This Simple Chicken Salad Ticks All The Boxes As It Is
- Super easy to make!
- Has tender chicken coated in various spices giving it an awesome flavour –
- The salad is packed full of a variety of fresh veggies that can easily be swapped out for whatever you have on hand.
- The marinated chicken is lightly spiced so your kids can enjoy it too.
- This salad goes well with nearly any dressing – I have made a simple one with what we have on hand.
- The corn is sauteed with olive oil and garlic giving this salad extra flavour. You can also skip this step if you don’t have time.
Can’t get your kids to eat salads? Try these tips…..
- Add the ingredients into a wrap or a burrito and have a Mexican style chicken wrap – the flavours are Mexian-ish.
- Serve the ingredients between lightly toasted bread and make a warm chicken salad toastie.
- The other thing I find works well for smaller kids is not mixing the salad ingredients up and serving them separately on a platter. Think tapas styles with some kind of dipping sauce such as guacamole, hummus, aoili or simply yoghurt or coconut yoghurt.
At the moment many of us don’t have access to all of the ingredients we would like for a recipe.
Here are some basic swaps…..
Lady Marmalade Chicken Salad
The name of the game with this Lady Marmalade Chicken Salad is pungent flavors. Every ingredient in this recipe orange marmalade, shallots, green apple, lime juice, garlic, brown mustard, curry powder, cilantro is working to pack a different punch of flavor, each of which, when married together, works to unify the dish. All of these elements are combined with creamy Greek yogurt and tender chicken for a salad that can be a stand-alone meal, but that is also great when paired with toasted bread or lettuce leaves.
Get the Recipe: Lady Marmalade Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad With Curry
Curry chicken salad is wonderful in pita pockets with a simple salad on the side. It also makes a great meal when mixed with cooked cubed potatoes. The curry powder gives it a powerful character while the sweet raisins and mayo tone it down, making a flavorful salad. Stick with the toasted almonds or add cubed peeled apples or pecans for extra crunch.
Recommended Reading: Best Chicken Seasoning For Grilling
Tips For Making Chicken Salad:
- You can replace the mayo with mashed avocado and sour cream for a different version.
- Reduce the calories by using Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise.
- You can cook your own chicken breasts or thighs in the crockpot, then use an electric hand mixer to shred the chicken for this recipe.
- Use canned chicken in a pinch.
How To Cook Shrimp For Salad
My favorite shortcut for this recipe is to buy a shrimp ring when theyre on sale and when guests show up, I simply chop up the shrimp!
If you need to cook the shrimp, it takes almost no time at all. You can tell when each shrimp is done because they turn bright pink and curl up. You can even cook shrimp straight from the freezer with no thawing necessary! Heres how to cook frozen shrimp
To Make Grilled Shrimp Salad: start by using thawed jumbo shrimp and leave the peel on. Brush with oil and grill for about 2 minutes on a side on the cooler side of the grill. Allow the shrimps to cool, then peel and rough chop them for salad. If they are small shrimp, you can leave them whole and make a very simple shrimp with salad by sprinkling them over chopped romaine or any other salad greens you have on hand.
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Ranch Chicken Salad Cups
This Ranch-inspired chicken salad makes the most of bright, tangy flavors like sour cream, buttermilk, scallion and dill to create a chicken salad that compliments the vibrant summer produce at your local farmers market . Mixed with tomatoes, avocado, bacon and lots of shredded chicken, this homemade Ranch dressing will highlight the sweet tomatoes, creamy avocado and salty bacon. If you want to add more veggies to your meal, serve the salad in lettuce cups and top with additional tomatoes.
Get the Recipe: Ranch Chicken Salad Cups
What Kind Of Chicken To Use For Chicken Salad
- I love the flavor and ease of using a store bought rotisserie chicken. I used a mix of dark and light meat.
- You could also try buying pre-cooked roasted chicken breast from your deli, or cook up your own chicken. Try my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken.
- If you have some leftover cooked turkey, you can definitely use that in this recipe!
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Can You Freeze Chicken Salad
Sadly, mayonnaise doesnt freeze well and thats the base for the dressing in this recipe. If youd like ready to go chicken salad, Id suggest finely chopping the chicken and seasonings .
Freeze the diced chicken in single serving portions. When youd like a salad, just combine the chicken and seasonings with mayonnaise and any extra add ins.
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Tips for Making Chicken Salad
- This recipe calls for almonds but you can use other types of nuts like pecans, walnuts, or cashews.
- Replace the mayo with pureed avocado and sour cream for an avocado chicken salad.
