This BBQ chicken salad is great for sandwiches or with crackers. It also makes a great party bite as a slider! Chicken salad is one of my favorite things to pack for lunch at a horse show and is a great way to use leftover chicken. I also have this recipe for BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad if you're looking for something with similar flavors.
Recipe Notes & Tips
Chicken: This recipe needs about 2.5 cups of cooked chicken (diced or shredded). BBQ chicken would be the best, but a plain rotisserie would also work well. Just consider the flavors of any chicken you use. For example, certain flavors like lemon pepper might not go well with the BBQ flavors in this recipe. Need to make chicken to use for this recipe? Use a recipe like this one for Easy Roasted Chicken Breasts (substitute a BBQ dry rub for the Italian seasoning) or this recipe for Quick BBQ Chicken (recipe by Budget Bytes).
BBQ Sauce: Use any BBQ sauce of your choice.
There are several ways to serve this BBQ chicken salad. Use it to make sandwiches or sliders, or serve it with crackers for an easy snack or light lunch. You can also spoon it into lettuce cups for a lighter option. For a little extra crunch, try adding diced pickles, chopped green onions, or a handful of shredded cabbage. A sprinkle of sliced green onions on top also adds a nice fresh flavor and a pop of color.
Variations: Make sliders, wraps, tea sandwiches, or lettuce wraps. You can also add some chopped dill pickles or sliced green onions.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips: Chicken salad can generally be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. Assemble sandwiches the night before or the day of. Do not freeze. Chicken salad is not good once thawed from frozen because the mayo usually separates and makes the texture weird.
BBQ Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 12 slices bread
- 2½ cups cooked chicken diced small or shredded
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 rib celery diced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon BBQ sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (use ¼ teaspoon if using table salt)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until everything is well-combined.
- Divide chicken salad among the sandwiches. (If making ahead, store chicken salad in the fridge and assemble sandwiches shortly before serving.)
Nutrition
