- Chicken: Chop 12 ounces of cooked chicken breasts from 1 whole roasted chicken. You can also use rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Mayonnaise: I use light mayo to reduce the calories, but feel free to use your favorite mayo.
- Celery: Chop celery for some crunch and veggies.
- Red Onion: Swap red onion for scallions or chives.
- Chicken Broth: If the chicken salad is a little dry, stir in two tablespoons of broth.
- Dijon Mustard for a little tang
- Seasoned Salt and Black Pepper for flavor
How to Make Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is really easy to make and a great way to use up leftover chicken breast from a whole roasted chicken. You can also poach the chicken in chicken broth (see below) or use my air fryer chicken breast recipe to make this salad.
To make the salad, remove the chicken breast from the roasted chicken and chop it fine with the veggies, then combine with mayonnaise, celery, onions, Dijon mustard, a little chicken broth if needed and season with salt and pepper.
How to Poach Chicken Breast:
If you want to poach your chicken breast, follow these simple steps:
- Cover chicken breast in broth in a small pot, add water if it doesn’t cover the chicken.
- Add salt and pepper, a piece of celery and it’s leaves (you could add herbs like parsley, garlic, onion, or whatever you want) and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cover tight and let it sit for 15-20 minutes or until thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees.
- Chicken will be cooked through. Let it cool and chop.
How to Serve with Chicken Salad
Here are some ways to serve this chicken salad.
- Wraps using whole wheat or grain-free tortillas
- Bagels: I love everything bagels with chicken salad!
- Bread, like these High-Protein Oat Rolls or your favorite sandwich bread
- Lettuce wraps for a low-carb option.
- Collard Green Wraps are another healthy low-carb option.
- Salad: Eat the chicken salad over lettuce, and add other veggies, like avocado, cucumber, or cherry tomatoes.
How long does homemade chicken salad last?
Homemade chicken salad lasts about 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Chicken Salad Variations
- Mayo Swap: Substitute Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise or use half yogurt, half mayo.
- Add some diced apples or grapes for sweetness and crunch.
- You can add nuts like almonds, walnuts or pecans.
- Mix in dried cranberries or cherries for a pop of sweetness.
- Add some chopped pickles for a sour bite.
- Herbs: Sprinkle in fresh dill, green onions or parsley.
- Curry Salad Version: Add some powdered curry seasoning and chopped cilantro, swap the mayo for yougurt.
- Chicken Salad Pasta: Mix the chicken salad with some elbow macaroni and a little more mayo to make it a meal.
- Add more seasoning like everything bagel seasoning, onion powder or garlic powder.
Chicken Salad Recipe
Chicken salad is really easy to make and a great way to use up leftover chicken breast from a whole roasted chicken. You can also poach the chicken in chicken broth (see below) or use my air fryer chicken breast recipe to make this salad.
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)
- ⅓ cup light mayo
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ⅓ cup chopped red onion (or use scallions or chives)
- 2 tablespoons chicken broth (optional, for moisture)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Throw all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
- Enjoy on a bed of lettuce, in a wrap, or piled high on bread for a classic sandwich.
Notes
To poach chicken, simply cover chicken breasts in broth, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through (160°F). Shred and use in the recipe.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Lunch, Salad
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 /2 cup
- Calories: 131 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 307 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg