Chicken
$1.25per plate
Prep
15 min
Chicken · Chicken Salad
Budget Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is the smartest thing to do with leftover or rotisserie chicken, and it costs next to nothing to pull together. No cooking, one bowl, and about fifteen minutes turns a few cups of cooked chicken into a creamy, crunchy, tangy lunch or dinner for four at roughly $1.21 a plate. It piles onto sandwiches and wraps, scoops onto crackers, or fills lettuce cups for a lighter plate. This is the classic creamy version - cooked chicken, mayonnaise, celery, and onion, brightened with lemon or mustard - plus the swaps that keep it cheap (including canned chicken in a pinch) and the tricks that keep it from going bland or watery. For more ways to stretch a bird, see all our chicken recipes. At 2g of carbs a serving it also turns up in our low-carb dinner ideas, spooned over greens instead of bread. If eggs are what you have on hand instead of chicken, our egg salad recipe uses the same creamy mayo-and-celery formula for even less per plate.
$1.21per plate
Estimated recipe total
$4.85 · serves 4
Cook
0 min
Total
15 min
Serves
4
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/chicken-salad-recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Sharp knife or kitchen shears, for chopping the chicken
Variations
- Stir in a spoonful of curry powder and a handful of golden raisins for a curried chicken salad.
- Add chopped hard-boiled egg for extra protein and richness.
- Fold in a spoonful of Dijon and chopped fresh dill for a more herbal, tangy version.
1 How to make it
1
Chop the chicken
Cut or pull the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. A mix of small chunks and finer shreds gives the best texture: the shreds hold the dressing and the chunks keep it from turning to paste. Cold chicken from the fridge is easiest to chop.
2
Dice the crunch
Finely dice the celery and onion. Keep the pieces small so every forkful has a little crunch without a raw onion bite. This is where chicken salad earns its texture, so do not skip the celery even if you are tempted.
3
Mix the dressing in
In a bowl, combine the chicken, celery, and onion with the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon of mustard. Start with half the mayo and add more only if it looks dry. Overdressing is the number one way chicken salad goes gluey.
4
Chill and taste
Let the salad rest in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes if you have time, so the flavors settle. Taste again before serving and adjust the salt and lemon. Cold chicken salad needs a bit more seasoning than it does at room temperature.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Rotisserie chicken for cooked breast. A store rotisserie chicken gives you about three cups of meat and deep flavor for a low fixed price. Pulling the meat off the bone is the only extra step and it costs you nothing.
- Half mayo, half plain yogurt. Swapping half the mayonnaise for plain yogurt lightens the salad and stretches the mayo further. It also adds a little tang that brightens the whole bowl.
- Add grapes, apple, or relish. A handful of halved grapes, diced apple, or a spoon of pickle relish adds sweetness and crunch for pennies. Use whatever is already in the kitchen rather than buying something new.
- Canned chicken in a pinch. Two drained cans of chicken work when there is no cooked chicken around. Pat them dry first so the salad does not turn watery.
3 Budget tips
- Chicken salad is the best home for leftover roast or rotisserie chicken, so cook a little extra on purpose and this lunch is nearly free the next day.
- Buy mayonnaise in the big jar. It keeps for months and the price per spoonful is a fraction of the small squeeze bottles.
- Celery and onion are two of the cheapest vegetables in the store and a little goes a long way here, so one bunch of celery makes many batches.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Store chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a stir before serving, since the dressing settles.
Freezer
Chicken salad does not freeze well, as mayonnaise separates and the celery turns limp when thawed. Make only what you will eat within a few days.
Reheating
Chicken salad is served cold, so there is nothing to reheat. Keep it chilled until you eat it and do not leave it out for more than two hours.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
290
Protein
27g
Fat
19g
Carbs
2g
Estimates per serving of chicken salad, without bread, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What is chicken salad made of?
This chicken salad is made of cooked chicken, mayonnaise, diced celery, and a little onion, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon or a spoon of mustard. That is the classic creamy base; grapes, apple, or pickle relish are easy add-ins if you want them.
Can I use rotisserie or canned chicken?
Yes. Rotisserie or leftover roast chicken gives the best flavor for the least money - one bird yields about three cups. Canned chicken works in a pinch; drain it well and pat it dry first so the salad does not turn watery.
How do I keep chicken salad from getting watery?
Pat the cooked chicken (and any canned chicken) dry and dice the celery small so it does not weep. Start with half the mayonnaise and add more only if it looks dry - overdressing is the usual culprit. Bland salad just needs more salt and a squeeze of lemon.
Can I make chicken salad without celery?
You can, though celery is where most of the crunch comes from. Swap in diced pickles, apple, toasted nuts, or a little diced bell pepper so the salad still has some texture.
How long does chicken salad last, and can I freeze it?
Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and do not leave it out for more than two hours since it has mayonnaise. Do not freeze it - the mayonnaise separates and the celery turns limp when thawed, so make only what you will eat in a few days.
What can I serve with chicken salad?
Pile it on sandwich bread, a croissant, or a wrap, scoop it onto crackers, or spoon it into lettuce cups for a lighter plate. A side of fruit or chips rounds it out for lunch.
How is $1.21 a plate figured?
About $4.85 for the batch, divided across four servings, which is roughly $1.21 each before any bread. Using leftover or rotisserie chicken you already bought makes the real cost even lower.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 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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