Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

Of all the summer salads, a classic chicken salad recipe is always a favorite at a picnic, a barbecue, or an office potluck!

Just a few ingredients can be transformed into a cold, creamy salad or filling for a homemade chicken salad sandwich or wrap!

Keep this chicken salad recipe on hand for last-minute sandwiches, or serve it over a bed of lettuce or with a side ofpasta salad and corn on the cob!

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (1)

Ingredients in Chicken Salad

ChickenUse leftover chicken from last night’s dinner or rotisserie chicken. Even leftover grilled chicken works well. Canned chicken can be used, but fresh is preferred.

To prepare chicken for chicken salad: Make baked chicken breast or thighs or poach until tender.

Ensure the chicken is cooled and shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces.

Add-insAs this is a classic chicken salad recipe, I’ve kept the additions to a minimum. Celery for crunch, green onions for flavor.

Add a variety of nuts, veggies, or fruit for added flavor and texture. Try this chicken salad recipe with grapes, avocado, dried cranberries, pecans or almonds.

DressingMayonnaise and simple seasonings are the base of this recipe.

Change the flavor and replace some of the mayo for Greek yogurt, ranch dressing, or your add your favorite salad dressing.

Create an Avocado Chicken Salad by replacing some of the mayonnaise with mashed avocado.

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (2)

How to Make Chicken Salad

Prepare this classic chicken salad recipe in just 15 minutes with only a few simple ingredients.

  1. Chop cooked and cooled chicken and place into a large bowl with celery and onions.
  2. Mix dressing ingredients (according to the recipe below) in a bowl. Toss with chicken.
  3. Serve on rolls, bread or over a bed of lettuce.

This chicken salad sandwich recipe can be served on any bread. We love this on a baguette or rolls. Keep it low carb and serve in romaine lettuce as lettuce wraps or spoon over a tossed salad.

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (3)

Got Leftovers?

Refrigerator: Store chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Give it a stir and refresh the flavor with a fresh herb or an extra dollop of Dijon mustard.

Freezer: Chicken salad doesn’t freeze well. To prep ahead, simply dice the chicken and freeze. When ready to make, combine it with the ingredients below for a quick lunch!

Must Try Sandwiches

Best Egg Salad Recipe

Easy Tuna Salad

Ham Salad Recipe

Pineapple Chicken Salad with Grapes

Shrimp Salad

Turkey Sandwich

Cucumber Sandwiches

Club Sandwich

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (12)

4.99 from 1978 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Classic Chicken Salad

A classic chicken salad recipe is always a favorite at a picnic, a barbecue, or an office potluck! Just a few ingredients can be transformed into a cold, creamy salad or filling for a homemade chicken salad sandwich or wrap!

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (13)

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (14)

Servings 6 servings

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (15)

Author Holly Nilsson

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken chopped
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 1 green onion diced (or chives or red onion)
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh dill optional

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  • Serve as a sandwich or over salad.

Video

4.99 from 1978 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 206 | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 72IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (18) Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (19)
Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (20)
Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (21)
Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (22)

Categories:

Chicken, Recipes, Sandwiches

Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!

Follow us on Pinterest

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (23)

Recipes you'll love

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Chicken

French Dip Sandwich

Sandwiches

Crispy Cheesy Bacon Rolls

Sandwiches

Cucumber Sandwiches

Lunch

Easy Tuna Salad

Sandwiches

Dill Pickle Bacon Grilled Cheese

Appetizer Recipes

About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
See more posts by Holly

Follow Holly on social media:

pinterest facebook twitter instagram

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (31)

Free eBook!

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and get a FREE Bonus e-book: Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals!

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

Latest & Greatest

Easy Tuna Salad

Sandwiches

Philly Cheesesteak Recipe

Sandwiches

Cheeseburger Sliders

Appetizer Recipes

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

Sandwiches

Ham and Cheese Croissant

Sandwiches

Ham Sandwich with Honey Mustard

Sandwiches

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients for chicken salad? ›

Why is my chicken salad so bland? ›

Cooked chicken breast (or leftover rotisserie chicken), creamy mayo, celery, and salt make up a basic chicken salad, but what it's really missing is an acid, something that can break through the blandness so the chicken salad can stand up to whatever bread or roll you serve it on.

What is chicken salad chick chicken salad made of? ›

Classic Carol

All white meat, shredded chicken, finely minced celery, mayonnaise, & our secret seasoning.

