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!
Chicken Salad Recipe
This Chicken Salad Recipe is perfect for lunch, on-the-go, or hosting—an easy, make-ahead meal that gets even better with time!
Equipment
- Large bowl
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups prepared rotisserie chicken diced
- 1/2 cup pecans coarsely chopped, see note 1
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries or try cherry-infused cranberries!
- 2 stalks celery thinly sliced, 1/2 cup
- 1/4 cup mayo Hellman’s/Best Foods
- 2 tablespoons sour cream light works!
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds optional
- 1 teaspoon 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 pan 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 ingredients listed under “Salad.” Season to taste. I start with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir gently until everything is well coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- 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 Notes
Note 1: Feel free to swap out the pecans. Sliced almonds, chopped pistachios, or diced walnuts are all tasty options. You can also use honey-roasted pecans and skip the toasting!
Nutrition Note: Nutritional information is for Chicken Salad without bread or tossed salad.
Storage: Put any leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge. Eat within 3–5 days. Check for any off smells or colors first—if something seems off, better safe than sorry—toss it!
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.
I really want to make this but have a dairy allergy. Would it ruin it to omit the sour cream?
I’d just add in extra mayo instead!
Omgoodness this was so good I ate it all week!!!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Sandra!
Thank you so much!
So welcome! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Chicken salad recipe looks awesome!
Thanks Lynn!
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!
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.
So happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for all your comments and reviews 🙂
Can you explain cherry infused dried cranberries? Does this just mean I soak them in cherry juice???
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! 🙂
This looks like a lunch I could eat all week, and totally will. Love a good chicken salad recipe, especially on a nice croissant!
hey girl- this looks so yummy!
Thank you! 🙂
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.
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!