This recipe for our favorite 15-minute chicken salad is perfect for lunch, dinner or sometime in between! Made with chicken breast, celery, red onion, parsley, mayo, and few extra flavor boosting ingredients. Savory, delicious, pantry friendly, and perfect for meal prep! Whole30 compatible, paleo friendly, dairy free, and keto friendly!

This chicken salad recipe is almost always on our meal prep list.

It’s an absolute staple!

Just like our recipes for Easy Tuna Salad, Curried Chicken Salad, Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds, or Deviled Egg Salad, this classic chicken salad is the best meal prep recipe that is perfect for lunch, dinner, or a wholesome snack somewhere in between.

It comes together in a matter of minutes, and actually tastes better after a night or two in the refrigerator (if it lasts that long!).

Make a big batch on Sunday or Monday and you’ll have an easy, ready-when-you-are lunch on hand to get the week started off on the right foot!

Why you’ll love this chicken salad

It is:

Easy to make
Savory
Fresh & full of texture
Satisfying
Herbaceous
Perfect for meal prep
Zippy
Seriously crave worthy!

Ingredients

This classic chicken salad is the type of recipe that may deceive you with the simplicity of the ingredients, but do not be fooled.

Something about these 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) bring this dish to LIFE in a very real way!

(If you’re ready to get started in making it, scroll all the way down to the bottom for the full recipe!)

Here’s exactly what you need to make it:

Cooked chicken breast – Rotisserie chicken, leftovers from a roasted chicken, or simple poached chicken breasts are all great options. We also love using the organic cooked chicken breast from Trader Joe’s to make chicken salad!
Celery – Thinly sliced of diced real small, the choice is up to you, but I wouldn’t skip the celery – it adds unbeatable texture + crunch!
Red onion – Red onion is always my first choice, but you could also substitute white onion, shallot, or even some thinly sliced green onion.
Parsley – I’m a parsley with everything type of gal, but it really does shine in this chicken salad recipe. You could skip it if you don’t have it on hand though, or substitute it with another fresh herb like cilantro or dill.
Mayo – Homemade avocado oil mayonnaise is what we usually use, but a store bought jar will also work!
Red wine vinegar – Red wine vinegar may seem out of place in a chicken salad recipe, but I promise it’s the perfect addition. The acidity brings all the other ingredients together in perfect harmony. It cuts through the richness of the mayo and lifts the herbaceous notes of the celery and parsley! White wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or lemon juice are all fine substitutes.
Salt and pepper – To taste!

How to make Chicken Salad

Making this super chicken salad is just a matter of prepping a handful of ingredients, and folding them together until well combined.

Literally could not be simpler to make!

Here’s the step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prep all ingredients

Dice chicken breast, slice the celery, dice the onion, chop the parsley, & measure the mayo, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Step 2: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl

In a large bowl mix together diced chicken breast, celery, red onion, parsley, sea salt, black pepper, mayo, and red wine wine vinegar. Mix to thoroughly combine.

Step 3: Serve!

Serve immediately or move to the refrigerator to store until ready to serve!

Serving suggestions

Often we’ll have this chicken salad for an easy lunch with cut veggies like cucumber, peppers, and carrots.

It’s also delicious over a bed of salad greens with some avocado and extra flaky sea salt + black pepper, or as the filling for a lettuce wrap!

And of course it can also alwaysss (always) be eaten between two slices of your favorite toasted bread with some lettuce for a delicious sandwich situation, inside a wrap, or with your favorite crackers!

How long will does chicken salad keep in the refrigerator?

Chicken salad is a perfect meal for meal prep, and should keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days!

And is super easy to take with you wherever you’re headed if you have it already portioned out in small container.

Love this Easy Chicken Salad Recipe? Here’s some other yummy chicken recipes to try!

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe.

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!