Easy Chicken Salad Ideas for Leftover Chicken

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When you have leftover chicken sitting in the fridge, it’s a perfect excuse to whip up an easy chicken salad. Recently, I cooked a whole chicken in the slow cooker for my dog Zoe’s meals, and found myself with just enough shredded chicken to make a quick lunch for myself, too. I love recipes that use what I already have on hand, and chicken salad is one of the most flexible options out there.

In this post, I’ll share the version I made, plus a few easy chicken salad ideas you can mix and match depending on what’s in your kitchen.

📌 Save This Idea for Later! Save this to your Easy Meals or Lunch Ideas Pinterest board so you have it handy when you need a quick meal!

Ingredients for Basic Chicken Salad

(Exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below!)

• Cooked shredded or chopped chicken
• Mayonnaise
• Diced cucumber
• Diced celery
• Diced onion
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: spring greens or spinach mix
• Optional: tortillas, sandwich bread, or crackers for serving

How to Make Basic Chicken Salad

1. Chop your veggies. Dice cucumber, celery, and onion into small, even pieces.
2. Mix the salad. In a bowl, combine chopped chicken, diced vegetables, and a generous spoonful of mayonnaise. Stir until everything is coated.
3. Season to taste. Add salt and pepper. Start small—you can always add more if needed!
4. Serve. Spoon the chicken salad into tortillas for a wrap, pile it onto a bed of greens, or make a classic sandwich.

Variations to Try

For even more inspiration, you can check out this Whole30 Chicken Salad search page for diet-friendly ideas that still deliver flavor.

Once you have the basic idea down, there are so many ways to customize your leftover chicken salad! Here are a few favorites:

• Chicken Waldorf: Add diced apples, celery, and walnuts. Optional: a little plain yogurt mixed with the mayo.
• Grape & Nut: Toss in sliced grapes and either pecans or walnuts for a slightly sweet, crunchy version.
• Curry: Stir a bit of curry powder into the mayo for a savory twist. Add raisins, diced celery, and a squeeze of lemon if you like.
• Mediterranean: Mix in chopped cucumber, olives, and a drizzle of olive oil instead of mayo. Sprinkle with oregano.

Recipe Tips

• Start light with seasoning.
  It’s easy to over-season with salt or other seasonings like garlic powder or onion powder—taste as you go and adjust slowly.
• Use what you have.
  Chicken salad is endlessly adaptable. Swap ingredients based on what’s already in your fridge or pantry.
• Freshness matters.
  Fresh crunchy veggies like cucumber and celery or chopped nuts add the best texture contrast to the creamy chicken.

Chicken salad is flexible—the real goal is to mix a protein base with a creamy dressing, some crunchy bits, and seasoning to taste. Start with what you have!

You might also like my Mediterranean Cucumber Salad, which pairs well with the Mediterranean version of this chicken salad or just add your chicken to the cucumber salad recipe.

Chicken Salad Shortcut Ideas and Other Protein Options

Don’t have leftover chicken on hand but want to try out some of these salad variations? No problem! You can add a quick reminder to yourself using your phone’s voice assistant. I often use Alexa to keep a running shopping list—just say, “Alexa, add canned chicken to my grocery list,” and it’s saved for later. If you’re already building a more organized phone setup, this kind of task is a great fit for a Command Center Folder.

• Use canned chicken. A drained can of chicken makes a great quick substitute. It’s perfect when you need an easy shortcut.
• Buy pre-cooked chopped chicken. Some grocery stores sell pre-cooked chopped or shredded chicken, often in the deli section. Even pre-seasoned versions can work—just adjust your added salt carefully.
• Swap in canned tuna or leftover pork. You can easily adapt these mix-ins for canned tuna (for a tuna salad version) or even shredded leftover pork if you have some on hand.

Chicken salad is flexible—the real goal is to mix a protein base with a creamy dressing, some crunchy bits, and seasoning to taste. Start with what you have!

More Ideas for Using Leftover Chicken

If you have more cooked chicken on hand, you might also enjoy these ideas:

• Use leftover chicken in my Meal Plan for When You’re Tired for quick, low-effort dinners.
• Make my One-Dish Chicken Parmesan Casserole for a hearty, easy meal.
• Stir chicken into a comforting Turkey and Rice Soup—it’s easily adaptable!
• Serve this chicken salad between slices of Homemade Baguette for a simple sandwich.

Pair your meal with a glass of Southern Sweet Tea or refreshing Homemade Lemonade.

Have a pup in the household? You can also check out my Healthy Homemade Dog Stew Recipes if you’d like to stretch a slow-cooked chicken across meals for your whole family—two-legged and four-legged!

FAQ

What can I make with leftover cooked chicken?
You can turn leftover chicken into easy meals like chicken salad wraps, pasta, soup, casseroles, and more. This post shows a few favorite chicken salad ideas that are quick and customizable.

How long is leftover chicken good for?
Leftover cooked chicken is generally safe to eat for up to 3–4 days if stored properly in the fridge. If it’s been longer, it’s best to toss it.

What can I do with dry leftover chicken?
If your leftover chicken feels dry, mixing it into something creamy, like chicken salad with mayo, is a great way to bring back moisture and flavor.

Bring Your Own Twist

Chicken salad is one of those meals that works for just about any taste or schedule. Whether you’re tossing together a quick lunch with canned chicken or layering up a deluxe wrap with crunchy greens, it’s all about making it your own.

Use what you have, keep it simple, and enjoy every bite.