- Cut the calories in this recipe by using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
- This recipe takes a total time of 5 minutes to throw together, but youll want to refrigerate it for at least an hour to give the flavors a chance to come together.
- Make BBQ chicken salad by adding 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce in place of some of the mayonnaise.
How to Store Chicken Salad
- Serve: Dont leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours for food safety.
- Store: Chicken salad will last refrigerated for 3-4 days, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap.
- Freeze: It is not recommended that you freeze chicken salad because the mayonnaise will separate when defrosting. You can freeze the cooked chicken, then just defrost it in the refrigerator the day before you want to make the salad, and add the other fresh ingredients the day of.
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About the Author: Sabrina Snyder
Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.
Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.
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Can Salad Be Frozen
We dont recommend freezing the chicken salad. But what we do recommend is freezing the cooked chicken. If you have leftover cooked chicken, simply chop up the chicken and put in a freezer back.
Then it is easy to pull out the frozen chicken and let it thaw to follow the steps to make chicken salad. Learn more on our Can You Freeze Chicken Salad? post.
Vegetarian Curried Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is so popular that even vegetarians get a craving for it at times. This curried “chicken” salad sandwich is great for meatless Mondays, too. The mock chicken salad is made with cauliflower, cashews, cranberries, onion, and carrot. With the combination of curry powder, ginger, mint, Sriracha, and turmeric, it definitely doesn’t lack flavor, and it’s fantastic on pumpkin bread.
Also Check: How Long To Cook Chicken Breast On Grill
What Makes This Chicken Salad Special
The “secret sauce,” so to speak, of this chicken salad, is the tablespoon of plum preserves my mom adds to the mayo-based dressing. You could use any berry jelly or jam, but as we always have a lot of plum jam on hand , that’s what mom reaches for first.
Mom balances out the sweetness from the dab of jam with a bit of lemon juice.
The result? Wonderful!
How Long Will It Last
As long as it is kept covered, pineapple chicken salad with grapes will last about a week in the fridge. It might need to be drained a little bit as the grapes will start to lose their plumpness. But all you have to do is refresh the flavors by adding some fresh, toasted pecans and some salt and pepper.
Read Also: Best Grilled Chicken Recipes Ever
Crispy Chicken And Waffle Sandwiches
Looking for a fun dish to serve at your next game day viewing party? Chicken and waffle sandwiches are impressive and crowd pleasing, so your guests are sure to love them. Spicy maple butter is the only condiment you need on these sandwiches, so make sure to slather it on generously.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches
Ingredients In Chicken Salad
Chicken:
- Use leftovers from last nights dinner or leftover rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken.
- To Make Chicken for chicken salad I like to use either poached chicken or baked chicken breasts or thighs.
- You can use canned chicken in a pinch but of course fresh is best when possible.
- Ensure the chicken is cooled and shred or chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Add-ins:
- As this is a classic chicken salad recipe, Ive kept the additions to a minimum. Celery for crunch, green onions for flavor.
- This recipe can be made with a variety of nuts, veggies, and fruit for added flavor and texture.
- Chicken salad with grapes, avocado or dried cranberries is a favorite. Pecans or almonds pair well with this recipe.
Dressing:
- Mayonnaise is the base of this recipe and its simply seasoned.
- You can get creative and substitute some of the mayo for ranch dressing or your favorite salad dressing recipe.
- Create an Avocado Chicken Salad by replacing some of the mayonnaise with mashed avocado.
Recommended Reading: Chicken Recipes For Picky Eaters
Our Best Ideas For Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders are a fantastically versatile ingredient for any night of the week. Though theyre perfect on their own with a side of dipping sauce, they also make a hearty addition to salads, a crunchy filling for sandwiches and an easy swap in recipes that call for chicken breast like skillet mains or Chicken Parmesan. Whether you stick to a traditional recipe or spice things up with an elevated twist, you cant go wrong with tenders. Thought all crispy dippers had to be deep fried? Think again! This family-favorite version cuts down on grease and fat by baking them in the oven instead. Parmesan cheese and Dijon mustard add extra umami flavor to the savory tenders.
Get the Recipe: Baked Chicken Tenders
How To Serve It
Sometimes I find myself eating this chicken salad by the spoonful straight out of the bowl because its that good. But to turn it into a meal, heres a few ideas.
- Sandwich: Stuff it between sandwich bread with layers of lettuce, spinach, or tomato slices.
- Wrap: Turn it into a wrap with homemade cassava flour tortillas.
- Lettuce Wrap: For a lighter, low-carb option, use large romaine or butter leaf lettuce to wrap it.
- Extra Green Salad: Pour a spoonful on top of a bed of greens such as spinach.
