This chicken salad recipe is one of my favorites—it makes a delicious quick lunch or dinner.
Chicken, mayonnaise, a few add-ins and some seasonings come together to create a creamy salad or filling for a homemade chicken salad sandwich or wrap!
Chicken Salad Ingredients
- Chicken: I most often use rotisserie chicken, but leftover chicken of almost any kind, including grilled chicken, can be used. If using canned chicken, mix all ingredients except the chicken in a bowl and then gently fold in the drained canned chicken.
- Add-ins: Since this is a classic chicken salad recipe, I add celery for crunch and green onion for flavor.
- Dressing: Mayonnaise adds a creamy texture, while simple seasonings add flavor.
Variations
- Add dill or other fresh herbs.
- Lighten it up a bit by replacing half of the mayo with Greek yogurt.
- Change the flavor by adding ranch dressing.
- Dress it up with add-ins like chopped apples, grapes, or chopped nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans.
How to Make Chicken Salad
Prepare this classic chicken salad recipe in just 15 minutes with only a few simple ingredients.
- Chop cooked and cooled chicken and place into a large bowl with celery and onions.
- Mix dressing ingredients (recipe below) in a bowl. Toss with chicken.
- Serve on rolls, bread, or over a bed of lettuce.
Serving Suggestions
- This chicken salad sandwich recipe can be served on any type of bread, including a croissant. I love to lightly toast the bread.
- Serve it with crackers for snacking.
- Spoon it over greens or into lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerator: Store chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stir before serving.
Freezer: Prepared chicken salad doesn’t freeze well however, to prep ahead, dice the chicken and freeze it it. When ready to make the salad, combine the thawed chicken with the remaining ingredients below for a quick lunch!
More Favorite Sandwiches
This chicken salad recipe is a favorite lunch or light dinner. Here are more easy sandwiches that top our list!
Classic Chicken Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chopped chicken or shredded chicken
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 rib celery diced
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or ¼ teaspoon dried dill, optional
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, add chicken, mayonnaise, celery, green onion, mustard, salt, pepper, and dill if using. Mix well to combine.
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Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
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Serve as a sandwich or over salad.
Video
Notes
- 1 cup chopped red grapes or 1 cup chopped peeled apple
- 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (pecans or almonds)
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
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This recipe is so delicious I had to triple it PERFECT! the way it is written. Thank you for sharing this scrumptious recipe!
Delicious! I made it exactly as it said, but I just soaked the onions in vinegar for a bit because I only had white onion at home. This was great with a slice of lettuce and in a croissant.
my family favorite chicken salad,we use 1/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup ranch dressing,1 cut up apple skin removed, deli mustard, fresh celery chopped finely and minced onion that is fresh. cut up fresh dill and 2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish 2 tablespoon dill pickle relish two cups chopped chicken. combine in large bowl and refrigerated over night for best flavor.
Great salad!
Awesomeness extraordinary
Hubby got seconds and that’s always how I know to keep a recipe
This chicken salad was very dry, and I did not like the taste of the mustard. Love it in potato salad, but it did not belong here.
do you start with warm chicken or can it be made with cold chicken?
I most often use cold chicken.
When I search for a recipe and yours comes up, I go for it because I know it’ll be good. This was so easy and delicious! Tastes so much fresher than store bought. Thanks!
Delicious! Didn’t change a thing and it came out so yummy- like all of your recipes I’ve tried :) thank you for always saving my day
Absolutely delicious as written! Wouldn’t change a thing and typically do for most recipes. Delicious and I’ve never been fond of chicken salad.
Used rotisserie chicken first
Making next with steamed chicken breast.
Many thanks for sharing!
LOVE this recipe – a big hit at our church ladies luncheon every time!
I use rotisserie chicken, but have used canned chicken breast in a pinch and still delicious.
One question I have – what is considered a serving size? (nutrition info does not indicate how much of the chicken salad used to calculate.
a serving is approximately ½ cup of chicken salad.
Thank you for the wonderful explanation. I’m preparing your tasty chicken salad recipe.
I usually do not like Chicken Salad. I made this for the family and added red grapes and also used homemade mayo. It was delicious. Super simple recipe, but very good!
First time making chicken salad. I never cared for it because the ones I’ve tried were too sweet. Not this one! Just the right amount of seasoning. I think Dijon mustard really made it. And I don’t even like mustard, but it’s a key ingredient here, don’t skip it. I didn’t have green onions so I used red as suggested, except for it didn’t indicate how much to use. I ended up with about 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion, it seemed to be sufficient. Fresh dill was a great addition. Good, simple recipe! Will be making this again.
good, old school.