- Prep
- 20 min
- Total time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Quick summary
“A substantial reimagining of the classic Green Goddess salad joining shredded cooked chicken breast with chickpeas, crunchy celery, grated carrot, and red onion. Wrapped in a velvety green sauce of mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and fresh herbs.”
What you need to know
- The Green Goddess sauce blends fresh basil, parsley, and chives with yogurt and lemon for a vibrant green color.
- The washed and drained chickpeas provide fiber and a meaty texture that complements the tender shredded chicken.
- The 30-minute rest in the refrigerator allows the aromatics of the green sauce to penetrate the ingredients.
Ingredients
Main
- cup Good quality mayonnaise
- cup Natural whole Greek yogurt
- tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
- cup Fresh chopped basil
- cup Salsa fresca picada
- tablespoons Cebolinha fresca picada
- unit Small garlic clove, crushed
- teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- grams Cooked and shredded chicken (breast or thigh)
- lata (400g) Chickpeas (canned), drained and rinsed
- cup Finely chopped celery
- cup Grated or finely diced carrot
- cup Finely chopped red onion
- cup Red bell pepper, finely diced
- Green leaves for serving (lettuce, arugula, spinach)
- Optional: croutons, chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds
Instructions
Principal
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and the mashed garlic clove. Mix well until you get a homogeneous and creamy base for the Green Goddess sauce. Ensure all ingredients are well integrated before proceeding.
- Add fresh chopped basil, parsley, and scallions to the sauce base. Add the Dijon mustard and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix vigorously until the herbs are well incorporated and the sauce acquires a vibrant, fragrant, and inviting green hue.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked and shredded chicken, the drained and washed chickpeas, the celery, the carrot, the red onion, and the red bell pepper. Ensure that all vegetables are well chopped for a uniform texture, allowing the flavors to complement each other in every bite.
- Pour the prepared Green Goddess dressing over the salad ingredients in the large bowl. Mix gently with a spatula or spoon until all components are completely coated by the sauce. Gentleness when mixing helps preserve the integrity of the chicken and vegetables.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if necessary, to enhance the flavors to your palate. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, allowing the flavors to intensify and the salad to reach the ideal temperature for consumption.
Chef's tips
- Chop the celery and red bell pepper into very small cubes to ensure fresh crunch in every bite.
- Use chicken cooked in aromatic broth shredded into medium flakes to absorb the sauce emulsion.
- Serve over a bed of fresh romaine lettuce or arugula leaves to add volume and lightness.
Variations
- Add cubed ripe avocado to the salad bowl just before serving to add creaminess.
- Add toasted chopped walnuts or crunchy sunflower seeds over the assembled salad.
- Use the creamy chicken and chickpea mixture as a filling for flour tortilla wraps or sandwiches.
Substitutions
- Cooked chicken can be replaced by canned tuna solid in olive oil, shredded salmon, or tofu cubes.
- Natural Greek yogurt can be replaced by sour cream or blended cottage cheese.
- Celery can be replaced with fresh fennel in thin slices or seedless cucumber.
How to store
Store in a closed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Gently stir with a spoon before serving to redistribute the green sauce throughout the chicken fibers.
Can it be frozen?
Freezing this salad with mayonnaise, yogurt, and crunchy raw vegetables is not recommended, as the sauce curdles upon thawing and the celery loses its crisp texture.
What to serve with
Pairs perfectly with pita bread toast, baked cassava chips, pineapple juice with mint, and iced white tea.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use homemade frozen cooked chickpeas?
Yes, defrost the grains and rinse under running water, draining very well on paper towels so that the excess cold water does not dilute the texture of the creamy sauce.
What is the classic Green Goddess sauce?
It is a sauce created in the 1920s in San Francisco that combines mayonnaise, cream or yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and a generous amount of chopped fresh green herbs, resulting in a vibrant green color.
How to shred chicken breast quickly and evenly?
After cooking the chicken and draining the broth, place the hot fillets in the mixer bowl with the paddle attachment and turn on for 30 seconds on low speed to shred completely.
Does the green sauce darken if kept in the refrigerator?
The fresh lemon juice in the recipe acts as a natural antioxidant; the sauce maintains its bright green tone for up to 3 days under refrigeration well covered.
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