- Dip: Serve it with flax seed crackers or chips.
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The Best Chicken Salad
This Chicken Salad is truly divine. At first glance you might balk at the grapes, but trust me, they make the salad exquisite. The sweet crunch of the grapes combines beautifully with the chicken and richness of the mayo. The celery and pecans create nice crunch to the chicken salad that elevates it to the next level.
I love using this for picnics and special lunches. It is so easy to make but it is so fancy at the same time. Chicken Salad comes together in a flash so you can have this on the table in no time. And you will love how it is so versatile as well, serve it as a wrap, on a croissant, on some rye bread, or in a lettuce bowl. However you serve it, just make it! You are going to love it, it is so divine!
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Air fryers are an easy way to cut down on added oil or grease. Thats why this recipe for chicken tenders is just a little bit healthier than your standard recipethey get cooked in the air fryer to make them just a little bit healthier. Serve with a honey mustard dipping sauce for a quick, easy weeknight meal.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
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What Goes Into Chicken Salad
The great thing about chicken salad is that it can be changed up based on whats in your fridge! Keep the ratios the same as the recipe below but swap out the add ins and seasonings
Serve The Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps
Before serving them, I like to pop mine in the air fryer to get them a little toasty on the outside. To do so, just place the wraps in your air fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes at 380°F . This step is totally optional, but worth it in my opinion.
The wraps are made and ready to eat! You can now serve them with some extra ranch dressing and a side of healthy Baked Zucchini Chips if you like!
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How Can I Make Chicken Salad Healthier
Many people ask, Is chicken salad healthy? Chicken salad can definitely fit into your healthy-eating planwith a few tasty tweaks. Use lean, white breast meat to start. To cut back on the fat and calories from mayonnaise, incorporate mashed avocado, plain Greek yogurt or vegan mayonnaise When choosing your crunchy ingredients, opt for fresh, chopped veggies like onions, green bell peppers or carrots. Finally, serve your chicken salad in a lettuce wedge or over a mixed greens salad for more nutrients without the extra carbs.
To Make Chicken Salad With Grapes
Not only is this simple and easy, but it is so impressive to serve for guests while sitting on the deck sipping on an ice-cold glass of NESTEA® slightly sweet black iced tea!
Serve with bread, croissants, or over a bed of lettuce.
Pro tip: Toast the pecans in a small pan and let them cool before adding to the salad. Toasting nuts retain their crunch and expand their flavor!
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Tips For This Recipe:
- Either chill the chicken before you make the salad or chill the chicken salad mixture before serving.
- Try adding different mix-ins to your chicken salad: different kinds of nuts, grapes, apples, dried cranberries, dried cherries, avocado, chopped green onion or red onion.
- Cook your chicken ahead of time so that you can make this recipe quickly. Try my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken or Crockpot Shredded Chicken. Cooked chicken will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, so go by the date when your chicken was cooked to figure out how long you can store your chicken salad in the fridge.
- For a low carb lunch, serve chicken salad in lettuce wraps or on top of a spinach salad.
Chicken And Rice Salad
This lovely chicken and rice salad is an excellent picnic dish because it’s a whole meal in itself. Cooked rice and chicken, mayo, veggies, and olives provide lots of flavors and a rich texture. Use the salad to fill heirloom tomatoes or whole peppers. Serve it on iceberg lettuce leaves, make rice paper roll wraps, cold flour tortilla sandwiches, or stuff some pitas.
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The Best Chicken Salad Recipe
I dont know about you but I am pretty picky about chicken salad and this is the best chicken salad recipe! It has the perfect blend of chicken, veggies and seasonings.
In the past, I have tried chicken salad that was too runny or had way too much mayo and not enough chicken. Then you have the chicken salad that is just too dry and tastes bland.
Chicken salad really has to be just right. This is a great recipe.
Parmigiano And Herb Chicken Breast Tenders
For a quick spin on chicken parmesan, swap in chicken tenders for whole breasts. Theyre smaller and easier to fry, so the whole recipe comes together in a shorter timejust 35 minutes. If you want to make the dish lighter, serve with salad instead of pasta.
Get the Recipe: Parmigiano and Herb Chicken Breast Tenders
Also Check: Low Carb Chicken Crockpot Recipes
Crunchy Middle Eastern Chicken Salad
The Spruce Eats / Anita Schecter
Give your chicken salad a Middle Eastern spin with this impressive recipe. Greek yogurt tahini serves as the dressing, and it’s easy to make with just a few ingredients. That’s mixed with shredded chicken, carrots, almonds, cilantro, and za’atar seasoning, which you can whip up, too. Try this salad on naan bread with baby spinach.