Shredded Chicken Salad Recipe (Using Leftovers)

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Make this shredded chicken salad recipe using leftovers from last night's dinner or with rotisserie chicken. It's easy, creamy, and delicious!

Does this situation sound familiar? A fridge full of leftover chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken begging for a second life.

Instead of settling for something ordinary, elevate it! This homemade chicken salad marries the convenience of pre-cooked chicken with a creamy dressing with a punch from tarragon.

Leave out the dried cranberries and it's a low-carb, keto-friendly dish!

It's perfect for a quick lunch, a light dinner, or even an upscale picnic. Serve it alongside any of these healthy chicken salad side dishes.

This simple yet flavor-packed salad won't keep you in the kitchen for long, either. It's ready in minutes and easy to customize using simple ingredients you have on hand.

We'll give you lots of variations and substitutions. You can even make a variation of this chicken salad in a crock pot. So consider this recipe a template for the best-ever chicken salad that you can put on repeat.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Directions
• How to Poach Chicken
• Storage
• More Ways to Use Leftover Chicken
• 📋 Recipe

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make healthy chicken salad:

• Shredded chicken - Use rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken from last night's dinner, or freshly poached chicken (see the section below.) It works with leftover turkey too!
  • Note: You'll need about 3 cups of processed chicken or 2-3 cooked chicken breasts that weigh about 16 ounces in total.
• Mayonnaise - Use your favorite kind!
• Sour cream or use plain Greek yogurt for a healthy twist
• Dried tarragon leaves or Italian seasoning.
• Diced Celery gives this salad a nice crunch.
• Walnuts, pecans, or almonds also add texture.
• Dried cranberries or halved red grapes are optional but provide a sweet pop of flavor and color; Leave them out for a low-carb chicken salad.
• Salt and black pepper to taste.

Other items that add flavor and color: sliced green onions, diced red onion, fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or fresh tarragon.

Looking for a versatile chicken recipe that is easy to repurpose? Baked lemon pepper chicken and blackend chicken are both fantastic choices!

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.

Directions

Here's how to make this easy chicken salad recipe with leftover shredded chicken:

1. Shred leftover chicken with two forks or mixing beaters. You can also use a food processor or dice chicken into bite-sized cubes instead.
2. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, tarragon, salt, pepper, diced celery, and chopped walnuts in a large mixing bowl.
3. Mix shredded chicken with the dressing.
4. Enjoy in a roll or in a lettuce wrap!

How to Poach Chicken

To poach boneless, skinless chicken breasts, place 3-4 chicken breasts in a pot of water or broth. Bring water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. After the chicken cools, shred it with a fork or dice it.

Storage

Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Ways to Use Leftover Chicken

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📋 Recipe

This recipe was originally published on November 28, 2013 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.