.
Second thing. This salad has no oil. No butter. No cream. No mayo. I do not use any of these. The only fat comes from chicken and curd. That is natural fat. Your body knows how to handle natural fat.
Third thing. Vegetables give fiber. Fiber cleans your stomach. It helps you go to toilet properly. Good digestion means good weight loss. If your stomach is always heavy, your body holds fat.
Fourth thing. This salad has very low calories. One full bowl has only 250 to 300 calories. Compare that to biryani. One plate biryani has 700 calories. Chole bhature has 1000 calories. Even a simple plate of rajma chawal has 500 calories. So you can eat this salad without any guilt.
Common Mistakes People Make
- One mistake is using mayonnaise. I said this before but I will say again. Mayo is bad. Even the low fat one is bad because it has sugar.
- Second mistake is adding too much salt. Salt holds water in your body. That water adds weight on weighing machine. Use less salt. Use lemon juice or black pepper for taste.
- Third mistake is eating roti or rice with salad. This salad is a full meal. Do not eat roti on the side. Do not eat rice. That doubles your calories.
- Fourth mistake is drinking sweet drinks with salad. No cold drink. No packaged juice. No sweet lassi. Drink only warm water or plain buttermilk without salt.
Simple Meal Plan Using This Salad
If you want to lose weight fast, follow what I did.
- Morning breakfast – one egg or one bowl poha or one bowl upma
- Lunch – one full bowl of healthy chicken salad recipe for weight loss
- Evening snack – one apple or one cup green tea
- Dinner – one bowl chicken salad again or vegetable soup
I followed this for 15 days. I lost 2 kilos. My stomach felt lighter. My pants felt loose.
You May Also Read: Healthy Low Carb Lauki Kofta Curry Recipe Indian Style for Diabetes and Gut Health
How to Store This Salad?
I always say eat fresh. But sometimes you want to make for next day. That is okay. But do not add dressing. Keep boiled chicken and chopped vegetables in one box. Keep yogurt dressing in another small box. Mix only when you are ready to eat. This way the salad stays good for one day in the fridge. Do not keep for more than one day. Chicken becomes hard. Vegetables become bad.
Final Words
I gave you two recipes. One with Greek yogurt. One Indian style with curd. Both work. Both taste good. Both will help you lose weight.
Stop eating chicken salad with mayo. Start eating this healthy version. Your body will change. Your weight will come down. And you will not feel hungry and angry all the time.
If you have any question, write in comment below. I am not a doctor. I am just a regular person who lost weight eating this. I will answer whatever I know.
FAQs
Can I eat this salad every day?
Yes. I eat it five days a week. But change the vegetables sometimes. Use capsicum one day. Use spinach one day. Use beans one day. This gives different nutrients.
What if I do not like boiled chicken?
You can grill the chicken. Use a non stick pan. Do not add oil. Cook on low flame. The taste is better than boiled.
Can I use leftover curry chicken?
No no no. Curry chicken has oil and spices and gravy. That gravy has many calories. Use only fresh boiled or grilled chicken.
Is raw cabbage safe to eat?
Yes. Just wash cabbage with hot water first. Then chop. Raw cabbage is safe and good for your stomach.
How much weight can I lose in one month?
If you eat this salad five days a week and stop eating outside food, you can lose 2 to 3 kilos in one month. Do not expect magic. Weight loss takes time. Do not believe people who say lose 10 kilos in one month.
