This chicken salad recipe is savory and crunchy in a creamy sauce! It also is the most versatile recipe. This chicken salad can be served hot or cold, in a wrap, on greens or on bread. Any way you serve it up it is great! You will love it!
RELATED: If you need a new sandwich recipe try these delicious creations. I have a great list there. While I love love love this chicken salad sandwich recipe my all-time favorite sandwich is the Caprese Sandwich.
Chicken Salad Recipe
This recipe is from my friend Di. She is a fabulous cook! How can you ever forget her amazing Monster Cookie Dough Dip! That is one of the all time favorite recipes here at Skip to my Lou. Each year a group of us gather together to make sack lunches for our children’s teachers during teacher appreciation week. Di always makes her Chicken Salad Sandwiches and is always asked for the recipe!
This chicken salad recipe has a secret ingredient… one I typically never cook with. In fact, I go to great lengths to not use this ingredient in my recipes, note my chicken and rice casserole and creamy chicken enchiladas. While I was going to figure out a way to make a substitution, I realized it just works and this isn’t something we eat all the time! So the can of soup stays! Yes, this yummy chicken salad has a whole can of cream of mushroom soup. You too will have to give it a try!
Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups cooked chicken chopped (I use 5 cups)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1-2 cups celery chopped (I use 1 cup)
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (I like to use Seasoned Salt)
- 1 small can sliced water chestnuts drained and chopped
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 2 Tablespoons pimento chopped (optional)
- potato chips for casserole topping
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper. Chill. Serve on bread, a bed of lettuce, half a cantaloupe or in a wrap. Delish!For casserole. place chicken salad in oven safe dish. Top with crushed potato chips and bake at 250 degrees for 30-45 minutes.
Nutrition
How to Cook Chicken Easy!
I am sure this chicken salad could be made with rotisserie chicken to speed up the prep time. I speed it up with my Instant Pot. Place 4-5 good-sized chicken breast in the instant pot, along with 1/2 cup water, 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, half an onion, salt, and pepper. Cook at high pressure for 12 mins. Use natural release for 10 minutes for extra tender chicken. No worries if you don’t have celery, onions, and carrots it will cook just fine with salt and pepper. While the chicken is cooking I prepare the rest of the chicken salad ingredients.
If you like your chicken salad savory and sweet slice a couple of cups of grapes in half and toss them in. Makes for a great chicken salad with grapes. Yum!
Need some delicious salad recipes? Don’t miss these.
I would love to keep you fully stocked with creative ideas, yummy recipes, fun crafts, and loads of free printables. Subscribe to Skip to my Lou to get new ideas delivered to your inbox. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for all my latest updates.
Are you making the same recipe just replacing the chicken with the crab? Crab does tend to be a little sweeter so I am not sure how it would work.
What an interesting use for cream of soup! I’m planning to make a shrimp/imitation crab salad for a group. Would it be good in that salad? I can’t imagine how this would taste!
I typically don’t use canned soups in my recipes either, due to the amount of sodium found in most of them. Sometimes I have been able to find low sodium soup products so now I look for them. I’m definitely going to make this, sounds yummy!
Theresa, no it doesn’t get cooked for chicken salad sandwiches. I have never had a problem. I have been making it for over 15 years….. and a lot. It is my go-to party recipe, great to take for a friend in need, easy lunches and more.
YOU DON’T COOK THE MUSHROOM SOUP?
Just checking….Is the 250 degree oven the correct temp for making this as a casserole? That seems too low to me! 😬 Thanks!
I am so glad to get this recipe. I have eaten it with and without the grapes and it is delish. Have wanted the recipe. Thanks.
This is a large number of servings. Is it possible to freeze half of it?
This is THE best chicken salad I have ever had! I had no idea there was soup in the recipe – you can not detect it. It has the perfect mix of seasoning and crunch. Cindy made it for me and added red grapes – a wonderful addition! This is my new favorite chicken salad recipe! Thank you, Cindy!!
This is a great recipe. It is easy to make. It is a favorite of my family’s.
looks good to me….
Awesome! This was great this weekend for a family gathering!.