Pantry
$1.23per plate
Prep
10 min
Pantry · Canned Chicken
Canned Chicken Salad Melts
Canned chicken is one of the most underrated pantry staples: fully cooked, shelf-stable, and cheap. Mixed with a little mayo and celery it becomes a quick chicken salad, and piled on toasted English muffins under melted cheese it turns into a warm, satisfying melt. Dinner for four comes together in fifteen minutes with almost no cooking, for about a dollar sixty-five a plate. Keep a couple cans on the shelf and you always have a dinner on hand.
$1.65per plate
Estimated recipe total
$6.60 · serves 4
Cook
5 min
Total
15 min
Serves
4
1 How to make it
1
Make the chicken salad
Drain the canned chicken well and flake it into a bowl. Mix with the mayo, celery, and seasonings until it holds together. Draining well keeps the salad from being watery.
2
Toast the muffins
Split and lightly toast the English muffins so they stay sturdy under the topping and do not go soggy.
3
Top and broil
Pile the chicken salad on each muffin half, top with cheese, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles. Watch closely; the broiler works fast.
4
Serve warm
Serve the melts hot, with a simple side salad or chips. A squeeze of mustard or hot sauce is good on top.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Canned tuna or salmon. Either makes the same melt for a similar or lower price. See our tuna patties and salmon patties for more.
- Leftover shredded chicken. A cup and a half of leftover cooked chicken replaces the cans; use up a batch from earlier in the week.
- Bread or a bun. No English muffins, use sliced bread, a bun, or a tortilla. Any sturdy base works.
- Greek yogurt for mayo. Swap in plain yogurt for a lighter, tangier salad if that is what you have.
3 Budget tips
- Canned chicken is fully cooked and shelf-stable, so it turns into dinner with no cooking and no waste. Stock up when it is on sale.
- Stretch the salad with extra celery or a diced apple to make more servings for pennies.
- Buy cheese as a block and shred it yourself; it melts better and costs less than pre-shredded.
- This works with any canned protein you have, so it is a great use-up-the-pantry dinner.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate the chicken salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Toast the muffins and melt fresh at serving time.
Freezer
Chicken salad with mayo does not freeze well, so keep it in the fridge and use within a few days.
Reheating
Assemble and broil melts fresh for the best texture. Leftover chicken salad is also great cold in a sandwich or wrap.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
340
Protein
28g
Fat
16g
Carbs
22g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
Is canned chicken already cooked?
Yes. Canned chicken is fully cooked and just needs draining, which is what makes it such a fast, no-cook pantry dinner. Drain it well so the salad is not watery.
How do I make canned chicken taste better?
Drain it well, then mix with mayo, crunchy celery, and seasoning. Toasting the base and melting cheese on top adds warmth and richness that hides the from-a-can texture entirely.
Can I use tuna or salmon instead?
Absolutely. Canned tuna or salmon makes the same melt at a similar price. It is a flexible formula for whatever canned protein is cheapest that week.
How is the per-plate cost figured?
About $6.60 for the batch, four melts, so roughly $1.65 each. The two cans of chicken drive the number, so it pays to buy them when they are on sale.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
- Mixing bowls set. A set of nesting bowls handles prep, mixing, and marinades without dirtying every dish in the house. Best for mixing meatball and patty mixtures, tossing ingredients, and holding prepped components.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
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