Oh, chicken salad. It’s a summer potluck favorite and was a staple alongside sweet tea at your grandma’s house. But the tried-and-true version of the creamy chicken dish has grown a bit, well, tired. That’s why we’ve found 12 inventive twists on chicken salad to spice up—sometimes literally—the traditional summer recipe.
12 Chicken Salad Recipes You’ve Never Tried Before
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Published May 3, 2019
Avocado Chicken Salad
This chicken salad recipe is full of healthy fats, thanks to our good friend avocado. Plus, thanks to the creaminess of our favorite veggie (um, fruit?), you can go extra light on the mayo.
Cashew Cream Ginger Dukkah Spice Chicken Salad
This non-traditional chicken salad from Coterie member Carlene Thomas is about to be your new lunch staple. It’s all about the dukkah spice blend, a combo of cumin, sesame seeds, coriander and peanuts.
Everything Bagel Chicken Salad
Why top a bagel with chicken salad when you can just add the bagel seasonings to the chicken? (And it’s gluten-free if you serve it on a slice of sweet potato.)
Whole30 Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is no longer off-limits on the Whole30 diet. (This version gets its creaminess from a quarter cup of tahini.)
Indonesian Chicken Salad
Forget the mayo. This chicken salad’s dressing is a delicious combo of peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha, ginger and rice wine vinegar.
Meal Prep Friendly Tofu Tahini Lunch Salad
For your meatless Monday lunch, try this chicken-less tofu salad with classics like grapes and celery.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppers
This is totally going to be a thing: vibrant bell peppers stuffed with chicken salad. The colors! The flavors! The Insta-worthy photos!
Healthy Pumpkin Seed And Avocado Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Just because chicken salad has mayo doesn’t mean you can’t add more condiments when you make a sandwich. Case in point: This pumpkin seed pesto from Coterie member Monique Volz.
Orange Poppyseed Chicken Salad
Lighten up the classic chicken salad with a citrus-based dressing, red grapes and chunks of cashews.
Curried Chicken Salad With Spiralized Cucumbers
Curry powder adds a kick to this chicken salad packed with raisins, celery and almonds. Plus, there’s another modern twist—no pun intended—thanks to spiralized cucumbers.
Skinny Southwest Chicken Salad
Toss in your favorite southwestern ingredients, like corn, black beans and green onions. Along with taco seasoning and tortilla chips, this is one tasty chicken salad we can get behind.
Chicken Salad Sandwich With Rhubarb-raspberry Preserves
Celebrate rhubarb season and add the fruity preserves to a chicken salad sandwich. And if you really want to splurge, swap the wheat bread for a croissant. Brunch will never be the same.