Rotisserie Chicken Salad

The easiest and most delicious chicken salad recipe involves a store-bought shortcut: rotisserie chicken. This Rotisserie Chicken Salad recipe bursts with flavor and is delicious on top of a salad or on a sandwich for an easy lunch. Makes 2-3 servings.

Looking for more easy lunch ideas? This Egg Salad Sandwich and Summer Snack Sandwiches are two of my favorites.

Homemade Chicken Salad is one of my all-time favorite things to have for lunch, but I rarely get to enjoy it because I never plan ahead.

During this past year, we’ve been purchasing rotisserie chickens from our local grocery, and goodness gracious, do they make for some delicious meals.

Also, they make for the best Chicken Salad. (And make it oh-so-simple to make this recipe!)

Why I love this recipe:

I love this Rotisserie Chicken Salad recipe because it’s so dang easy to make and because it’s busting with flavor and texture.

The rotisserie chicken, especially, makes the chicken salad easy to make and takes away the step of roasting a whole chicken or chicken breasts for the salad… which in turn makes this recipe faster to make.

Pro tip: Shred your rotisserie chicken as soon as you get home from the store because it’ll shred easier whenever it is warm.

More easy recipes you could make with rotisserie chicken: Chicken Apple Salad with Strawberries | Chicken Pesto Pasta | Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos | Summer Quinoa Salad | Buffalo Wing Casserole

Looking for easy meal inspiration? My Dinner Recipe Index has tons of ideas for you!

What you need to make this homemade chicken salad recipe

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• A large mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Forks, a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

You also need a few ingredients, too.

• Shredded rotisserie chicken—you can roast your own if you’re inclined (and I have a great tutorial on a Whole Roasted Chicken), but I find the store-bought rotisserie chicken perfect for this because they don’t require 1-2 extra hours of your time
• Celery
• Chicken seasoning—preferably salt free (Penzey’s Mural of Flavor is my personal favorite)
• Black pepper
• Kosher salt
• Mayonnaise—your favorite brand works in this recipe. I’m a fan of Primal Kitchen’s Avocado Oil Mayo, which is Whole30-friendly

How to make Rotisserie Chicken Salad

If you haven’t already, shred your chicken, and set it aside.

There are several ways to shred chicken! You can remove large chunks of the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred it with your hands… or you can toss it into an electric stand mixer* (affiliate link) fitted with the paddle attachment to shred it more easily. You can also use a hand mixer for this step, too.

Next, combine the mayonnaise with the chicken seasoning, black pepper and kosher salt in a large bowl. Mix with a spoon until combined.

Measure in the celery, and stir until incorporated.

Finally, add the shredded chicken. Stir until combined, and then serve.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Wouldn’t mini Chicken Salad Sandwiches be a delight at a small home gathering? Or Chicken Salad Cups be the cutest at a baby shower?

Here are a few thoughts on making this Rotisserie Chicken Salad for a crowd.

• Make it in advance. This goodness keeps in the fridge, so do yourself a favor and make it in advance! It’ll keep for a few days easily in an airtight food storage container.
• Double the recipe, especially if you’re serving it to a lot of people. I can take down this whole recipe in the span of two days if I give it a good ‘ol college try.
• Add in different mix-ins. If you’re a fan of grapes in chicken salad, turn this into a California Chicken Salad by adding some halved seedless grapes and pecans. Add hard boiled eggs, relish and a splash of lemon juice to transform it into Southern Chicken Salad. Add curry powder for Curried Chicken Salad!

What are some ways I can enjoy this recipe?

Personally, I like to turn this into a chicken salad sandwich. Slather the chicken salad onto toasted bread, add lettuce and tomatoes, and you’re golden.

You could also use this in a salad and serve it with greens.

Chicken salad cups, using toasted phyllo shells* (affiliate link) , are super cute for entertaining, too!

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Chicken Salad recipe

• Use a rotisserie chicken. Why? It’s packed full of flavor and makes YOUR job a lot easier! Make sure to remove the skin from the meat before shredding it!
• Mix it in advance. This chicken salad recipe is super simple to make ahead of time, so you can meal prep it for the week, if you so choose.
• Have fun with it! This variety of the classic recipe is my personal favorite, but there are certainly ways to shake it up for YOUR tastebuds. I’m providing some ideas below…

Chicken Salad Variations

• Southern Chicken Salad: It’s similar to this one here, though I’ve seen a lot with lemon juice added to the sauce. Also, some Southern chicken salads involve a chopped hardboiled egg, too.
• Brazilian Chicken Salad: This fun twist on the classic involves a few more veggies than the classic American chicken salad recipe, and it’s topped with potato sticks.
• California Chicken Salad: Toss in grapes and pecans for sweetness and texture! This is served with a poppy seed dressing that’s absolutely delectable. It’s also known as Sonoma Chicken Salad.
• Ranch Chicken Salad: Sprinkle in a packet of Ranch Dressing mix when you’re mixing the mayonnaise with the spices.
• Curried Chicken Salad: Curry powder, carrots, raisins and cashews are added to this delicious twist.
• Avocado Chicken Salad: Because avocados are delicious and because not everyone likes mayonnaise.