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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!

Chicken Salad recipe assembled in a croissant with lettuce.

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!!

All the ingredients in this recipe including meat, sour cream, mayo, celery, cranberries, poppy seeds, lemon, dijon, pecans, and honey prepped out for easy assembly.

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.

All the ingredients for this recipe assembled in a bowl ready to be enjoyed.

Variations

Variations

Switch up the typical chicken salad with one of these fun ideas:

How To Make Chicken Salad Recipe

You can make this in 10-15 minutes and enjoy right away!

  1. Toast the Pecans: Heat in a dry pan until lightly browned. Set aside.
  2. Mix Ingredients: Combine chicken, pecans, cranberries, and celery in a bowl.
  3. Make Dressing: Mix mayo, sour cream, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
  4. Stir and Adjust: Stir everything together and adjust the seasoning.
  5. Serve: Enjoy with crackers, apples, or on a croissant with lettuce.

The chicken salad all combined in bowl ready to be served in some lettuce, on some bread, or however you enjoy it.

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

5 from 8 votes

Chicken Salad Recipe

The best-ever Chicken Salad recipe, perfect for lunch, on-the-go, or hosting! Itโ€™s the ultimate make-ahead meal that gets more flavorful with time!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 people

Ingredients 
 

Salad

  • 2 cups prepared rotisserie chicken, diced
  • 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped (Note 1)
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries (or try cherry-infused cranberries!)
  • 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (ยฝ cup)
  • ยผ cup good mayo (Hellman's/Best Foods)
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream (light works!)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds, optional
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Enjoy With:

  • Croissants or other sandwich rolls (add some lettuce for a sandwich)
  • Thinly sliced apples, celery sticks, crackers (like wheat thins!)

Instructions 

  • OPTIONAL: 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.
  • In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients listed under "salad." Season to taste. I start with ยผ tsp salt and โ…› tsp pepper. Stir gently until everything is well coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  • Dish it up with your choice of sides โ€” great on a croissant with lettuce or served with apples, celery sticks, and crackers. Enjoy!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 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 firstโ€”if something seems off, better safe than sorry--toss it!
Nutritional information is for Chicken Salad without bread or tossed salad.
ย 

Nutrition

Serving: 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

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 8 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




22 Comments

  1. Judy says:

    I really want to make this but have a dairy allergy. Would it ruin it to omit the sour cream?

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I’d just add in extra mayo instead!

  2. Sandra Ohnikian says:

    5 stars
    Omgoodness this was so good I ate it all week!!!

    1. Chelsea says:

      So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Sandra!

  3. Jodie Wilcox says:

    Thank you so much!

    1. Chelsea says:

      So welcome! Hope you enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Lynn.Heller@baronsjewelers.com says:

    Chicken salad recipe looks awesome!

    1. Chelsea says:

      Thanks Lynn!

  5. Michael says:

    5 stars
    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!

  6. Gould Daddy says:

    5 stars
    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.

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      So happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for all your comments and reviews ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Marianne says:

    Can you explain cherry infused dried cranberries? Does this just mean I soak them in cherry juice???

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      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! ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Frisco says:

    5 stars
    This looks like a lunch I could eat all week, and totally will. Love a good chicken salad recipe, especially on a nice croissant!

  9. shawnna griffin says:

    hey girl- this looks so yummy!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thank you! ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Judith Janes says:

    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.

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      That’s just an option for store-bought (I think Craisins makes it) ๐Ÿ™‚ Montmorency dried cherries would be delicious too; in fact, we use those often and LOVE them! Enjoy!