The best classic Chicken Salad recipe is flavorful with simple ingredients. This reminds me of Costco’s chicken salad. Chicken, celery, mayonnaise, green onions, and a little lemon juice make this salad taste like heaven. Feel free to add in whatever you want but this classic recipe is great just as it is!

chicken salad on a white plate with a lemon

BEST CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE

You can eat this as a sandwich or for a low-carb and make a Keto chicken salad by eating it in lettuce wraps or by itself.

Chicken salad is one of those recipes where you think everyone should know how to make it but when it comes to it there are a lot of different ways it can go.

My goal in creating this recipe was to keep it easy with basic ingredients I had on hand.

RECIPE FOR CHICKEN SALAD

My favorite chicken salad recipe is from Costco. They use a rotisserie chicken with mayonnaise and celery. If you ask me, this version is pretty darn close. This easy recipe makes for a quick dinner or lunch.

chicken salad on a white plate with a lemon

WHAT IS IN CHICKEN SALAD?

Traditional chicken salad has chicken, mayonnaise, celery, and onion. I use green onions here but you could use red onion as well. Add some fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

I think this tastes like Chicken Salad Chick’s chicken salad.

chicken, mayonnaise, celery, and green onions

POSSIBLE ADD-INS:

Chicken Salad is a blank canvas for whatever you want to add in. You can add nuts, hard boiled eggs, fruit, seasonings, or fresh herbs. I love this version of chicken salad plain but you can add in to suit your taste.

  • NUTS – Cashews, sliced almonds, pecans, or walnuts would be a great addition to this salad.
  • HARD BOILED EGGS – Slice up hard boiled eggs and fold them in.
  • FRUIT – Common fruits to add in are sliced grapes, dried cranberries, or diced apples. The most common is chicken salad with grapes.
  • SEASONINGS – You can add onion powder, garlic powder, Worchestershire, or Season All.
  • FRESH HERBS – Some chopped fresh parsley or fresh dill would be a great addition.
  • BELL PEPPERS – You could add some chopped peppers for some crunch.
  • DIJON MUSTARD – Adds a little tang.

chicken salad in a clear bowl

WHAT TO EAT WITH CHICKEN SALAD?

You can eat this easy chicken salad recipe as a sandwich on some good bread or a croissant. Another option is to eat it with a fork or in lettuce wraps. We serve this with fruit or salty potato chips.

Chicken salad on a white plate

 

HOW LONG DOES THIS LAST?

Chicken Salad will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

CAN CHICKEN SALAD BE FROZEN?

Recipes with mayonnaise are not great for freezing because when they thaw the mayonnaise separates. I would not recommend freezing this recipe.

TIPS FOR MAKING CHICKEN SALAD:

  • You can replace the mayo with mashed avocado and sour cream for a different version.
  • Reduce the calories by using Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise.
  • You can cook your own chicken breasts or thighs in the crockpot, then use an electric hand mixer to shred the chicken for this recipe.
  • Use canned chicken in a pinch.

HOW TO STORE THIS

Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

OTHER CHICKEN RECIPES:

chicken salad on a white plate with a lemon

Chicken Salad Recipe

3.78 from 40 votes
The best Classic Chicken Salad recipe is flavorful with simple ingredients. Chicken, celery, mayonnaise, green onions, and a little lemon juice make this salad taste like heaven. Feel free to add in whatever you want but this is great just as it is! You can eat this as a sandwich or for a low-carb and Keto friendly version eat it in lettuce wraps or by itself.

Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked chicken, diced, (I like to use rotisserie chicken)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1/3 cup sliced green onions
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt , (more to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and combine well. The salt will need about 30 minutes to dissolve. Add more salt if needed and add pepper to taste. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
  • Serve on sliced bread or croissants. For a low-carb version serve as lettuce wraps or all alone.

Notes

HOW LONG DOES THIS LAST?
You can keep chicken salad in the fridge for 3-5 days.
POSSIBLE ADD-INS:
Chicken Salad is a blank canvas for whatever you want to add in. You can add nuts, fruit, seasonings, or fresh herbs. I love this version of chicken salad plain but you can add in to suit your taste.
  • NUTS - Cashews, sliced almonds, pecans, or walnuts would be a great addition to this salad.
  • FRUIT - Common fruits to add in are sliced grapes, dried cranberries, or diced apples.
  • SEASONINGS - You can add onion powder, garlic powder, Worchestershire, or Season All.
  • FRESH HERBS - Some chopped fresh parsley or dill would be a great addition.
Serving: 1/4 of recipe, Calories: 324kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 84mg, Sodium: 610mg, Potassium: 480mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 192IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Author: Christy Denney
chicken saladchicken salad