This easy Loaded Chicken Salad recipe is one of my go-tos in the summer. It is almost no cook (as long as you use leftover chicken), comes together in a snap and lasts for days. It’s perfect when I need something quick, healthy and full of protein.
Hey friends! Recently, my best friend Alice and I were chatting about chicken salad. She’s planning to serve it at her upcoming party for her sister-in-law, which got me thinking—I realized I hadn’t shared my Loaded Chicken Salad recipe yet. It’s been sitting in my drafts for a while now.
Chicken salad doesn’t usually stir up excitement. When I hear about it, I’m reminded of my mom’s resourcefulness in the kitchen when I was growing up. She never really set out to make chicken salad; it was usually a delicious result of leftovers from the night before. We didn’t waste much in our house.
Another dish she often made from leftover turkey was what she called ‘creamed turkey and peas,’ and it was served over toast. It was a simple but comforting dish, made with a simple roux, turkey chunks, and peas. Those meals may have started as leftovers, but they were always delicious.
Anyway, I digress. Back to the chicken salad.
Ingredients:
This is what I put in my chicken salad. My mom did not. She always liked things pretty plain and simple, just celery and mayo. And never nuts! Feel free to adjust the quanitites or add other ingredients to your liking.
For the Salad:
- Cut up chicken
- Scallions
- Grapes
- Craising
- Celery
- Onions
- Pecans
For the Dressing:
- Greek yogurt
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Lemon
Customize:
The best thing about these types of ‘recipes’ is how customizeable they are. Other things I like to add to my chicken salad are diced apples and believe it or not, pickles. I add pickles to my tuna salad too. Does anyone else do that?
This makes a great quick lunch served on bread or a croissant or just on a plain bed of lettuce. I hope you give this recipe a try.
Other Salad Ideas You Might Like:
- Mediterranean Bowtie Pasta Salad: I created this pasta salad because I love how the Mediterranean flavors of olives, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes blend together and who doesn’t love bowties!
- Vibrant Summer 4 Bean Salad: This salad came about because I wanted something colorful and packed with flavor for summer picnics. It’s a mix of four different beans with fresh herbs and a tangy dressing that always gets rave reviews.
- NY Style Deli Macaroni Salad: I couldn’t find macaroni salad that I liked in the MidWest, so I recreated mine from my hometown.
Lastly, if you make this Loaded Chicken Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to all your comments.
LOADED CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE
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Loaded Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Cups diced cooked chicken breast
- ½ Cup sliced scallions (green onions)
- ½ Cup halved red grapes
- ¼–½ Cup craisins (dried cranberries)
- ½ Cup diced celery
- ¼ Cup finely chopped red onion
- ½ Cup chopped pecans
- ½ Cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Honey
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced chicken, scallions, red grapes, craisins, celery, red onion, and pecans.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Adjust seasoning to taste and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve on a bed of mixed greens, in lettuce cups, or as a sandwich filling.
Excellent recipe