Chicken Salad for Sandwiches
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Loaded with pecans, grapes, apples, and creamy mayo, this delicious chicken salad for sandwiches recipe is a quick, easy, and game-changing lunch.
This classic chicken salad for sandwiches recipe fits into the category of a “non-recipe” for me, but Mama swears up and down there is someone out there who would like to see how we make chicken salad. So, I’m gonna mind my Mama and post it. Whenever a Southerner “swears up and down” about something, it’s in your best interest to believe them!
I’ve previously shared my ham salad sandwich recipe, but today we’re focusing on chicken. Now, how many of you have tried Arby’s chicken salad sandwich? It is really good. I know some of you are thinking, “A chicken salad sandwich from a fast food place?”. Trust me, Arby’s is good but it doesn’t hold a candle to our recipe!
Our chicken salad for sandwiches is a quick and easy lunchtime option. But it’s also absolutely delicious! It includes an enticing combination of shredded chicken, grapes, diced apple, and pecans. Add in some creamy mayo, layer on some greens, and you have yourself an unbeatable sandwich. I’ve included lots of substitutions and additions below so you can truly make this classic chicken salad recipe your own. So, who’s ready for lunch?
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken
- Apple
- Pecans
- Grapes
- Mayonnaise
FYI, this is enough for two chicken salad sandwiches.
How To Make Chicken Salad For Sandwiches
Coarsely chop your pecans, grapes, and apples.
If your cooked chicken is in large pieces, give that a little chopping, too. Add about a half cup of mayonnaise.
Stir that up and add salt and pepper to taste. As you can see, I used about a 1/4 tsp of each.
I placed a few pieces of lettuce to line my wheat bread with and then piled it high!
Didn’t that make a pretty sandwich?
My Katy said it was too “puffy” so she fixed that for me. 🙂
Now doesn’t that look scrumptious!
Storage
Unfortunately, the mayo in this chicken salad recipe doesn’t always work out so well if you try to freeze and then thaw it. It would keep fresh in a sealed container for a couple of days. But there are rarely any leftovers after making these sandwiches.
Recipe Notes
- You can use any kind of chicken. This is a great way to use up any . I used some leftover smoked chicken, but you might like to use up a leftover rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, roasted chicken, or shredded poached chicken breast. Another option is to swap the chicken for turkey.
- Want to jazz this chicken salad sandwich recipe up a bit? Try some of these add-ins:
- Add different nuts. Cashews, sliced almonds, or walnuts would also go great with this salad.
- Slice up hard-boiled eggs and fold them in to increase your protein.
- Substitute the grapes for dried cranberries or raisins.
- Add extra flavoring, like 1 teaspoon of onion powder or garlic powder, Worchestershire sauce (that’s a mouthful LOL), 1/4 cup of Dijon mustard, or Morton’s seasoning salt.
- 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped dill, chives, parsley, or even is always a great addition.
- Speaking of dill, you can also add 1 tablespoon of dill pickle relish.
- Add more veggies, like 1/2 red onion and 2 celery stalks (both finely chopped).
- Substitute the mayo for ranch dressing or your favorite salad dressing (check out my chipotle ranch dressing).
- Layer more vegetables on your sandwich too, like fresh tomato slices, cucumber, or a spread of avocado. Don’t forget the , either!
- Instead of spreading your chicken salad on a sandwich, simply toss it with lettuce to make a delicious salad. You can also serve it on my homemade dinner rolls, wrapped in a tortilla, or in
You may also enjoy these sensational chicken salad recipes:
Recipe for Caprese Salad with Chicken and Avocado
Treasure Found: Granny Jordan’s Chicken Casserole / Salad
Fresh Summer Salads with Simply Dressed Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked chicken chopped
- 1/2 cup grapes
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 small apple
- 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the apple, grapes, and pecans. Place in a bowl with the chicken, mayo, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined.1 cup cooked chicken, 1/2 cup grapes, 1/2 cup pecans, 1/2 cup mayo, 1 small apple, 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper
- Serve on a bed of lettuce or on lettuce-lined bread.
Nutrition
Funny, we have canned chicken, used to get a whole cannec chicken bones and all at the grocery store just like tinned Salmon or Tuna. Now we get flakes of chicken and canned breast meat. Maybe not fresh but sure helps when you crave chicken salad at midnight.
Yes it does Eva! I have never seen it in stores with the bones in it, that is interesting. I bet it also tasted better.
Hey Christy, you made me think of the first time I had chicken salad, I was 19, and on an adventure in 1973 or thereabouts, bought one at a truckstop on the reccomendation of my room mate and adventure leader. I loved it first taste, it had chicken, chopped walnuts and celery. It was on thick slices of fresh baked bread, and served with crispy French Fries. Only the second time I ate fries, and thinking back about the second time I everhad real honest to God chicken. My mother never bought chicken we lived in town so we couldn’t raise our own, and knew no one who did. I had lots of fried “chicken” but they were grouse, prairie chickens or pahtridges as my momma called them when she was being funny. First time I saw an actual chicken I was 6 and at my grandmother’s for my great grandmother’s funeral. Grammy was raising a couple of chickens for fresh eggs and “some decent chicken, since you couldn’t get any in the stores round here” she would have been in her late 60’s.
So much of what everyone ate then depended upon where they lived. It is so funny to think of that now when everything we could want is usually right there for us to choose from.
That little hand brought tears to my eyes. I miss my children because they’re grown and my grand babies cause my old baby chose to live 4 hours away. I could just kiss those little hands all day. Then eat them up! ( Southern thing y’all. Christy will understand.). We eat our babies up! LOLLOl
I completely understand Susan!! I miss those hands being that little some days.
When mine is done i put it together like a BLT I put bacon and lettuce on top I just don’t use tomatoes
Oh my goodness, I bet that is good!!
I add finely grated cabbage(about 1/4 small head) and finely chopped apple in my chicken salad with salad pickles,chicken,mayo,salt & pepper….delish!!
I bet that is fabulous Janet!!
Christy; I love Arbys chicken salad sandwich! When I first tried their chicken salad sandwich, I said wow this is awesome, that a fast food place makes a sandwich this delicious! And the sandwich is x large and and the filling has all the grapes,nuts,etc. and a very generous amount of filling! Love it! And I love that using your recipe,I can make it myself! Thank you for another great recipe!