10 Easy Chicken Salad Recipes for a Fresh Summer Lunch
From classic and creamy to light and bright iterations.
Homemade chicken salad is just the thing that hits the spot as a cold lunch. The classic version combines cooked chicken (diced or shredded) with creamy mayonnaise, crunchy celery, sweet grapes, fresh herbs, and minced onion or shallots. A handful of nuts adds even more texture. From there, you can enjoy it straight from the bowl, tuck it into lettuce wraps, or pile it high on your favorite bread.
But classic is just scratching the surface! Start with Ree Drummond's chicken salad recipe, then branch out with these 10 creative takes. You'll find everything from creamy, traditional chicken salad to fresh and summery versions, including a grilled barbecue chicken salad, chicken pasta salad, chicken salad with berries and blue cheese, and more.
Chicken salad is also a meal-prep superstar, making it easy to have lunch ready to go throughout the week. And while some recipes call for roasted or poached chicken, there's no shame in taking a shortcut with a store-bought rotisserie chicken. However you serve it, these chicken salad recipes are sure to make lunch a whole lot more exciting.
Chicken Salad
When you want classic, creamy chicken that’s packed with fresh herbs, this is it. Ree’s recipe calls for poached chicken, a duo of mayonnaise and yogurt, grapes, almonds, celery, and dill.
Get Ree's Chicken Salad recipe.
Chicken Pasta Salad
Combine two lunchtime favorites in one dish! It has the classic ingredients of chicken salad plus tender pasta and a creamy yogurt-mayo dressing.
Get the Chicken Pasta Salad recipe.
Cowgirl Chicken Salad
Inspired by Cowboy Caviar, this Tex-Mex twist features grilled chicken, fresh corn kernels, black beans, barbecue sauce, and a whole lot of other cowgirl-approved ingredients. Plus, it’s easy to meal prep for the week ahead.
Get Ree's Cowgirl Chicken Salad recipe.
Curried Chicken Salad
A few tablespoons of curry powder give this chicken salad a warm, spicy flavor and yellow hue. The chicken is tossed with golden raisins, fresh cilantro, celery, and almonds for an inspired bite.
Get Ree's Curried Chicken Salad recipe.
Grilled Chicken Salad with Berries and Blue Cheese
This salad is loaded with summer flavor! Juicy chicken, fresh berries, and creamy blue cheese come together over greens with a tangy raspberry vinaigrette.
Get Ree’s Grilled Chicken Salad with Berries and Blue Cheese recipe.
Barbecue Chicken Salad
This isn’t your ordinary chicken salad. Grilled bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are tossed in apricot preserves and barbecue sauce, then served over a crunchy green salad for the summer chicken salad of your dreams.
Get Ree's Barbecue Chicken Salad recipe.
Chicken Salad with Quick-Pickled Apples
You’ve heard of pickled vegetables, but what about pickled apples? Here, chopped apples are left to soak briefly in a combination of apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt. They’re the star of the show in this chicken salad.
Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants
This is quite possibly one of the easiest chicken salad recipes—and also one of the best. Store-bought rotisserie chicken is tossed with prepared pesto and piled onto bakery croissants for a lunch sandwich that everyone will want to take part in.
Get Ree's Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants recipe.
Chicken Waldorf Salad
Classic Waldorf salad got a major upgrade with this hearty, protein-packed version. It features all of the hallmarks of the timeless dish—celery, apples, grapes, pecans, and a creamy dressing—plus roasted chicken breasts.
Get the Chicken Waldorf Salad recipe.
Cobb Chicken Salad
It’s a matchmade in salad heaven! Cobb salad and chicken salad join forces for a flavorful bite that you can bring to picnics, work, or casual daytime gatherings.
Get Ree's Cobb Chicken Salad recipe.
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