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This will be the best chicken salad recipe you’ll ever try! It has wholesome, simple ingredients, is ready in just 15 minutes, and makes the most satisfying sandwiches.
Try this Buffalo Chicken Salad or Summer Tomato Sandwiches next.
Why you’ll love it
This homemade chicken salad recipe is great for easy lunches or picnics. Bring it as a work lunch for a healthier and less expensive meal than getting fast food. These sandwiches taste way less one-dimensional than your average grocery store chicken salad!
I kept this chicken salad from scratch really simple so that it will appeal to a wide variety of tastes. Apple is the not-so-secret ingredient in my version of this popular recipe. It adds a sweet and tart flavor as well as a delicious fresh crunch! These chicken salad sandwiches are perfectly balanced.
What you’ll need
- Chicken – I used rotisserie
- Mayo – my go-to is Hellmann’s, but use your favorite brand. I always try not to go overboard with it since I don’t like these sandwiches to be super heavy or cloying.
- Dijon mustard – it’s not overpowering and just adds a zesty quality. I use it as a flavor enhancer in many recipes.
- Lemon juice – for brightness. Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Parsley – to add freshness and contrast
- Celery – for a flavorful crunch
- Apple – it adds a touch of sweetness and crispness. Totally recommend not skipping it. Try Gala or Cosmic Crisp.
- Onion – red onion is less sharp than others, so it’s great in salads and sandwiches
What kind of chicken to use
- I love the flavor and ease of using a store bought rotisserie chicken. I used a mix of dark and light meat.
- You could also try buying pre-cooked roasted chicken breast from your deli, or cook up your own chicken. Try my Easy Baked Chicken Breast recipe.
- If you have some leftover cooked turkey, you can definitely use that in this recipe!
Pro tip
I didn’t want to make a massive quantity, so the recipe makes enough for about 4 sandwiches. Double every ingredient if you want to make more. Halve every ingredient if you just want to make enough for two sandwiches.
How to make chicken salad
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Start by prepping everything. Add the dressing ingredients (mayo, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, parsley, and some salt & pepper) to a medium-sized prep bowl. Mix it all together so you’ve got a smooth dressing.
Add the remaining ingredients and toss until everything is well coated. Give it a taste, and add extra salt & pepper if needed. You can also take this opportunity to tweak it to your tastes. See my suggestions below!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use a bowl from this glass prep bowl set.
- Stir it up with my favorite cooking spoon.
- Slicing your own bread? Here’s the bread knife I use.
Other additions to chicken salad
I like the recipe as-is, but feel free to jazz it up with any/all of these ingredients!
- Chopped grapes (you can swap them for the apple)
- Slivered or sliced almonds for some extra crunch
- A splash of pickle juice and/or chopped pickles or relish. Or these Quick Pickled Red Onions.
- Hot sauce for a kick
- Crumbled Oven Cooked Bacon
- Avocado (but only mix it in if you’re going to eat it all right away since it’ll brown quickly)
- Fresh herbs: try replacing the red onion with chives, and finely chopped tarragon would be delicious in here
Substitutions and variations
- This recipe is very forgiving. Feel free to experiment and add more/less of an ingredient based on your personal tastes. For example, add some lemon zest if you want it to be more lemony.
- I used half a Gala apple, but any variety that’s not too sweet will work. Try Granny Smith or Honeycrisp.
- Don’t like Dijon mustard? Swap it with a different variety, but keep in mind the slight sharpness plays nicely with the other flavors.
- Want to lighten it up? Swap the mayo for Greek yogurt or do a 50/50 mix.
What to include in a chicken salad sandwich
- You can’t go wrong with the classic combo of lettuce and/or tomato, but whatever else you like in a sandwich will work too!
- Cucumber, sliced avocado, a slice of cheese, sprouts are all great options.
- Try buns, wraps and tortillas, or even bagels or a croissant instead of bread to change it up a bit. Or go low-carb and make lettuce wraps or fill half an avocado with it.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. I personally like to err on the side of 3 days. It just tastes better fresher.
- I wouldn’t make sandwiches more than a day ahead so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
- I don’t recommend freezing chicken salad. It’ll get soggy when thawed, the mayo could separate, and it’s quick and simple to prep anyway. Simply halve the recipe if you don’t think you can finish it all within a few days.
More easy lunch ideas
I hope you’ll enjoy this chicken salad sandwich recipe! Made it? Have questions? Talk to me in the comments below. You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Easy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 cups cooked chicken (I used rotisserie) shredded or chopped
- 1 stick celery chopped small
- 1/2 medium apple chopped small
- 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Instructions
- Add the mayo, mustard, lemon juice, parsley, and some salt & pepper to a medium bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Add in the chicken, celery, apple, and red onion. Stir together until combined. Give it a taste and adjust ingredients as needed (e.g. add more salt & pepper).
- Serve in sandwiches/wraps, lettuce wraps, inside an avocado… etc.
Notes
- I used half a Gala apple, but any variety that’s not too sweet will work (try Granny Smith or Honeycrisp). Any apple will work, though, if you’re ok with more sweetness.
- See blog post for suggestions on substitutions or additions to this recipe. It’s a very forgiving recipe, so you can definitely tweak it to your liking.
- This recipe makes enough for 4 sandwiches.
- It will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge.
- You can also find this recipe in chapter 7 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Another winner, Natasha. I owe you a purchase of your cookbook. I doubled the recipe and used a store-bought container of shredded rotisserie chicken (12 oz). I used light Hellmans mayo, about 2 Tbsp of red onion, and tossed in a bit of pickle juice. I’ll serve with green leaf singles on a brioche bun, but for certain folks who don’t want buns, a large leaf wrap might be a good alternative. I could see wrapping this in a lettuce leave or two and putting in a spinach wrap, too. Colorful, great textures, and super simple to throw together. I bet I’ll make it again!
Thank you so much, Brianna! 😀 Let me know if you get the book! 🙂
can I use canned chicken in this recipe
Hi Jack! We’ve never tried it with canned chicken, but if you’ve used that before for chicken salad and had success, you could experiment. The texture will likely be different. Make sure to drain it thoroughly.
I hadn’t used apple in chicken salad before, but OMG this was SO GOOD! I did add pecans, and raisins, because I’m a maniac, but otherwise followed the recipe! Super light and delightful. Would recommend if you need to bring a side, but don’t want anything too heavy. The apple really makes everything else pop! I also hadn’t used dijon mustard much in recipes, especially salads, but now I’m having to buy more dijon, and I’m not mad about it!!
Thank you so much!!
Another winner. We don’t love mayo in our house, and this was perfect. I served with mini croissants along with a cheese board. Excited to do again throughout the summer!
I’m so happy it was a hit, Lauren!! 😀 Thanks so much for your review!
Delicious. We left out the apples and onion. Followed the rest of the recipe to a t. Wish I could share a picture. We had chicken salad sandwiches with it. Garnished the sandwich on rye bread with a bed of lettuce and tomatoes. Thank you!!
You’re very welcome! 🙂
This is the best chicken salad recipe ever! This quickly became a family favorite. Easy to make and flavorful. Next time I will make a double batch.
Thank you so much, Amy!! 🙂 I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
You make everything very easy for me to follow
I’m not a very good cook, so I really appreciate
How you explain your recipes.
I’m so happy to hear that, Colleen. That’s always my goal… to make my recipes so that anyone can follow them. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! I have been looking for a yummy easy chicken sandwich recipe. Just love all your recipes. thank you 🙂
Thank you, Melinda! I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you try it!
I gave always wanted this recipe thank you