Lemon Turmeric Chicken Salad
Published June 17, 2025
Nico Schinco for The New York Times, Food Stylist: Kaitlin Wayne.
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon white vinegar (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 garlic clove, finely grated
¼ teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
10 to 12 ounces cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken also works), shredded (about 3 cups)
Warm pitas, iceberg lettuce, seasoned tomato slices and sliced red onion (optional), for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 to 4 servings)
3 grams carbs; 87 milligrams cholesterol; 301 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 382 milligrams sodium; 28 grams protein; 1 gram sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a medium bowl, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar (if using), turmeric, garlic, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt, and stir to dissolve the turmeric. Add the yogurt and mayonnaise and stir until smooth. Mix in the dill and chicken. (Chicken salad can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
- Step 2
Serve chicken salad with pitas, lettuce, tomato and red onion alongside, or make sandwiches.
Private Notes
Comments
This was everything I wanted from a chicken salad, mainly savory salty TANG. I used leftover roasted chicken, so I eyeballed the mixtures on spice and sauce. It was perfect with lettuce for crunch. I like vinegar so I added, and next time will add a smidge more turmeric. 10/10
Delightful dish for a hot summer night when you can buy a rotisserie chicken instead of turning your oven on. Even my teenage son liked this and had seconds (of course). I substituted white wine vinegar for the white vinegar and used more dill because YUM.
I used one large bone-in chicken breast that I made in the Sous Vide and largely followed the recipe, adding a bit more tumeric. Quite tasty and a nice dish for a summer evening.
Can I make ahead and how many days will it last in the fridge?
I was skeptical, but this sauce really is incredible! I followed the recipe exactly and loved it, then decided to add some craisins and chopped celery as well for some texture variety, though I then needed to add more Greek yogurt so it wasn’t too dry with the extras. I served it in pita with spinach and feta.
Made according to recipe - took one bite and said, "perfection!"