12 Delicious Chicken Salad Upgrades—No Recipe Required

There are many tasty ways to take a classic dish like chicken salad and make it even more delicious. Our favorite way is to use one ingredient for an instant upgrade. Of course, chicken salad is delicious in its own right. It’s full of flavor, easy to prepare, and packed with protein to keep you full all afternoon—it has everything you need! It’s one of our go-tos for a quick and easy lunch, but if you are looking to spice up your lunchtime routine, all you need is one ingredient.

Why We Love Chicken Salad

Everyone loves an easy lunch or dinner, and chicken salad is just that. It also brings a sense of nostalgia that makes it taste even better. Beyond that, there are even more reasons to love chicken salad. 

• Quick and simple: Chicken is one of the easiest things to cook, whether you’re roasting a whole bird or gently poaching the breasts. And leftover chicken, whether you made it yourself or bought a rotisserie chicken, works great for chicken salad. Once you have that settled, all you need is one bowl and a few other ingredients, like lemon juice, mayonnaise, celery, and red onion, to complete the dish. 
  
• Endlessly versatile: Not only can you flavor it any which way, thanks to these ingredient suggestions below, but chicken salad can also be served in different ways. Pile scoops onto crisp lettuce leaves, pile it between slices of hearty bread, roll it up in tortillas, or simply serve it alongside crackers and crunchy vegetables.

12 Single-Ingredient Upgrades for Chicken Salad

Once you’ve nailed the basics and have a chicken salad recipe that you love, you're ready to start experimenting with some fun and unique flavors.

Fresh Fruit

Grapes are not an uncommon addition to chicken salad recipes—and for good reason. They are bright, sweet, and slightly crunchy, adding texture to the dish. Diced green apples add a combination of sweetness and tartness. It's technically a fruit, and avocado can add a wonderful creamy texture to chicken salad, especially if you aren’t a huge fan of mayonnaise. 

Dried Fruit

A handful of dried fruit adds some chewiness to chicken salad, plus a burst of sweetness. Whatever you have on hand will work—we’re partial to golden raisins, dried cherries and cranberries, diced apricots, or roughly chopped prunes. 

Spice Mixes

Look no further than your spice cabinet for new flavors. Pre-made spice mixes like curry powder, baharat, and ras el hanout each have a unique flavor to add to chicken salad. Even flavored salts like celery salt and garlic salt can take the salad up a notch. 

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes will add an instant bold flavor to your chicken salad. They are bright, ever-so-slightly briney, and are an especially great addition if you want tomato flavor while tomatoes aren’t necessarily in season. Just chop them finely and stir them in with all the other ingredients. 

Roasted Garlic

Here's another reason to keep roasted garlic in the refrigerator: It adds a familiar and comforting flavor without having your chicken salad be overpowered by garlic. Mash a clove or two (it’s very strong, so start small) into the bowl with the mayonnaise and lemon juice.

Fresh Herbs

Herbs are one of the best ways to liven up an otherwise run-of-the-mill dish. Lift and lighten your next batch by adding a handful of finely chopped fresh basil, dill, or tarragon (go easy with this one – a little goes a long way).

Pickles

The zippy vinegar flavor of pickles can brighten a chicken salad and make it feel new. Try adding some finely chopped kosher dills, cornichons, or even bits of pickled red onion or pepperoncini. Pickled chiles such as jalapeños are great if you want to add a touch of heat. If all you have on hand is pickle relish, scoop and go with that. 

Nuts

Nuts are often added to chicken salad. They incorporate crunch and a little healthy fat into the mix. Our favorites are buttery roasted cashews, pecans, and walnuts. 

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Can’t choose between chicken salad and egg salad? Who said you have to? If you have a few leftover hard-boiled eggs on hand, give them a rough chop and stir them in for added protein.

Chutney

Store-bought chutneys made with mango, dried fruit, tomatoes, tamarind, and even coconut are fun to add to your chicken salad. Mix a couple of spoonfuls in and whichever you choose, lean into the flavors in the chutney–for instance, if one contains cilantro, another pinch or two of the fresh herb will be more than welcome.  

Condiments

This one might seem obvious, but condiments can be your best friend when you’re looking to add instant flavor to a dish like chicken salad. Add a squeeze of hot sauce, a spoonful of sharp mustard, or a little Thai chili sauce—then drive home the Thai-inspired flavor by adding curry paste, soy sauce, and fresh cilantro; garnish with crunchy peanuts to bring it all home. 

Potato Chips

We love to add crunch to chicken salad sandwiches. Instead of piling the chips on top of your sandwich, crumble a handful or two directly into the mixture at the last minute. Most will stay crisp, while others will blend in with everything else, leaving you with an irresistible texture.