Easy 5-Minute Chicken Salad recipe that’s the BEST I’ve ever tasted! The simple dressing really makes it perfect. Chicken Salad recipe made with diced chicken, plain yogurt, apples, grapes, celery, cucumber, raisins and more! Great as chicken salad sandwiches or in lettuce as a wrap or on crackers.
I’ve always loved chicken salad and have made it so many times over the years. I consider this recipe perfection! It’s very versatile, so feel free to add in or swap out whatever items you’d like. I give some ideas below.
How to make a chicken salad recipe faster:
Here are several tips on how to make a recipe for chicken salad come together QUICK!
–Use canned chicken! Just drain and you’re all set. This recipe requires 1 Costco sized can or two small cans.
–Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Just diced and refrigerate to cool, then proceed with recipe. {this can of course be done ahead of time!}
–Slice the celery and cucumber beforehand. Store them in a small container in the fridge until ready to use.
–Make the entire recipe ahead of time and let sit in a closed container in the fridge until ready to serve.
What can you add to chicken salad?
Chicken salad is incredibly versatile! Here are my favorite mix ins:
- sliced almonds
- cashews
- chopped pecans
- pineapple tidbits
- water chestnuts
- Craisins
- dried cherries
- chopped sugar snap peas
How much chicken salad per person?
You should plan on allowing 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup chicken salad per person, depending on how you’re serving it. If you’re making chicken salad mini croissants as an appetizer, you can even use just shy of 1/4 cup of chicken salad. If you’re serving chicken salad sandwiches for lunch or dinner, you’ll want to allow 1/2 a cup or even 1/3 cup per person.
5-Minute Chicken Salad recipe ingredients
–2 cups diced cooked chicken
–1/2 apple, diced but not peeled
–1/4 cup sliced grapes
–2 stems of celery, sliced
–1 seedless mini cucumber
–rounded 1/4 cup raisins
–1/4 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
–1/4 cup mayonnaise
–dashes of salt, pepper, dried parsley and onion powder, to taste
How to make Easy Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe
- Prepare fruits and vegetables, slicing and/or dicing as needed.
- Combine everything in a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
- Use chicken salad in a sandwich, on crackers, as filling for lettuce wraps, or on a bed of lettuce. I’ve been known to just eat it with a fork too- it’s THAT good!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Will last for several days!
Recipe serves 6 with 1/2 cup portions.
5-Minute Chicken Salad
Easy 5-Minute Chicken Salad recipe that’s the BEST I’ve ever tasted! The simple dressing really makes it perfect. Chicken Salad recipe made with diced chicken, plain yogurt, apples, grapes, celery, cucumber, raisins and more! Great as chicken salad sandwiches or in lettuce as a wrap or on crackers.
Course: chicken
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken salad
Servings: 6
Calories: 144 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1/2 apple diced but not peeled
- 1/4 cup sliced grapes
- 2 stems of celery sliced
- 1 seedless mini cucumber
- rounded 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- dashes of salt pepper, dried parsley and onion powder, to taste
Instructions
-
Prepare fruits and vegetables, slicing and/or dicing as needed.
-
Combine everything in a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
-
Use chicken salad in a sandwich, on crackers, as filling for lettuce wraps, or on a bed of lettuce. I’ve been known to just eat it with a fork too- it’s THAT good!
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Will last for several days!
Recipe Notes
How to make a chicken salad recipe faster: Here are several tips on how to make a recipe for chicken salad come together QUICK! Use canned chicken! Just drain and you’re all set. This recipe requires 1 Costco sized can or two small cans. Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Just diced and refrigerate to cool, then proceed with recipe. {this can of course be done ahead of time!} Slice the celery and cucumber beforehand. Store them in a small container in the fridge until ready to use. Make the entire recipe ahead of time and let sit in a closed container in the fridge until ready to serve. What can you add to chicken salad? Chicken salad is incredibly versatile! Here are my favorite mix ins: sliced almonds, cashews, chopped pecans, pineapple tidbits, water chestnuts, Craisins, and dried cherries.
Recipe serves 6 with 1/2 cup portions.
Nutrition Facts
5-Minute Chicken Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 144 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 89mg 4%
Potassium 199mg 6%
Total Carbohydrates 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 3g
Protein 4g 8%
Vitamin A 2.4%
Vitamin C 3.2%
Calcium 2.5%
Iron 2.2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Is chicken salad healthy?
Chicken salad is packed full of protein, fruits and vegetables, so yes, it is a healthy food option. I even substituted plain yogurt in for half of the traditional mayonnaise which adds even more protein and cuts down on fat and calories. I love adding the diced cucumber for an additional vegetable source, plus the crunch is delicious. If you want to make chicken salad even more healthy, serve it on whole grain high fiber bread, or serve it on leaves of lettuce, as a chicken salad lettuce wrap.
Can you freeze chicken salad?
Theoretically, yes, you can freeze chicken salad but know that the texture will suffer once thawed out and served. The mayonnaise can separate slightly, so it’d be a good idea to stir thoroughly and then add in a tad more fresh mayo prior to serving. The cucumber and celery will lose much, if not all of their crunch once they’re thawed as well. So yes, you can freeze chicken salad, but really it tastes so much better if eaten fresh!
Can chicken salad be made a day ahead?
Yes, you can make chicken salad a day ahead of when you plan to serve it. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I actually think day old chicken salad tastes even better as it has had a chance for the flavors to meld! Just give your chicken salad a good stir and if the chicken has absorbed the moisture, you might want to add in a bit more mayonnaise or plain yogurt to compensate.
How long will chicken salad stay good in the refrigerator?
Chicken salad will stay good for 5-7 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. My favorite airtight containers are Snapware. I’ve found that when I use Snapware, the foods generally stay fresh for at least 3-4 days longer than when you use regular tupperware.