What is chicken salad dressing made of? ›

Most chicken salad dressings are a combination of mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The rest of the flavor for this dish comes from ingredients like celery and fresh herbs.

What is a common ingredient in salad? ›

Most leafy vegetables that can be eaten raw are used: all varieties of lettuce, garden cress and watercress, endives, cabbage, spinach, escarole, romaine (cos), arugula, and fresh herbs. Other vegetables, raw or cooked—tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, beets, and so on—may garnish the green salad.

What is the most popular salad ingredients? ›

A typical salad starts with raw greens, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, mixed greens or arugula. However, you can also add several other raw vegetables. Some popular raw veggie toppings include chopped carrots, onions, cucumbers, celery, mushrooms and broccoli.

What should you not do in the preparation of chicken salad? ›

To ensure that your chicken salad tastes the way that it should, you should avoid using overcooked or dry chicken in your recipe. Unfortunately, as we cook chicken, the moisture of the bird slowly evaporates.

How to perk up chicken salad? ›

Optional Chicken Salad Recipe Add-Ins

There's a lot you can do with a good basic recipe for chicken salad. Add minced fresh herbs like parsley, chives, basil, or tarragon. Add fresh grapes for juicy little bursts of flavor. Add cooked pasta to stretch the chicken salad into a larger meal.

Why do I feel sick after eating chicken salad? ›

For instance, you can be hit with severe nausea and vomiting just an hour after eating contaminated chicken salad that has a type of toxin-producing bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus.

Why did Chick Fil A stop making chicken salad? ›

Speaking with Today, a representative for Chick-fil-A stated, "We know that many of our customers loved our Chicken Salad, but we have also heard from guests that they are looking for new tastes and fresh flavors on the menu in our restaurants." The desire for novel flavors seems a bit overstated, considering that ...

Is chicken salad actually healthy? ›

Chicken salad is rich in lean protein and a decent source of iron. Depending on what other ingredients it contains, it might also provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Still, using ingredients such as mayonnaise or serving the salad on a croissant adds calories and fat.

Does chicken salad chick use mayo or Miracle Whip? ›

Made Fresh & Served from the Heart. When our Original Chick, Stacy, set out in search of the perfect chicken salad, she found that the only two key components anyone could agree on were chicken and mayonnaise.

What goes well with a chicken salad? ›

What to Serve with Chicken Salad: Top Side Dishes
SIDE DISHFLAVOR PROFILETEXTURE
Sauteed GreensGarlicky, savoryWilted, tender
Stuffed AvocadosRich, customizableCreamy, filled
Seed CrackersNutty, heartyCrisp, crunchy
Crisp Green SaladTangy, refreshingCrunchy, light
1 more row
Jan 10, 2024

Why is chicken salad so good? ›

Chicken salad is so simple to make and so commonplace that it doesn't seem like a dish worth celebrating. But that's exactly what makes it great. Minced celery and onion is a classic way to go, but chicken salad is a blank canvas for all sorts of ingredients and flavors.

What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

What are 5 types of other ingredients that can be used for salads? ›

Also, simple fruit salad can be served during a meal or as a sweet after a meal. You can use a range of fruit in season. You can use a range of other ingredients in salads, including: ▪ meat ▪ fish ▪ seafood ▪ nuts ▪ cheese ▪ olives ▪ eggs ▪ pasta ▪ rice.

How good is homemade chicken salad good for? ›

It's tempting to stir up a big batch so that we can enjoy leftovers for a few days. But how long is it safe to keep chicken salad on hand? The short answer is to store chicken salad in a sealed container in the fridge or cooler for no more than four days.

Does chicken salad chick use mayonnaise? ›

When our Original Chick, Stacy, set out in search of the perfect chicken salad, she found that the only two key components anyone could agree on were chicken and mayonnaise. From there, she developed recipes to please every palate, everything from the traditional to the savory, fruity, and spicy.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Last Updated:

Views: 5879

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Birthday: 1994-06-25

Address: Suite 153 582 Lubowitz Walks, Port Alfredoborough, IN 72879-2838

Phone: +128413562823324

Job: IT Strategist

Hobby: Video gaming, Basketball, Web surfing, Book restoration, Jogging, Shooting, Fishing

Introduction: My name is Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner, I am a zany, graceful, talented, witty, determined, shiny, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.