Best Chicken Salad Ever ~ The Recipe Bandit (2024)

Light and creamy chicken salad made with cooked or canned chicken, red onion, crisp celery, and just the right amount of seasoning, Best Chicken Salad Ever is our version of this family favorite recipe!

I have been blessed to have had some really fantastic everyday recipes shared with me over the years and this is one of them. This recipe for the Best Chicken Salad Ever is in regular rotation in our house because it is so versatile!

Delicious as a sandwich, in a wrap, and even on it’s own right out of the bowl, this is less expensive than the deli version and super easy to make. If you haven’t tried it, you really should. It could become a new favorite in your house too.

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Weight Watchers Points = 3 per serving (Point Breakdown in Recipe Notes)

Best Chicken Salad Ever ~ The Recipe Bandit (1)

A NOTE ABOUT A Lighter Take on this Classic Favorite

We have made this recipe literally hundreds of times with great results. When we started making healthier changes to our eating habits, we lightened up the recipe buy making just two small changes, substituting light sour cream and light mayonnaise.

These changes didn’t seem to change the taste at all but they substantially changed the amount of calories and fat in the recipe. When counting Weight Watchers points, these small changes brought the points down from 11 points per serving to only 3 points per serving and it is still delicious!

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How to Make The Best Chicken Salad Ever

One day I was making Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip and the recipe called for pre-made chicken salad from the deli. When I arrived at the grocery store to pick some up the price was a LOT higher than I was expecting to pay.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of pre-made, but since it is literally made up of leftover chicken and pantry staples I have a really hard time paying that much for it. So I didn’t.

This recipe for the Best Chicken Salad Ever came from a friend who answered the call when I put a plea out on Facebook for a good chicken salad recipe. She often used leftover rotisserie chicken when she made it but since I didn’t have any leftover chicken I thought I would try to make it with canned chicken from Costco. And it was amazing. Simple and so good. And a new favorite recipe was born.

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To make the BEST chicken salad ever – start with shredding or chopping three cups of cooked chicken.

If you are using the Costco canned chicken (two 12.5 ounce cans), drain, put into a bowl and shred with a fork.

Add 1/4 cup of chopped red onion and stir.

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Add celery, lemon juice, sour cream, mayonnaise, salt and pepper and stir to combine well.

Chill until ready to use. That’s all there is to it!

As mentioned previously you can use this to make Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip or you can just make some pretty fantastic little sandwiches. You can also serve it with crackers, on a salad, or just eat it with a fork. It is THAT good without the crazy price tag at the grocery store deli. Enjoy!

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Other Favorite Recipes You May Like

Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip – The recipe that started it all! This Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip uses Deli chicken salad to add a delicious twist to a potluck favorite!

Bite Sized Sausage Rolls – the BEST bite sized sausage rolls that I have ever tasted. Yum.

Party Pretzel Bites – these delicious little bites are addictive and always welcomed at any gathering.

Quick and Easy Bruschetta – restaurant quality Bruschetta is hiding in the ingredients in your refrigerator!

Easy Homemade Ranch Dip – just seven simple pantry ingredients to create a delicious and easy Homemade Ranch Dip!

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Best Chicken Salad Ever

Light and creamy Best Chicken Salad Ever is made with chicken, red onion, crisp celery, and just the right amount of seasoning!

4.95 from 18 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 cups

Calories: 639kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked chicken (leftover shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken or 2 cans Costco canned chicken)
  • 1/4 cup red onion
  • 2 pieces of celery (including leafy tops) chopped, about one cup
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp sour cream
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Finely chop red onion and celery.

  • In a medium bowl, break up, finely chop or shred the chicken.

  • Add chopped onion and celery, lemon juice, sour cream, mayonnaise, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

  • Chill until ready to use. Enjoy!

Notes

This is delicious on it’s own – pecans or walnuts can be added if not using for the Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe. Also makes excellent sandwiches and cracker spread.

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Nutrition *

Calories: 639kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 27g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 853mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

Have you tried this recipe? Post a pic and mention @TheRecipeBandit or tag #therecipebandit!

