Chicken salad is one of the easiest ways to turn leftover or rotisserie chicken into a completely different meal. A few crunchy vegetables, a flavorful dressing, and some fresh herbs can transform simple cooked chicken into a lunch that works just as well tucked into a sandwich as it does piled onto crisp greens.
These three easy chicken salad recipes offer something for different moods. The classic version is creamy and familiar, the Mediterranean chicken salad is bright with lemon, feta, cucumber, and olives, and the sesame-ginger version combines crunchy cabbage and carrots with a savory-sweet dressing.
Each recipe makes about four servings and can be prepared ahead for quick lunches during the week.
🥪 Classic Creamy Chicken Salad
This is the kind of chicken salad that belongs between two slices of good bread. Celery and red onion add crunch, while Dijon mustard, lemon, and fresh dill keep the creamy dressing from tasting too heavy.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and stir until smooth.
- Add the chicken, celery, red onion, and fresh dill. Fold everything together until the chicken is evenly coated in the dressing.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
- Cover and refrigerate the chicken salad for about 30 minutes before serving if time allows. Chilling gives the flavors a chance to come together.
Serve the chicken salad on toasted bread, croissants, rolls, lettuce leaves, or crackers. It is also delicious spooned over mixed greens with sliced tomatoes and cucumber.
🍇 Easy Ways to Change the Classic Version
The simple base makes this chicken salad easy to customize. Add halved seedless grapes or finely diced apple if you like a little sweetness, or stir in chopped toasted pecans, walnuts, or almonds for extra crunch.
A spoonful of sweet or dill pickle relish gives the salad a tangier flavor, while chopped fresh tarragon can replace the dill for a slightly more distinctive herbal note. You can also replace part of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt if you prefer a lighter, tangier dressing.
🫒 Mediterranean Chicken Salad with Feta & Olives
Fresh cucumber, juicy tomatoes, Kalamata olives, feta, and oregano give this chicken salad plenty of Mediterranean-inspired flavor. Instead of mayonnaise, everything is tossed with a simple lemon and olive oil dressing.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
For the Lemon Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and parsley in a large bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Fold in the feta cheese just before serving so it stays in distinct crumbles rather than disappearing into the dressing.
Serve the salad by itself, spoon it over chopped romaine, or tuck it into warm pita bread. Hummus makes an especially good addition if you are turning it into a sandwich or wrap.
🥒 Make It Your Own
Mediterranean chicken salad is particularly forgiving when it comes to substitutions. Chopped bell pepper, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, chickpeas, or fresh dill all fit naturally into the salad.
For a more substantial meal, serve it over cooked quinoa, farro, or couscous. A handful of chopped romaine can also turn it into a larger chopped salad while keeping the same bright lemon-and-oregano flavors.
🥕 Sesame-Ginger Chicken Salad
Crunchy cabbage, carrots, edamame, and chicken make this colorful salad substantial enough for lunch, while a sesame-ginger dressing brings together savory, sweet, tangy, and nutty flavors.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- 2 cups finely shredded green or Napa cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup shelled cooked edamame, cooled
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- Sesame seeds, for serving
For the Sesame-Ginger Dressing
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado or canola oil
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Instructions
- Combine the chicken, cabbage, carrots, edamame, green onions, almonds, and cilantro in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, neutral oil, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and lime juice until the dressing is well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and toss thoroughly.
- Let the salad rest for about 10 minutes before serving so the cabbage softens slightly and absorbs some of the dressing.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds just before serving.
This chicken salad can be eaten straight from the bowl, wrapped in lettuce leaves, tucked into a tortilla, or served over rice. For a little heat, add a spoonful of chili crisp or a pinch of crushed red pepper to the dressing.
🍗 What Chicken Works Best for Chicken Salad?
Almost any simply seasoned cooked chicken will work. Leftover roasted, grilled, baked, or poached chicken is ideal, and store-bought rotisserie chicken makes the recipes especially quick. A mixture of breast and thigh meat tends to produce a particularly flavorful and juicy chicken salad, although either can be used on its own.
Remove the skin and bones before chopping or shredding the meat. If your chicken was strongly seasoned or already salty, taste the finished salad before adding the full amount of salt called for in the recipe.
If you are cooking chicken specifically for these recipes, cook poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
🧊 Can You Make Chicken Salad Ahead?
Yes. Chicken salad is a convenient make-ahead lunch, although the three versions behave a little differently in the refrigerator.
The classic creamy chicken salad actually benefits from an hour or two of chilling. The sesame-ginger version can also be made ahead, although the cabbage gradually becomes softer as it sits. For the Mediterranean version, you can prepare the ingredients and dressing in advance but may prefer to add the tomatoes and feta shortly before serving for the freshest texture.
Keep prepared chicken salad refrigerated in a covered container. USDA food-safety guidance recommends using homemade chicken salad within about three to five days when properly refrigerated at 40°F or below. If you are starting with leftover cooked chicken, remember that its storage time began when the chicken was originally cooked rather than when you turned it into chicken salad.
🥗 What to Serve with Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is easy to turn into anything from a quick snack to a full meal. For a traditional lunch, serve the classic version on toasted sourdough, whole-grain bread, a buttery croissant, or a soft roll. Crackers and cucumber slices work well when you want something lighter.
The Mediterranean salad pairs naturally with pita, hummus, fresh fruit, or a simple green salad. The sesame-ginger version works well with rice, lettuce cups, sliced cucumber, or a bowl of fruit.
All three recipes can also be packed for lunch. Keep the chicken salad chilled until you are ready to eat, and pack bread or crackers separately if you want them to stay crisp.
🌿 Three Chicken Salads, Plenty of Possibilities
A good chicken salad recipe does not have to be complicated. Once you have cooked chicken on hand, a few simple additions can take it in completely different directions.
Choose the creamy classic when you want an old-fashioned chicken salad sandwich, the Mediterranean version when you are craving something bright and fresh, or the sesame-ginger salad when crunchy vegetables and bold flavors sound best. Better yet, keep all three variations in mind the next time a container of leftover chicken is waiting in the refrigerator.
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