Caprese Chicken Salad

This low carb Caprese chicken salad mixes the perfect elements of Caprese salad with shredded chicken and is best served as lettuce wraps. The key to making the perfect lettuce wrap is by adding balsamic glaze! This recipe feeds a crowd!

Caprese Salad

I used to think that Caprese salad was reserved for the fancy folks. Turns out, the ingredients are pretty simple and they’re not crazy expensive. Fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, balsamic glaze, and a little salt is all you need.

Last year I went to a party where they made Caprese skewers on a large toothpick. I was impressed by the simplicity and fanciness all at once. I thought, hmm, this needs to be a regular part of my life.

In an effort to source my own fresh basil, I tried to grow basil. My first plant didn’t survive. Currently, my plants are still a little sad but they’re growing. Every week or so I can totally make a batch of Caprese salad or something with basil. We’ll call that a win!

Fresh Mozzarella – a delicious low carb option!

Fresh mozzarella is also easy to access. It is usually found in the deli section by the specialty cheeses. The stores I frequent often have different varieties on sale, so you can look for these sales! There is a ball or log that is sliced. You can get medallions pieces, which are great for pizza. Another variety is called ciliegine, which is about the size of a cherry. Often ciliegine is in a brine or in oil. Pearl mozzarella is about the size of a blueberry and they’re often packed tightly in a plastic pouch.

Fresh mozzarella has countless uses. Even if you grab the “wrong” kind, you really can’t go wrong. For this particular recipe, we’re using pearl mozzarella, because it is small. See the shape of the pearl mozzarella? That is because it was tightly packed. Not because I like to create crazy geometric shapes.

Chicken for this Keto chicken salad recipe

For this recipe, you need 3-4 cups of chopped, shredded chicken. Of course, you can cook chicken any way you prefer. The Instant pot is an easy way to cook chicken but the easiest method is using rotisserie chicken meat.

Veggie options

You don’t have to use all of the veggies listed in this recipe if you don’t want to. Cucumbers and cherry tomatoes seem very fitting for a salad like this, but you are welcome to use any variety you may enjoy.

The Sauce

Traditional chicken salad has a mayonnaise base, while I enjoy that, it seemed a bit heavy for this Caprese chicken salad idea. The ingredients for the sauce include:

• Mayonnaise
• Ricotta Cheese
• Lemon Juice
• Garlic
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

It’s really that simple, but those elements come together with a powerful flavor profile that isn’t too heavy.

After everything is mixed, drizzle balsamic glaze over the wraps. This gives a little bit of an acidic element. It is reduced balsamic vinegar. Note: some balsamic glazes have sugar added and some do not.

Recipes to serve this Caprese Chicken Salad with

Flaxseed Keto Wraps – These are a great alternative to lettuce wraps

Easy Veggie Kabobs – Extra veggies!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites – An easy dessert!

Meal Prep Option

If you’d like to use this for meal prep, I would suggest not mixing the content. The cucumber would be best added the day of. Keep the sauce in a separate small container to mix everything at the time you plan to eat. Caprese chicken salad meal prep bowls are an easy way to prepare for lunches for the week.

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For THM friends, this is an (S)

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Caprese Chicken Salad

Chicken salad with all of the flavors of Caprese. Served as lettuce wraps, on low carb wraps, or on a salad.

Prep Time15 mins

BBQ, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Picnic

Cuisine: American, Asian-fusion, Italian

Basil, Caprese, Chicken Salad, Fresh Mozzarella, Keto, Low Carb, Salad, THM-S, Tomatoes

Servings: 8

Calories: 268kcal

Ingredients

• 1-½ cups cucumbers quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
• 3-4 cups chopped chicken
• ⅓ c fresh basil, chopped + more for garnish
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearl size

For the sauce

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2-3 cloves garlic pressed
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• 4 Tbsp mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste

Building the Caprese Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

• Leafy Lettuce or butter lettuce 4 leaves per person +/-
• Balsamic Glaze For a finishing drizzle

Instructions

• Mix the chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, and mozzarella together.
• Mix the sauce. Pour the sauce over the salad contents and mix together thoroughly.
• Garnish with more fresh basil.
• Chill for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
• Serve on leafy or butter lettuce as lettuce wraps. Or use your favorite lower carb wrap.
• Drizzle balsamic glaze over the chicken salad. You only need a little.

Notes

Notes:
If the chicken salad is made ahead of time, the cucumbers and tomatoes become limp if mixed for an extended period of time. Chill and add these prior to serving.

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Another recipe to try

If you like this Caprese chicken salad recipe, you might like our Asian chicken salad. On the Yellow Glass Dish, we’re always trying to push the limits with ingredients to make flavorful lower-carb recipes.