Chicken salad is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many ways beyond the traditional chicken salad sandwich. Chicken salad is typically made by combining cooked, chopped chicken with mayonnaise or another creamy dressing and savory add-ins like celery, onions, relish, grapes, nuts, or herbs. The creamy, protein-packed mixture can then be served as a sandwich filling, scooped over a bed of lettuce, stuffed into a tomato or avocado half, mounded on top of crackers, or incorporated into a number of other creative recipes. Chicken salad lovers need not limit themselves to scooping the salad between two slices of bread. With a little creativity, chicken salad can be transformed into appetizers, snacks, entrées, and more. This article will explore at least 20 delicious ways to serve chicken salad beyond stuffing it into a sandwich.
Scoop Onto a Bed of Greens for a Main Dish Chicken Salad
One of the simplest ways to enjoy chicken salad outside of a sandwich is to serve it scooped over a base of leafy greens. This transforms the mixture into a composed salad perfect for a light main dish. Spinach, arugula, mixed greens, romaine, kale, and other greens pair nicely with the rich creaminess of chicken salad. Top the chicken salad with extra vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, shredded carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, or snap peas for extra nutrition and color. You can also sprinkle on cheese, olives, bacon bits, seeds, nuts, or crunchy toppings like croutons or crackers for different flavors and textures. The scoop of chicken salad can be served right on top of the raw greens or separated in individual lettuce cups for a unique presentation.
Stuff into a Tomato or Avocado Half
Halved tomatoes and avocados make excellent vessels for serving up chicken salad. Scoop the chicken salad into the cavity of a ripe tomato half or into the hole where the avocado pit was removed. The creamy salad contrasts nicely with the juicy tomato or rich avocado. Garnish your stuffed tomato or avocado half with extra diced vegetables, shredded cheese, olives, peppers, herbs, nuts, seeds, crumbled bacon, capers, or anything else that strikes your fancy. The stuffed tomato or avocado half can be sliced in half again to make easy party appetizers.
Serve in Belgian Endive Leaves
Small leaves like Belgian endive work wonderfully for holding bite-sized amounts of chicken salad. Separate the endive leaves and fill each leaf with a dollop of the salad mixture. The little bundles make elegant party snacks or appetizers. You can garnish with herbs, nuts, tiny cherry tomato halves, or chopped peppers for extra flavor and crunch.
Make Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce wraps provide the perfect low-carb vehicle for enjoying chicken salad without the bread. Simply spoon the salad into large butter lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves and fold the lettuce around the mixture burrito-style. The lettuce leaves contain the salad neatly while adding a refreshing crunch. Chicken salad lettuce wraps make a fast and healthy lunch or light dinner. Adding some additional veggies like shredded carrots or cabbage increases the nutrition.
Serve in Endive Boats
For an eye-catching presentation, arrange small endive leaves into little “boats” and fill them with the chicken salad. Garnish the chicken salad boats with cherry tomato halves, olives, fresh herbs, capers, nuts, or other fun toppings of your choice. Arrange several endive boats together on a platter for a pretty party hors d’oeuvre.
Top Cucumber Slices
Thick slices of cucumber make the perfect quick and healthy base for chicken salad bites. Simply top cucumber slices with a spoonful of the creamy salad and add any desired garnishes like shredded carrot, chopped herbs, olive slices, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The fresh cucumber provides moisture and crunch to balance the rich chicken salad.
Serve Open-Faced on Baguette Slices
An open-faced chicken salad sandwich on a crispy baguette slice gives you the traditional sandwich experience without the top slice of bread. Simply toast baguette slices until golden brown, then top with the chicken salad. Garnish your open-faced sandwiches with sliced grapes, chopped pecans, shredded lettuce, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, or any other tasty toppings you enjoy.
