28 Chicken Salad Recipes That Aren't Drowning in Mayo
We love classic chicken salad, but we also love to mix it up. Here are 28 chicken salad recipes, including some healthy ones, that are a far cry from the mayo-heavy ones of your childhood.
Peden + Munk1/28Chicken Salad with Haricots Verts
Does the world need another chicken salad? Yep. This mayo-free one, with herby roasted (not poached) chicken and a mustardy dressing will convince you.
- Photo by Marcus Nilsson2/28
Green Goddess Cobb Salad
To make addictively crispy chicken skin for this cobb salad recipe, turn it often in the skillet, until it looks like bacon.
- Peden + Munk3/28
Grilled Chicken with Arugula and Warm Chickpeas
Chicken thighs are appealingly fatty, but this can sometimes cause flare-ups when grilling. Bank the coals before igniting so that you have a cooler side, and move the chicken there if needed.
- Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott4/28
Noodle Salad with Chicken and Chile-Scallion Oil
This bracing dish offers a taste of China's Sichuan Province and needs no reheating or additional prep at lunchtime.
- 5/28
Crispy Chicken Breasts with Chermoula and Escarole
Chermoula, a spice and herb sauce popular in Morocco and Tunisia, can be used as a marinade or condiment for these crispy chicken breasts over escarole.
- 6/28
Three-Pea Chicken Salad
Gently poach chicken breasts, or use purchased rotisserie chicken for this bright salad.
- 7/28
Chicken, Apple, and Fennel Salad
You know what most chicken salads are missing? Crunch. Not this one!
- 8/28
Chicken, Mango, and Black Rice Salad
Lemongrass-scented chicken thigh is the perfect base for this salad spiked with mango and black rice. A sesame-miso vinaigrette kicks things up a notch.
- 9/28
Chicken Salad with Grains and Pistachios
Grains like farro, rice, or barley give this salad a hefty bite, with help from fragrant toasted pistachios.
- Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott10/28
Chicken Salad with Crème Fraîche and Rye
We’d serve this dressed-down chicken salad for brunch, pack it for lunch, or make it as a light dinner on a hot summer night.
- Danny Kim11/28
Asian Chicken and Cabbage Salad
Although the recipe calls for flavorful Asian chicken, you can serve the cabbage slaw with any protein you like.
- Peden & Munk13/28
Pomegranate Molasses Chicken with Bulgur Salad
The sugars in the marinade can burn; moderate the heat if the chicken looks like it’s getting too dark.
- 14/28
Shredded Chicken Breast and Noodle Salad
Udon noodles and chicken breast are a match made in easy lunch heaven.
- 15/28
Chicken, Cabbage, and Tangerine Salad
Forget canned mandarin oranges. Fresh tangerines make this Asian-inspired chicken salad pop.
- 16/28
Chicken Salad with Herbs and Aleppo Pepper
This chicken feels light and summery. That’s because there’s no mayo, just lots of herbs and spiced pita chips.
- 17/28
Grilled Chicken Salad with Garlic Confit
Is there anything that golden brown garlic, simmered to tender perfection, can't improve? This salad assures that the answer is "no."
- Alex Lau18/28
Harissa Chicken Salad
This recipe is so easy, you don't even need one. A little weekend planning is the key to a workday lunch you'll actually be excited to eat.
- Eva Kolenko19/28
Spinach and Chicken Waldorf
This classic epitomizes the range of flavors and textures in Hillstone’s salads, hitting every note on the salty-sweet-chewy-crunchy spectrum.
- Alex Lau20/28
Spaghetti Squash and Avocado Chicken Salad
Spaghetti squash is really more like a rice noodle then spaghetti, so we riffed on a cold noodle salad. This would be great with leftover sliced steak or pork, too.
- Danny Kim21/28
Chicken Salad with Celery, Scallions, and Marinated Cucumbers
A quick bath in vinegar gives cucumbers an acidic bite, helping to anchor this shockingly simple salad of chicken, celery, and scallions.
- Danny Kim22/28
Chicken and Asian Pear Salad
Pears perfectly lighten up leftover braised chicken thighs with mustard and chestnuts. A piquant whole grain mustard walnut vinaigrette brings everything together.
- Danny Kim23/28
Cabbage Slaw with Chicken, Peanuts, and Kimchi
Where's the line between slaw and salad? Don't care? Make this.
- 24/28
Thai Ginger Chicken Salad
Ginger and chicken are the headliners of this salad, but the greens and herbs are the unsung heroes: cilantro, mint, basil, and large butter lettuce leaves.
- Jason Lowe25/28
Chicken and Green Papaya Salad
The difference between this papaya salad and a Thai-style one comes down to spice and sugar, says chef and author David Tanis. The Vietnamese one is sweeter and less hot. Have all the ingredients assembled, but dress the salad just before serving.
- Laura Murray26/28
Spicy Chicken and Cabbage Salad
Pro move: Save the spicy broth and sprinkle with some chopped cilantro or scallions to sip on later.
- Alex Lau27/28
Crispy Thai Chicken Salad
A half a cup of olive oil may seem like whoa, too much, but that's the key to crisping up the chicken.
- Alex Lau28/28
Herbed Chicken Salad over Crispy Rice
As you’re crisping the rice for this chicken salad recipe, the leeks and carrots may look very dark. Don’t be scared or angry at us; the veggies aren’t burnt, they’re just deeply caramelized and will add lots of flavor to the final dish. Check out step-by-step photos here.