Smoked Chicken Salad. This simple recipe is a fresh twist on a classic favorite. It's tangy and smokey and just wonderful. Whether you pile it high onto pieces of toasted sourdough or toss it with avocado chunks and spoon it into cucumber boats, you cannot go wrong. It's a true crowd-pleaser and a soon-to-be new favorite!
Let's get started!
Jump to:
pull up a chair and let's chat!
I have to be honest. I've never really liked chicken salad until I started making it this way. The smokiness of this recipe combined with the tanginess and crunch checks all of my marks. I eat this straight out of the bowl, spooned on top a big green salad, or throw it in a wrap.
Smoked chicken salad is a recipe thats great for a quick and easy lunch, as a perfect snack for your next trip to the beach, and even makes an appearance in our coolers when we are on a road trip. My kids love it, my husband requests it all of the time, and I have yet to tire of it. You've gotta try it. It'll be on your radar from now on!
Gone are the days of the goopy, overly sweet chicken salads of my nightmares. Try this super-flavorful, yet light Smoked Chicken salad and tell me it's not amazing!
ingredients
- Rotisserie Chicken - My all-time favorite time-saving, delicious hero! And, I save the bones for bone broth!
- Mayonnaise - To make the salad creamy and wonderful.
- Celery - For crunch.
- Red Onion - For the savory, sweet bite. I love red onion for fresh salads, but you can use your favorite variety.
- Smoked Paprika - Gives this salad its smokey flavor. I love smoked paprika and use it all the time. In my opinion, it's the superior paprika.
- Celery Seed - One of my favorite flavors. I think we all need to use more celery seed. The savory, herbal, slightly bitter flavor gives so much flavor!
- Lemon - For a little tang and brightness.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - More tang.
- Fresh Chives - For a lovely, onion flavor. And, the little pieces of green are pretty.
- Kosher Salt - Basic must-have for seasoning. Don't use iodized.
- Fresh Ground Pepper - Grind you own.
my thoughts on equipment and ingredients
I am not a fan of an obscene amount of kitchen gadgets. I think you need a few, good quality items. For this recipe? A good knife. A good SHARP chef's knife. A dull knife is the quickest way to find yourself needing an emergency room. Invest in a good quality knife and keep it sharp with a knife sharpener. Your digits will thank you.
As with equipment, I feel like ingredients should be simple and good quality. For a recipe such as this Smoked Chicken Salad, you don't need much so make sure you're sourcing good quality ingredients.
Ingredients that seem as unassuming as mayo will make a huge difference. My mayonnaise of choice is Duke's, and no, I'm not sponsored. The flavor is fantastic and has a lemony kick. I despise an avocado mayonnaise. I think they are horrendous and I just can't. Woof.
how to make smoked chicken salad
This awesome smoked chicken salad recipe could not be easier. It's just a simple toss of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and a few stirs. A rotisserie chicken makes even quicker work of this lovely concoction. All hail those rotisserie chickens!
- Remove the chicken meat from one rotisserie chicken. Chop roughly. Give it a taste for quality control. Never in the history of ever have I had a rotisserie chicken in front of me without having a quick little taste.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. That's it!
- Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste. (If it was just me, and not my kids and husband, I would add finely diced jalapeños to this mix as well!)
- Serve it however you like. See below for options.
serving ideas
This Smoked Chicken Salad recipe can be served so many different ways. It truly is a multipurpose meal. The most obvious to me is to serve this on two pieces of perfectly toasted sourdough bread.
Other ideas include:
- On cucumber boats
- Tossed with avocado chunks and scooped with tortilla chips
- Smoothed onto flour tortillas to make a chicken salad pinwheel
- Piled high onto a bed of fresh greens and crunchy veggies
- Dolloped in a baked wonton chips for a party appetizer
- Simply scooped with a classic saltine cracker
But, let's not forget, this glorious smoked chicken salad is the best when scooped straight from the bowl in the fridge and directly into your mouth. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
And, if you're looking for other quick and easy salad ideas, try my Tuna Salad or my Avocado Egg Salad! For another spin on a savory chicken salad, you've gotta try my Southern Chicken Salad!
frequently asked questions
Is this Smoked Chicken Salad Recipe gluten and dairy-free?
Yes! This chicken salad recipe is both gluten and dairy-free. Just be mindful of how you serve it.
Can you freeze this recipe?
Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing this recipe. It will not thaw out well. But, don't worry, once you make a batch of this chicken salad, it won't last long.
How long can it be stored in the fridge?
This smoked chicken salad recipe will stay good in the fridge 3-4 days...if it lasts that long!
Can I serve this chicken salad recipe right away?
You absolutely can serve this recipe as soon as it's mixed together. I will, however, urge you to gather restraint and wait at least 6 hours (overnight is best) before serving. This gives the salad flavors time to get to know each other.
Recipe
Smoked Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and meat roughly chopped save the bones for bone broth!
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup red onion, diced
- ½ cup chives or green onion tops, chopped
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon celery seed
- juice of 1 lemon
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you guys make this Smoked Chicken Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Smoked Chicken Salad and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces! And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
Rufus for Real is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I may earn a commission, with no additional cost to you, if you purchase through those links.
Darla says
This is such a unique recipe! I came on here looking for something completely different and tried this for dinner one night. Even my kids loved it. Love the flavor of this and using a rotisserie chicken makes it so easy.