Stuff into Crispy Wonton Cups
For a fun finger food, make edible chicken salad cups using crispy wonton wrappers. Simply brush the wrappers lightly with oil or butter, use your fingers to shape them into cups, and bake at 350°F until lightly browned and crispy. Let the cups cool, then pipe or spoon chicken salad into them and garnish with herbs, tomatoes, olives, or crisp vegetables. Serve the wonton cups on a platter for parties or package them to go in meal prep containers. They hold the salad filling neatly and provide a satisfying crunch.
Serve in a Bread Bowl
For an impressive meal presentation, serve your chicken salad in a hollowed-out bread bowl. Cut the top off a round bread loaf and tear out some of the interior to form a bowl. Fill the bread bowl with chicken salad and garnish with sliced grapes, nuts, shredded lettuce, or fresh herbs. Bread bowls are ideal for serving individual entrée-sized portions of salad. Using a crusty loaf adds tons of texture and makes the dish feel extra hearty.
Top Crostini
Chicken salad crostini make easy, elegant appetizers for a gathering. Toast thin baguette slices until crispy, then top with the chicken mixture. Add garnishes like chopped parsley, sliced grapes, toasted nuts, capers, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Arrange the chicken salad crostini on a serving platter and serve as finger foods.
Spoon onto Crackers
Spreading chicken salad onto crackers makes for quick, tasty snacks or appetizers. Look for sturdy, interesting crackers like multi-grain, sesame, bagel chips, or rye crackers. Top each cracker with a dollop of salad and add any other desired toppings like sliced avocado, pickled veggies, fresh herbs, or a olive slice. You can also assemble the crackers ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.
Fill Phyllo Cups
Pretty phyllo dough shells provide one more unique serving vessel for chicken salad. Brush small phyllo cups with olive oil or melted butter, fill with the salad mixture, and garnish with chopped vegetables, nuts, or seeds. Phyllo adds amazing texture and the cups make your chicken salad into an elegant Passed hors d’oeuvre or appetizer.
Top Bell Pepper Boats
Slice colorful bell peppers in half lengthwise and clean out the seeds and membranes. Fill each pepper half with chicken salad and top with desired garnishes. Bell pepper “boats” stuffed with chicken salad make fun party snacks, appetizers, or lunchtime meals. The bright crispy peppers provide a satisfying crunch and pop of color.
Serve in Portobello Mushroom Caps
Searching for a unique way to present your chicken salad? Try stuffing it into large grilled portobello mushroom caps. Grill portobellos gill-side up until tender, then top the “bowls” that form naturally in the mushroom caps with chicken salad. Garnish with sliced avocado, crumbled feta or goat cheese, chopped nuts, fresh herbs, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The pairing of earthy mushrooms and creamy chicken salad is fantastic.
Make Chicken Salad Bites
For easy crowd-pleasing appetizers, use a melon-baller or small spoon to form chicken salad into bite-sized balls. Roll the bites in chopped toasted nuts, dried breadcrumbs, coconut, sesame seeds, or panko. Insert toothpicks into each bite, arrange on a platter, and serve. Party guests will love the chicken salad flavors in fun, poppable portions.
Fill Mini Sweet Pepper Halves
Mini sweet peppers that have been sliced in half and hollowed out create the perfect two-bite vessels for chicken salad. Stuff each half with the chicken mixture and top with any desired garnishes before serving. The sweet, crisp pepper pairs deliciously with the rich filling. Look for a mix of red, yellow, and orange mini peppers for a colorful presentation.
Top Potato Skins
Baked potato skins get an extra boost of protein when topped with chicken salad. Simply bake potatoes and cut them in half. Scoop out some of the flesh, leaving enough to keep the skins sturdy. Brush the skins with olive oil or butter, top with chicken salad, and add any additional toppings like chopped scallions, bacon, shredded cheese, or sour cream. Return to the oven just until heated through. Chicken salad potato skins make a very hearty appetizer.