Best Chicken Salad Ever ~ The Recipe Bandit (9)

  • Best Chicken Salad Ever ~ The Recipe Bandit (10)

    Michelle Mundy

    As a busy working mom with kids on the go, I know how important it is to be able to make simple and delicious meals using everyday ingredients. The recipes shared here are family friendly with easy to understand step by step instructions. Tried and true, from our family to yours. Welcome to The Recipe Bandit! Click here to read more about me.

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Best Chicken Salad Ever ~ The Recipe Bandit (2024)

FAQs

Where is the chicken salad from TikTok? ›

E. 81st Street Deli booming thanks to Lizzo, TikTok and viral chicken salad.

What are the 5 types of salads? ›

salad, any of a wide variety of dishes that fall into the following principal categories: green salads; vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads.

How many days must the chicken salad be served? ›

Generally, chicken salad will only last three to five days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). You must store the chicken salad in the fridge to maintain its freshness. As a refresher, the fridge should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below per the USDA.

What is the history of salad? ›

The term salade derived from the Vulgar Roman herba salata, literally 'salted herb'. It remained a feature of Byzantine cookery and reentered the European menu via medieval Spain and Renaissance Italy. At first "salad" referred to various kinds of greens pickled in vinegar or salt.

Who is the girl who said its a chicken salad? ›

Her voice helped her neighborhood deli's chicken salad go viral. Now, Tanisha Godfrey is promoting her own recipe for success after securing brand deals. Tanisha Godfrey is the voice behind the sound that has everyone running to E. 81st Deli in Cleveland.

Who is the creator of Chicken Salad Chick? ›

Stacy Brown founded Chicken Salad Chick in her very own kitchen, earning her the title of The Original Chick.

What's in a millionaire salad? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling.
  2. 1 (8 ounce) carton Cool Whip.
  3. 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk.
  4. 1 (16 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained.
  5. 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges.
  6. 1 cup seedless grapes (optional)
  7. 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  8. 1 cup mini marshmallows.

What is Russian salad made of? ›

Chop potatoes and carrot. Peel and chop eggs. Mix potatoes, carrot, eggs, pickles, peas, ham, and dill together in a large bowl. Stir in mayonnaise until salad is evenly coated.

What not to do when preparing chicken salad? ›

Overcooked or dry chicken

To ensure that your chicken salad tastes the way that it should, you should avoid using overcooked or dry chicken in your recipe. Unfortunately, as we cook chicken, the moisture of the bird slowly evaporates.

Is it okay to eat chicken salad every day? ›

Absolutely — chicken salad can be healthy. Just how healthy comes down to the ingredients used, the portion eaten, and the other foods it's paired with to make a meal.

Are you supposed to eat chicken salad cold? ›

Since chicken salad is served cold, chicken breast is preferable—it's got a much more pleasant mouthfeel than dark meat when eaten at lower temps.

What is the oldest salad? ›

One example of an ancient salad recipe comes from the Roman Empire, where a dish called "Salad of the Gods" was popular. This salad was made with lettuce, celery, onion, and an herb called rue, and was dressed with a mixture of vinegar, honey, and garum, a fermented fish sauce.

Why do Americans eat salad first? ›

Some reasons have been suggested for this, mainly that having a salad before a meal will keep diners from overeating during the main course.

What salad did Mexico invent? ›

Caesar salad was invented in the early 1920s by Caesar Cardini, an Italian chef who owned a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. He moved to Tijuana from California to avoid Prohibition, and it was here, on July 4th, 1924, where Caesar is believed to have invented the Caesar Salad.

Where did Chicken Salad Chick come from? ›

Stacy Brown and her husband Kevin Brown founded Chicken Salad Chick in 2008 in Auburn, AL. The business idea came out of her love for making and serving chicken salad, a recipe that was passed down from her grandmother.

Where is the Kardashian salad from? ›

While I would love to think the Kardashians invented this incredible salad, they more so popularised it. The salad it self cam from the La Scala restaurant in Beverly Hills, a super classic main stay of the city.

Where does chicken salad come from? ›

Chicken salad first originated when Liam Gray, proprietor of Town Meats in Wakefield, Rhode Island, mixed leftover chicken with mayonnaise, tarragon, and grapes in 1863. She began making it at night after her children were asleep and delivering it by basket, door to door, to potential customers.

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