Home > Salads > The BEST Chicken Salad Recipe The BEST Chicken Salad Recipe June 24, 2024 | 14 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. The best-ever Chicken Salad recipe, perfect for lunch, on-the-go, or hosting! It’s the ultimate make-ahead meal that gets more flavorful with time! My Favorite Chicken Salad Recipe I’m a total Chicken Salad lover, and I think this is the best recipe out there. I’ve tried so many, and this one always wins. It’s the best! I’m so excited to share it today. A few reasons I love chicken salad: Party Hit: Make a big batch, pop it on mini croissants, and watch it steal the show! Outdoor Fun: Perfect for picnics or camping. Just toss it in a cooler with some bread. So much better than a soggy PB&J! Super Easy: Quick to make and tastes amazing. Gets Better: Let it chill—the flavors get even better. The perfect make-ahead meal! QUICK TIP The secret to great chicken salad? Tender, flavorful chicken. Use a rotisserie chicken, shred 2 cups of meat, and save the rest for later to use here, here, or here!! Chicken Salad Recipe Ingredients This chicken salad needs just four ingredients! Salad Rotisserie chicken: This is the main ingredient! I like using rotisserie chicken because it’s already seasoned and very tender. Toasted pecans: Adds a crunch and nutty flavor. For extra flavor, try candied pecans! Dried cranberries: Brings a sweet burst of flavor and a chewy texture. Celery: Adds a fresh, crunchy texture. The dressing for this chicken salad recipe is simple too! Dressing Mayo and sour cream: These make the dressing creamy and give it a tangy flavor. Honey: Adds a little sweetness to balance the tang. Dijon mustard: Gives a sharp flavor (make sure it’s Dijon, not yellow mustard). Poppy seeds: Adds a tiny crunch. If you don’t have them or don’t want them, you can skip them! Lemon juice: Adds a fresh, bright flavor. VARIATIONS Variations Switch up the typical chicken salad with one of these fun ideas: Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad: Mix chicken with red pepper, cilantro, green onions, avocado, and a chili-lime dressing. Pesto Chicken Salad: Combine chicken with roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, and creamy pesto. Healthy Chicken Salad: Mix chicken, celery, grapes, almonds, and cranberries in a light dressing. Curry Chicken Salad: Combine chicken with cashews, raisins, celery, and cilantro in a curried mayo dressing. Pineapple Chicken Salad: Mix chicken with pineapple, honey almonds, celery, and red onion in a sweet and tangy dressing. How To Make Chicken Salad Recipe You can make this in 10-15 minutes and enjoy right away! Toast the Pecans: Heat in a dry pan until lightly browned. Set aside. Mix Ingredients: Combine chicken, pecans, cranberries, and celery in a bowl. Make Dressing: Mix mayo, sour cream, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir and Adjust: Stir everything together and adjust the seasoning. Serve: Enjoy with crackers, apples, or on a croissant with lettuce. STORAGE What To Do With Chicken Salad Recipe Leftovers Refrigerate: Put it in an airtight container, and it will stay good for 3-5 days. Freeze: This doesn’t freeze well; the mayo can get weird when thawed. Leftovers: Best served cold. Stir well before serving and add more salt if needed. How To Serve Chicken Salad On Croissants: Use big croissants for lunch or small ones for snacks or an appetizer. As a Dip: Put the salad in a bowl with chips, veggies, or apple slices around it. On Apple Slices: Use apple slices instead of bread for a low-carb option. With Crackers: Serve with crackers for a quick snack. In Pita Bread: Fill pita bread for an easy meal. On a Salad: Put a scoop on greens or in lettuce leaves! More Delicious Lunch Ideas Ham and Cheese Hoagies using deli ham BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe with mashed avocado Ham and Cheese Sliders with poppy seeds Cucumber Sandwich with a three-ingredient spread Bulgur Salad vegetarian recipe! FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Chicken Salad Recipe 5 from 6 votes - Review this recipe The best-ever Chicken Salad recipe, perfect for lunch, on-the-go, or hosting! It’s the ultimate make-ahead meal that gets more flavorful with time! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Chicken Salad Recipe 5 from 6 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe The best-ever Chicken Salad recipe, perfect for lunch, on-the-go, or hosting! It’s the ultimate make-ahead meal that gets more flavorful with time! Course Appetizer, Dinner, lunch, Snack Cuisine American Keyword chicken salad, chicken salad recipe Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Cook Time 10 minutes minutes Total Time 20 minutes minutes Servings 6 -8 people Chelsea Lords Calories 312kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $12.10 IngredientsSalad▢ 2 cups prepared rotisserie chicken, diced▢ ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped (Note 1)▢ ⅓ cup dried cranberries (or try cherry-infused cranberries!)▢ 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (½ cup)▢ ¼ cup good mayo (Hellman's/Best Foods)▢ 2 tablespoons sour cream (light works!)▢ 1 tablespoon honey▢ 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard▢ 1½ teaspoons poppyseeds, optional▢ 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice▢ Salt and pepper, to tasteEnjoy With:▢ Croissants or other sandwich rolls (add some lettuce for a sandwich)▢ Thinly sliced apples, celery sticks, crackers (like wheat thins!)US - Metric USMetric InstructionsOPTIONAL, TOAST PECANS: Place pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until fragrant, stirring occasionally (keep an eye on them - they can burn fast). Set aside to cool then finely chop.SALAD: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients listed under "salad." Season to taste. I start with ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper. Stir gently until everything is well coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.ENJOY: Dish it up with your choice of sides — great on a croissant with lettuce or served with apples, celery sticks, and crackers. Enjoy! Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Pecans: Feel free to swap out the pecans. Sliced almonds, chopped pistachios, or diced walnuts are all tasty options. You can also used honey-roasted pecans and skip the toasting! Leftovers: Put any leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge. Eat within 3 to 5 days. Check for any off smells or colors first—if something seems off, better safe than sorry--toss it! Nutritional information is for Chicken Salad without bread or tossed salad. Nutrition FactsServing: 1servingg | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.4mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Looks wonderful, but how do you make the cranberry-infused-with-cherry-juice??? I’m considering adding dried Montmorency cherries instead, we use them in green salads as a sweet/tart surprise amidst the blue cheese dressing. Reply
That’s just an option for store-bought (I think Craisins makes it) 🙂 Montmorency dried cherries would be delicious too; in fact, we use those often and LOVE them! Enjoy! Reply
This looks like a lunch I could eat all week, and totally will. Love a good chicken salad recipe, especially on a nice croissant! Reply
Can you explain cherry infused dried cranberries? Does this just mean I soak them in cherry juice??? Reply
No, you can just buy the pack of cranberries like that. They should say on the package cherry infused dried cranberries. Regular cranberries are great too with this recipe! 🙂 Reply
One of the best chicken salads to date. My family wouldn’t allow me to add the pecans, but without them it was still marvelous. Reply
Really good recipe. Didn’t have any poppy seeds but added a little ground ginger (for an Asian flavor) and found it to be a great touch. Very easy to throw together and everyone enjoyed! Reply
