How long does chicken salad keep?

We recommend eating this chicken salad fairly quickly for the best texture and flavor! Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two before the grapes and cucumber start to lose their crunch and the dressing begins to turn watery. We recommend spooning this easy chicken salad recipe onto your sandwiches just before serving; storing an already-prepared rotisserie chicken salad sandwich in the fridge can cause the bread to become soggy.

Should I eat chicken salad cold?

Yes! We recommend meal prepping the chicken ahead of time, either by making some slow cooker shredded chicken or breaking down a rotisserie chicken from the store. Chop or shred your cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, then store it in the fridge until you're ready to mix your chicken salad. When you're ready to eat, toss the cold chicken in with the dressing, grapes, and cucumbers! Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Can I use a different dressing?

Yes - in a pinch, we've made this chicken salad with store-bought caesar dressing, ranch dressing, buffalo chicken sauce, a curry yogurt dressing, and a sesame dressing. Note: Grapes don't always pair well with the strong flavors in other dressings; if you use an alternate dressing instead of the Greek yogurt/mayo mix we suggest here, we recommend leaving the grapes out .

What cheese goes best with a chicken salad sandwich?

If you'd like to add cheese, we recommend using a slice of provolone, swiss, or white cheddar!

Can I make this chicken salad without mayo?

Yes! Use additional Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise here if you like (we love the extra punch of protein you get from more Greek yogurt here!) If you don't love the taste of Greek yogurt, you can use a bit of olive oil in place of the mayonnaise (the dressing will be thinner, but you'll still get that rich balance to the tangy Greek yogurt flavor).

Pumpernickel Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Description

These easy chicken salad sandwiches are a perfect quick lunch!

Ingredients

Scale

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
kosher salt, to taste
2 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, quartered
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
8 slices pumpernickel bread
8 large pieces romaine or butter lettuce (optional)

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Instructions

In a large bowl, mix Greek yogurt and mayonnaise with a pinch of salt.
Add chicken, grapes, and cucumber and stir to combine.
Toast pumpernickel bread in a toaster, or spread the pieces out on a sheet pan and broil on high for 1-2 minutes.
Spread a generous helping of chicken salad on a slice of toasted pumpernickel. Top with some fresh lettuce and another slice of toasted bread. Serve immediately.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. For more depth of flavor, add a spoonful of dijon mustard to the dressing. Use pears or apples instead of grapes if you prefer. Add diced bell peppers, celery, avocado, shredded cabbage, crispy bacon, or toasted nuts (walnuts, pecans) to the chicken salad if you like. Use sourdough, wheat bread, homemade artisan bread, or small batch crusty bread in place of the pumpernickel. Skip the bread and make a tortilla wrap or lettuce wrap instead.

If you don't like the sourness of Greek yogurt, use additional mayonnaise in its place. (You'll definitely taste the Greek yogurt in this recipe!)

This is a very loose recipe - You can usually get away with eyeballing most of the ingredients. Just remember to taste as you go and adjust as needed!

Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.