This post may contain affiliate links, which means we’ll receive a commission if you purchase through our link, at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure here.
What makes the best chicken salad? One that is simple, refreshing, and easy! With so many versions and opinions on what makes a chicken salad just right, it can be hard to find a recipe that pleases everyone.
This chopped chicken salad is about to be your new go-to for lunches and snacking! It checks all the boxes: it doesn’t look sloppy, its elevated and a refreshing take on a beloved American classic.
Shredded rotisserie chicken is mixed with a blend of Greek yogurt, avocado mayonnaise, roughly chopped apples, celery stalks, and seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, and fresh tarragon for a flavorful, textured chopped chicken salad.
Pair it with some crackers, spread it on some toast, or eat it plain. Any way you choose to enjoy this chicken salad, you’re going to leave full and refreshed.
Why You’ll Love this Chopped Chicken Salad
- It takes just minutes to make! All it takes is chopping, stirring, and mixing to create a delicious dinner. We also used rotisserie chicken for a quicker option.
- Great for meal prepping. You get multiple servings out of this recipe and it stores well in the fridge. Making it ideal for meal prepping lunches throughout the week.
- Full of flavor and texture. You have the mixture of the creamy, soft seasoned chicken with roughly chopped celery and Granny Smith apples that add a little extra crunch and flavor to the salad. Taragon and lemon add extra tanginess and sweetness to the mix. And when paired together are a match made in heaven.
What You’ll Need
- Rotisserie chicken
- Celery Stalks
- Granny Smith apple
- Greek yogurt
- Avocado mayonaise
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Lemon juice
- Fresh tarragon
- Sliced almonds
How to Make this Chopped Chicken Salad, Step by Step
Step 1. Remove meat of rotisserie chicken and shred.
Choosing to use a rotisserie chicken that is already cooked makes this recipe immediately simpler. Remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken by peeling off the chicken from the chicken breasts and wings. Add the chicken to a large bowl and discard the skin and bones of the chicken
You can shred chicken a couple of ways: by hand or with an electric mixer. Shredding the chicken in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment is super quick and creates thin, even shreds of chicken.
Step 2. Chop celery and apple.
Using a sharp knife, chop celery stalks and Granny Smith apples into small chunks. You want the apples and celery to be large enough to get a nice crunch but small enough to eat and blend into the salad.
Add the chopped celery and apple pieces to the chicken mixture and stir to mix together.
Step 3. Stir in mayonnaise and seasoning mixture.
This is where the salad starts to come together. Mix in Greek yogurt and mayonnaise into the chicken mixture until well incorporated. Add in seasonings, tarragon, and lemon juice, and mix again until incorporated.
Once the mixture is evenly blended, you’re ready to enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Chicken Salad
- Make sure your rotisserie chicken is cooled completely. The heat from a hot or even warm rotisserie chicken can cause the mayonnaise mixture to be runny and not incorporate as well into the salad. A cold or cooled rotisserie chicken is best to absorb the moisture for a soft salad.
- Use an electric mixer to shred chicken. Save time and get a more consistent texture with an electric mixer. Add the chicken to your stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment and mix until the chicken is shredded evenly.
- Texture, herbs and a punch of tanginess are essential. In our opinion, this is the holy trinity of a chicken salad. Chicken salad can be bland, but it doesn’t have to be!
- Texture from celery, apples, nuts adds a bit of crunch.
- Herbs like dill, tarragon, and parsley add a bit more flavor to each bite.
- A punch of tanginess can come from lemon juice, pickled onions, pickles.
How to serve chicken salad:
- Serve on a sandwich with lettuce and sliced onions.
- Serve with crackers or pretzel thins for dipping.
- Make and open face sandwich with some melted cheese and top with chicken salad.
- Make a snack plate with chicken salad, crackers and veggies.
How to store chicken salad.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Shop Our Kitchen Favorites
Everyday Chopped Chicken Salad
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This chopped chicken salad is about to be your new go-to for lunches and snacking! Shredded rotisserie chicken is mixed with a blend of Greek yogurt, avocado mayonnaise, roughly chopped apples, celery stalks and seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, and fresh tarragon.
Ingredients
- 1 Rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
- 1/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 1/4 cup Mayonaise
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Remove meat from the rotisserie chicken. Peel apart larger pieces to shred the chicken. Place chicken in a large bowl. Shred the chicken into smaller pieces byhand or with an electric mixer. Shredding the chicken in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment is super quick and creates thin, even shreds of chicken.
- Chop the celery and apple and add to the bowl with the chicken.
- Mix in mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, and tarragon until blended.
- Enjoy as is, spread on a toasted slice of bread or serve with crackers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
