EASY CHICKEN SALAD
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Easy Chicken Salad is a simple and quick recipe that uses leftover or rotisserie chicken and pantry staple ingredients. Cranberries and almonds add texture and flavor to this versatile recipe that can be eaten on lettuce or as a sandwich.
I realize in a lot of areas of the country looks forward to summer for picnics, but here in the south it’s too hot in July and August (sometimes June too!) to enjoy a picnic. Plus, food would go bad really quickly. Therefore, I’m sharing this yummy recipe now.
Chicken Salad is a picnic and potluck staple. It’s easy, versatile, and budget-friendly. Everyone should have an Easy Chicken Salad recipe in there recipe box! I hope you enjoy this one!
For a super-fast meal, start with rotisserie chicken. I try to always cook extra chicken when I cook chicken just for recipes like this. However, when I don’t have leftover chicken, my go-to is rotisserie. They’re moist and full of flavor, not to mention convenient.
This chicken salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you’re going to leave it at room temperature (like when tailgating), chicken salad must be discarded after a couple of hours. This is because between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit bacteria begin to grow rapidly.
EASY CHICKEN SALAD
- Leftover grilled, baked, or rotisserie chicken is ideal for this recipe. As well, you can use canned chicken although it’s not my favorite.
- You can use either white or dark meat.
- I prefer to cut the chicken into chunks, but you shred if you prefer it that way.
- I simply add all the ingredients to a large bowl and gently stir.
- If you don’t like celery leave it out. Likewise, if you don’t want a kick of heat, omit Tabasco.
- There are other add-in options that you may like. Instead of cranberries try grapes or avocados. You can also substitute pecans or walnuts for almonds.
- Another option is to use Ranch dressing instead of mayonnaise. You can go lighter (meaning add less) with Ranch since it’s thinner.
CONSIDER THESE RECIPES TOO!
- Loaded Keto Avocado Bacon Chicken Salad
- Favorite Fruit Salad
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Fruit Salad
- Pina Colada Ambrosia Salad
- Street Corn Chicken Taco
- Chicken Dip
- Easy Baked Cheesy Chicken
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary based on the products used.
I updated this post from an earlier version. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.
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Easy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken leftover or rotisserie, chopped
- ¾ cup almonds slivered
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 2 medium green onions green parts only, sliced thin
- ½ cup celery diced, omit if desired
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ⅛ teaspoon each salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce to taste
Instructions
- Toast almonds. Place in a dry skillet on medium heat. Toss and stir, watch carefully. They takes just 2 to 3 minutes to toast.
- Combine all ingredients. Taste add more salt, pepper, and Tabasco if desired.
- Serve with lettuce, croissant. white or wheat bread.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
Thanks a lot for this chicken salad recipe! The family loves it!
The timing for this recipe is perfect! I have a big batch of chicken I cooked up, yesterday and this is definitely one of the dishes it’s going into!
I love the addition of the almonds and dried cranberries. It brings a nice crunch and added flavor that makes this chicken salad perfect! So good for a quick lunch.
I looooove a good chicken salad sandwich. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Hi, Why do I have to use whip cream when making pudding frosting?