Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

These chicken salad sandwiches are always the star of the show when I am hosting a luncheon or a baby or bridal shower. The sweet, slightly savory sauce is mixed with tender chunks of chicken, sliced grapes, and cashews and is perfect served on croissants or rolls. This delicious chicken mixture can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until party time. I’ve also made these to take along on picnics, lake trips, and family reunions. It’s easy to make, looks beautiful, and tastes absolutely delicious.

Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe Ingredients

This chicken salad sandwich is always a go-to for making during large crowds for celebrations! We love how light and tasty it is and a perfect grab-and-go type of luncheon while enjoying each other company! The ingredients are fresh and delicious in every bite!

Chicken – Cook and shred or cut up the chicken ahead of time. Smaller bite-sized pieces are best for chewy and taking a bite into with the sandwich. Mayonnaise – This is the creamy base that is stirred into the chicken salad. It is best to use mayonnaise and not the salad dressing type. Seasoning – Garlic powder and onion powder add in an onion and garlic flavor combination! Grapes – Wash your grapes and slice them in half or quarters to mix together. We used red grapes since they are sweeter than green grapes. Try to find large grapes for this ingredient. Cashews – Chopped cashews will give it a crunchy texture in every bite. Celery – Chop the celery into small, tiny pieces. Just enough to have a sweet, watery flavor but also very subtle. Green leaf lettuce – Assemble the chicken salad sandwich with a large leafy lettuce piece for a refreshing bite! Bread – Croissants, pita pockets, tortilla wraps, sliced bread, or rolls are all great types of sandwich bread for this chicken salad sandwich recipe.

Methods for Preparing the Chicken

There are a couple of easy methods to get perfectly cooked shredded chicken. Choose between a slow cooker, and stovetop, or purchasing chicken to make it easier. All these options make the best chicken salad recipe!

Slow cooker – The one I like the best is using a slow cooker. When I need cooked chicken for a recipe, I place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours with about a ½ cup of chicken broth per 3 chicken breasts. Sometimes I add seasonings depending on what type of recipe I am preparing. After it is no longer pink, I remove the chicken and shred it. Stovetop – Another method is to boil the chicken on the stovetop. Place the chicken in a saucepan and cover the chicken with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the chicken is no longer pink about 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and allow to cool, then shred the meat with two forks. Storebought – If I’m really pressed for time, I use the Kirkland Signature brand canned chicken from Costco or I buy a rotisserie chicken and remove the meat from the chicken and shred it. All of these methods work well for the chicken salad filling.

Cooking Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot

My favorite way to make shredded chicken is in the Instant Pot which is also known as a pressure cooker. I love it because it is fast, it cooks evenly, and the chicken comes out perfectly shreddable every time. I also love that you can cook the chicken from frozen (which is not recommended in a slow cooker). Shredded chicken in the Instant Pot couldn’t be easier! Follow these simple steps to make instant pot shredded chicken.

Variations for the Chicken Salad Sandwich

This easy chicken salad recipe is a quick lunch or light dinner that is simple to make and tastes delicious! The flavor is incredible from a sweet, crunchy bite, to a savory and delicious flavor. Your tastebuds will be thanking you!

Chicken – Since the chicken needs to be made ahead of time. This is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. If you need to make it ahead of time try using one of our favorite methods with the instant pot, or stovetop, or if you are out of time use a canned or rotisserie chicken. Grapes – We used red grapes, you are welcome to do a mixture of green and red grapes or only green grapes. Apple – We don’t have apples on the ingredient list but add a chopped apple instead of grapes for a different variation of chicken salad sandwich. It will also give a slightly different crunch! Nuts – Add an extra flavorful crunch with pecans, almonds, or walnuts in the chicken salad mixture. Make sure the nuts are chopped though. You can either chop them yourself or buy a bag of chopped nuts. Mayonnaise – If you don’t have mayonnaise try using sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt. Both of these are great substitutes as well as give the thickness and flavor the chicken salad needs. Onion – Add a pretty red onion to the chicken salad sandwich! Either dice it into small pieces and add to the chicken salad mixture or slice it to assemble on the sandwich. Fruit – Try it with other types of fruit in the chicken salad mix! Dried cranberries are delicious as well as Low carb – Make it a low-carb option with lettuce wraps for the chicken salad.

What to Serve with Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Chicken salad sandwiches are the perfect picnic sandwich and they pair well with so many different kinds of side dishes. Here are some of our favorites:

Storing Leftovers for Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

Place the chicken salad mixture into the refrigerator in an airtight container for two to three days. When ready to make a sandwich or enjoy the chicken salad, stir it before using. Then add the leftover chicken salad to a type of bread of your choice or butter lettuce for a lettuce wrap.