Offer your little one a healthy, protein-packed lunch with this 4 ingredient simple baby friendly chicken salad made with Greek yogurt. This is truly the easiest chicken salad to make with one of my favorite shortcuts for chicken salad - canned chicken. You and baby will love it!
This post has been written and medically reviewed by Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).
Baby Friendly Chicken Salad
Can babies have chicken salad? YES - as long as it's texturally appropriate. That means leaving out large chunks of chicken and other off-limits food for babies (dried fruit, nuts, hard veggies, etc). With a baby led weaning approach, you can offer chicken salad to babies as young as 6 months as long as it is made with moist, finely shredded chicken and minimal, simple add-ins. That's exactly what you'll find in this baby-friendly chicken salad. It's made with just 4 healthy ingredients, is the perfect texture for baby, and is still flavorful enough that mom will find it enjoyable, too!
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Canned Chicken Chicken Salad
This baby friendly chicken salad made with my favorite secret weapon for making the EASIEST chicken salad of your life - canned chicken! I know, it sounds strange if you've never had it, but canned chicken is so easy to keep on hand and the texture is moist and easily shredded into tiny pieces, making it perfect for baby chicken salad. If you've never tried canned chicken, I encourage you to pick up a can and try this chicken salad - it may become a new staple in your house! That said, you can also use freshly cooked moist shredded chicken in this recipe.
Ingredients
- Canned chicken - Look for something with minimal additives and no salt, if possible. You can also use moist, finely shredded freshly cooked chicken.
- Plain Greek yogurt - I like whole milk Greek yogurt, but use what you have on hand. Yogurt makes this chickens salad even higher in protein!
- Dijon mustard - Adds a little tang that you would normally get from mayo.
- Green onions - Chop them very finely.
- Optional finely ground pecans or walnuts - Leave them out if you don't like nuts in chicken salad or if they make you nervous to give to baby.
Helpful equipment: Sharp knife, bowl and spoon
Step By Step Instructions
For the full printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Drain the chicken, reserving the liquid just in case you need it to thin the yogurt. Place the chicken in a bowl and mash it to get the shreds nice and fine.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients: yogurt, dijon, finely chopped green onions and finely ground pecans (if using).
- Taste and adjust as needed. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
Tips and Recipe Variations
- After mixing, taste and adjust chicken salad as needed. If you want it creamier, add more yogurt. Tangier, add more dijon. Thinner, add a little of the liquid from the chicken.
- The flavors will meld and get better as this sits in the refrigerator, so if you have the extra time, let it hang out in the fridge for a few hours. Be sure to cover it tightly!
- Feel free to add any other finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill or basil.
- If you don't have yogurt, you can use mayonnaise. Omit or reduce the amount of dijon if you're using mayo. Be sure baby has been introduced to eggs, since mayonnaise contains them and can be a potential allergen.
- If you're adding pecans or walnuts, make sure baby has been safely introduced to tree nuts.
- After mixing up baby's portion, feel free to add any mix-ins that you (the adult) prefer, such as diced celery, salt, or dried cranberries.
- If you're using the larger size can of chicken (such as the Kirkland brand), double the amount of the other ingredients.
Storage
Chicken salad will keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It may weep or separate a little due to the yogurt. This is normal - just stir it back together.
I don't recommend freezing chicken salad since yogurt does not freeze well.
How To Serve Chicken Salad To Babies 6 Months and Up
This chicken salad is super flexible and can served to even the youngest BLW babies, even without a pincer grasp. Here are a few options:
- Serve in a scoop on baby's plate for him to scoop up with his palm.
- Pre-load on a soft spoon and hand to baby or set on the tray.
- Spread a thin layer on lightly toasted bread fingers.
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The Easiest Chicken Salad for Baby Led Weaning Recipe
Offer your little one a healthy, protein-packed lunch with this 4 ingredient simple baby friendly chicken salad made with Greek yogurt. This is truly the easiest chicken salad to make with one of my favorite shortcuts for chicken salad - canned chicken. You and baby will love it!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: about 1 cup 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 can (5 oz) chicken breast
- 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (I like full fat)
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp finely chopped green onions
- optional: 1 teaspoon finely ground pecans
Instructions
- Drain the chicken, reserving the liquid in case you need a little extra moisture.
- Add the chicken to a bowl, breaking it up into very small shreds with a spoon or fork.
- Add the remaining ingredients (Greek yogurt, dijon, green onion and pecans, if using). Stir to combine well.
- Taste and adjust as needed, adding reserved liquid from the chicken as needed if you need to thin the yogurt just a bit.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavors will meld and the chicken salad will get more flavorful as it sits for a few hours.
Notes
- After mixing, taste and adjust chicken salad as needed. If you want it creamier, add more yogurt. Tangier, add more dijon. Thinner, add a little of the liquid from the chicken.
- You can use finely shredded moist chicken (try this easy poached whole chicken!) in place of the canned chicken.
- If you don't have Greek yogurt, you can use mayonnaise instead. Omit or reduce the dijon since it adds the tanginess usually present in mayo.
- Feel free to add other finely chopped herbs, such as parsley, dill or basil.
- After mixing up the recipe for baby, feel free to scoop out some for adults and add any non baby-friendly mix-ins, such as diced celery, dried cranberries, or salt.
- Be sure baby has been safely introduced to allergens included in the recipe, such as dairy or tree nuts. If using mayonnaise, be sure baby has been introduced to eggs, since mayo contains eggs.
- If you're using the larger size can of chicken (such as the Kirkland brand), double the amount of the other ingredients.
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