Serve Inside a Baked Sweet Potato
Baked sweet potatoes split open provide the perfect vessels for serving chicken salad as a light meal. Bake sweet potatoes until very soft, then slice open and mash some of the interior flesh with a fork to make room for the salad. Top the sweet potatoes with chicken salad and add desired garnishes like pecans, apples, dried cranberries, herbs, or chopped celery and onions. The pairing of baked sweet potato and creamy chicken salad is absolutely delicious.
Add to Mason Jar Salads
Take your chicken salad to go in handy mason jars. Layer the salad ingredients starting with the dressing and greens on the bottom then top with chicken salad and any mix-ins like nuts, shredded cheese, or crumbled bacon. Seal tightly and store in the fridge, then grab in the morning for an easy nutritious lunch on the go. The juices from the salad ingredients combine and mingle, yielding maximum flavor.
Make Chicken Salad Pinwheels
For an easy roll-up app or snack, spread chicken salad onto flour tortillas or wraps. Layer on any additional ingredients you enjoy like shredded lettuce, sliced avocado, bacon, shredded cheese, or chopped vegetables. Roll up the tortillas tightly into pinwheels and slice into one-inch rounds. Stand the pinwheels upright on your serving platter and secure with toothpicks if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Stuff into Pita Pockets
Pita pockets make the perfect portable vessel for chicken salad. Simply split open a pita, stuff with chicken salad, and add any desired toppings or ingredients like lettuce, tomato, cucumber, feta or goat cheese, olives, roasted peppers, sliced avocado, sprouts, or hummus. Pita chicken salad “sandwiches” hold together nicely and are easy to eat on the go.
Top Naan Pizza Bites
For chicken salad pizzas, spread hummus, spinach, or pesto over naan bread. Top with dollops of chicken salad and add any other desired ingredients like tomatoes, red onion, olives, roasted peppers, or mozzarella. Bake at 400°F for 5 to 10 minutes until the naan is crisp. Slice into mini pizzas for fun, fresh appetizers or snacks.
Make Chicken Salad deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs get a protein punch when the yolk filling is blended with chicken salad instead of just plain mayonnaise. Simply scoop the cooked yolks from hard-boiled eggs and mash smooth with chicken salad, mustard, salt, and pepper. Spoon the mixture back into the egg whites, garnish with paprika, fresh herbs, or crumbled bacon, and serve.
Top Biscuits for Brunch
Chicken salad takes biscuits to the next level when used as a flavorful topping. Split baked biscuits in half and top the bottom halves with chicken salad, grated cheddar cheese, sliced tomato, and crumbled cooked bacon. Add the biscuit tops and enjoy this hearty, savory take on biscuits and gravy.
Make Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
Dainty tea sandwiches are a cute way to enjoy chicken salad even when you leave off the top slice of bread. Spread chicken salad onto very thin slices of bread and cut into small rectangles or circles. Arrange the mini open-faced sandwiches decoratively on a serving platter for a fancy tea party or gathering. Top with cucumber slices and fresh herbs.
Stuff into Crepes
Fill crepes with chicken salad for an unexpected take on the classic French staple. Make basic thin crepes then spread each with chicken salad. Roll up and top with desired garnishes like sliced grapes, chopped pecans, shredded lettuce or spinach, sliced avocado, or fresh herbs. The crepes provide a deliciously tender contrast to the hearty chicken salad filling.
Conclusion
Chicken salad lovers need not limit themselves to the standard chicken salad sandwich, as seen above. With a bit of creativity, chicken salad can be incorporated into a wide array of recipes from appetizers to main dishes to party snacks. Stuff it into vegetables or phyllo cups, mound it on crackers or flatbread, form into lettuce wraps or tea sandwiches, include in mason jar salads or crepes, or simply enjoy scooped over fresh greens. The possibilities for serving up this protein-packed mixture are nearly endless. Chicken salad’s versatility, ease of preparation, and refrigerated shelf life make it the ultimate make-ahead dish to have on hand for quick, healthy meals or impressive dishes to serve guests. Keep an open mind and have fun experimenting with unique chicken salad combinations and creative ways to serve this favorite comfort food.