Classic Chicken Salad Recipe

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This easy chicken salad recipe is creamy, fresh, and perfect for sandwiches, wraps, crackers, or meal prep lunches. Rotisserie chicken makes it extra quick and flavorful, but any cooked chicken works great.

Why This Is My Go-To Chicken Salad Recipe

I made countless chicken salad sandwiches during my deli counter days, so I’m pretty particular about bound protein salads and what goes into them. I'm always disappointed when I see deli-counter chicken salad labels that list a long list of seemingly unnecessary ingredients, which is why I love making chicken salad at home with simple, classic ingredients. Not to mention the savings.

This is my go-to version because it’s creamy, fresh, and chicken-forward with just the right amount of crunch from the celery and red onion. It also works with almost any cooked chicken you have on hand, which makes it one of my favorite ways to use leftovers for easy lunches throughout the week. I love it scooped over crackers or piled onto toasted French bread.

Best Chicken for Chicken Salad

Almost any cooked chicken works well for homemade chicken salad, which makes this one of my favorite ways to repurpose leftovers into an easy lunch.

• Baked chicken thighs
• Air fryer chicken breast
• Baked chicken legs
• Rotisserie chicken
• Grilled chicken

Ingredients You'll Need

This classic chicken salad uses simple ingredients that create a creamy, fresh, deli-style flavor with just enough crunch and brightness.

• Cooked chicken - Rotisserie chicken is one of my favorite shortcuts for chicken salad because it’s tender, flavorful, and convenient, but almost any cooked chicken works well here. Shredded chicken creates a softer texture while chopped chicken gives the salad a chunkier bite.
• Mayonnaise - Creates the creamy base for the dressing and gives chicken salad its classic deli-style flavor and texture.
• Dijon mustard - Adds subtle tangy flavor that balances the richness of the mayonnaise without overpowering the chicken.
• Lemon juice - Brightens the chicken salad and keeps the flavor fresh and balanced.
• Celery - Adds classic crunch and texture to every bite.
• Red onion - Adds a little crunch and a slight bite to the salad.
• Salt and black pepper: Add to taste to enhance all the flavors.

How to Make Chicken Salad

Add the cooked chicken, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, celery, and red onion to a mixing bowl. Gently stir until the chicken is evenly coated with the dressing and the ingredients are well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add more mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, or black pepper as needed to balance the flavor and texture to your liking. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving to give the flavors time to blend.

Recipe Tips

• Adjust the Creaminess: Rotisserie chicken tends to be moister and more flavorful, so you may need less mayonnaise. Add more mayonnaise as needed, depending on the type of cooked chicken you use and your preferred texture.
• Greek Yogurt Option: Replace part or all of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt for a lighter chicken salad with added tang and protein.
• Serving Ideas: Serve chicken salad on croissants, sandwich bread, crackers, lettuce wraps, or over greens.
• Freezing: Chicken salad is not recommended for freezing because the texture can become watery after thawing.

Serving Ideas

Chicken salad is one of my favorite easy lunch recipes because there are so many ways to serve it throughout the week.

• Piled onto toasted croissants
• Scooped over crackers
• Wrapped in lettuce leaves
• Spoon over salad greens
• Stuffed into pita bread or wrapped in warm garlic naan
• Served with sliced vegetables for snacking
• Piled onto focaccia bread

More Easy Lunch Recipes

If you love easy make-ahead lunches, here are a few more of my favorite protein-packed salads and lunch recipes.

• Turkey Salad
• Egg Salad
• Chickpea Salad
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps

📖 Recipe