Make leftover chicken a star with this tasty chicken salad. Filled with chopped bell peppers, red onions, celery and fresh cilantro, this chicken salad is bursting with flavor.
Whip this quick salad together in less than 15 minutes and you have yourself a delicious lunch or light dinner.
Chicken salad with leftover chicken
Finding a delicious recipe to use up leftover chicken is such an amazing thing. This chicken salad is extra delicious and you'll find yourself cooking up some chicken just to make this salad.
This chicken salad has a light dressing and you control how much of the dressing gets added to the salad. If you like it a little dry, add a bit less or if you like it a bit creamier, add a bit more dressing.
Any leftover chicken works in this chicken salad. Try using leftover beer can chicken, oven baked chicken thighs, grilled lemon chicken or beer basted grilled chicken.
Key ingredients
- Chicken - cooked and chopped
- Veggies - bell peppers, celery and red onions
- Bacon - cooked crisp and chopped
- Cilantro - chopped
- Lemon - zest and juice
Step by step directions
- Add chopped chicken, bell peppers, celery, onions, bacon and cilantro to a large bowl. Toss all ingredients together
- In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients
- Add half the dressing to the salad. Toss to coat. Add a bit more dressing, depending on your taste.
- Add additional salt and pepper if needed
Recipe tips
- Try to cut all the veggies about the same size
- Don't add all the dressing at once. Start with half the dressing and then continue adding until it to your desired consistency
- Use any remaining dressing as a spread on bread or a tortilla wrap
- Store salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
Variations and substitutions
- Use cooked turkey in place of the chicken
- Replace red onion with chopped scallions
- Substitute cilantro for freshly chopped parsley
- Add pepperoncini peppers for a little extra spice
Serving suggestions
Eat this tasty salad in several different ways
- Add to a tortilla wrap
- Make into a sandwich
- Eat plain or on crackers
- Hollow out a tomato and stuff with this chicken salad
- Eat on a leaf of lettuce
Recipe Faqs
When stored covered in the refrigerator, this salad will be good for up to four days.
Use your favorite type of mayonnaise in this salad. Any type will work, regular, light or Miracle Whip.
More great chicken salad recipes
- Chicken salad with cranberries and pecans
- Orzo chicken salad
- Barley chicken salad
- Oriental chicken salad
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Try all my delicious salad recipes!
Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken (chopped)
- 4 slices bacon (cooked and chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 bell pepper (chopped)
- ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
- ¼ cup red onion (chopped)
Dressing
- ⅔ cup mayo
- 1 Tablespoon coarse ground mustard
- lemon zest from 1 lemon
- lemon juice from ½ lemon
- 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl
- Mix dressing ingredients together
- Add half the dressing to the salad mixture. Toss to coat. Add a bit more dressing until it's the consistency you like.
Notes
- Try to cut all the veggies about the same size
- Don't add all the dressing at once. Start with half the dressing and then continue adding until it to your desired consistency
- Use any remaining dressing as a spread on bread or a tortilla wrap
- Store salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
- Use cooked turkey in place of the chicken
- Replace red onion with chopped scallions
- Substitute cilantro for freshly chopped parsley
- Add pepperoncini peppers for a little extra spice
- Add to a tortilla wrap
- Make into a sandwich
- Eat plain or on crackers
- Hollow out a tomato and stuff with this chicken salad
- Eat on a leaf of lettuce
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in January 2015. The photos, text and recipe have all been updated with additional information.
Rudy says
Did not have the pepper or the bacon and it was absolutely fabulous. Best Chicken salad I have ever tasted.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Valentina says
Such a healthy, hearty and scrumptious looking salad. I often just serve a big main course salad like this for dinner -- especially during the warmer months. Love this one. Thanks, Kathy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy says
I agree! This becomes one of our summertime staples. So easy to pop into a cooler and take to the lake or out on a picnic.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Now this is a chicken salad! So many yummy uses! Can't wait to give this one a try, Kathy! Looks too good not to!
Kathy says
Enjoy! 🙂
David @ Spiced says
Ah, I absolutely love chicken salad, and this version looks fantastic, Kathy! We always keep rotisserie chicken meat in the freezer for recipes like this. I don't think we've ever added cilantro to chicken salad, though...what a fun twist! Definitely trying that next time we make a batch. 🙂
Kathy says
Keeping ready to go chicken in the freezer is such a great idea. Perfect for this salad and so many other quick recipes. 🙂
Fred G says
Can canned chicken be substituted?
Kathy says
Yes, just be sure to drain it well.
Matt says
Thanks for sharing, I like the idea of serving them on lettuce wraps. Good idea!
Kathy says
Thanks! I like to have lots of options!
CakePants says
I love chicken salad too! This looks great - so many ideas for things I haven't tried in chicken salad. The cilantro and bacon sound especially tasty 🙂
Kathy says
Chicken salad certainly is versatile!