I think chicken salad is one of the most confusing food names ever. Is it a salad with chicken on it? Is it chicken made into a salad? I don’t know! I used to pass right over chicken salad on restaurant menus (mostly because I thought it was just salad with chicken on it – gross). But then I discovered the amazingness that is chicken salad, and now it’s my go-to.  Not to mention, it’s an easy option for dairy free and gluten free food at a restaurant. My favorite recipe is for rotisserie chicken salad. It is made with rotisserie chicken, an apple, a red onion, and a little bit of mayo. It’s quick and easy, and uses things that are almost always in my kitchen!

After completing Whole30, I struggled a lot with whether or not to make rotisserie chicken salad again. Not only was I concerned it wouldn’t be as good if I couldn’t eat it served on a flakey, buttery croissant, but also, I was used to mayo based salads being quite heavy on the mayo and I knew that wasn’t a healthy habit I should continue.

However, this recipe stands on its own! It’s a really great option to make on a Sunday night for meal prep and take to work for lunches. I just eat it right out of the container. Well, with a fork of course. But you know what I mean. In addition, I decided to make this with less mayo than most people probably would. Just enough to get everything to stick together. Not enough to get gross.

Rotisserie Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:
Rotisserie chicken (1)
Apple (1)
Red onion (1)
2 tbsp mayo (or more to preference)
Sliced almonds (to preference)
Dried cranberries (to preference)

Instructions:
1. Remove the meat from your rotisserie chicken
2. Dice the chicken, apple, and onion and place in a large bowl
3. Add the mayo, almonds, and cranberries
4. Mix everything together
5. Eat!

Of course rotisserie chicken salad can be easily customized too. One time I had pineapple cashew chicken salad that was served inside a scooped out pineapple. How clever and fun! You could easily swap the sliced almonds for chopped cashews and the diced apple for some diced pineapple. Voila! Summer rotisserie chicken salad. A healthy recipe that transcends seasons. What more could you want?

XOXO,
Tiffany

Pro tips:
*Use Whole30 approved mayo and leave out the dried cranberries to make this Whole30 approved.
*Switch up your apple choice to change up your flavor profiles – granny smith apples add a nice tartness, but you can’t go wrong with pink lady apples either!
*Store your rotisserie chicken salad in individual cups or mason jars to make mornings easier – just grab one and go!

Want more healthy recipes? Try my Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup or Maple Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash.

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