23 Hearty Salads With Chicken

If you’re looking for classic mayo-based chicken salad (the kind you spread on a sandwich or spoon into a lettuce cup), this isn’t quite that. Instead, these salads with chicken pair juicy roasted, grilled, or store-bought rotisserie chicken with crisp greens, noodles, grains, and bright dressings, turning what might be a side dish into a satisfying meal. Panko-crusted cutlets? Sure, those are here too.
Some of our favorite chicken dinner salads are classic American fare, like a chicken Caesar or a Cobb salad. Others are comfort food disguised as salad, like a cold noodle salad and a warm piccata-inspired one. And many invite you to embrace the leftovers from last night’s roast chicken, cutting down on prep—and that makes dinner closer than you think.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Emily Eisen1/23Chicken Cobb Salad
This chicken salad recipe is not your typical Cobb. It skips the iceberg, hard-boiled eggs, and cold bacon bits in favor of lacy frisée, jammy eggs, and—pièce de résistance—a warm bacon vinaigrette. Reviewers report adding croutons and blue cheese with good results.
Photographs by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou2/23Caesar Salad Roast Chicken
Caesar salad topped with shrimp, salmon, or chicken may be everywhere these days, but a really good one is hard to come by. Here, we brush the chicken with anchovy mayo for umami punch, then double down on schmaltz by tossing the croutons in the leftover fat.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Gerri Williams3/23Halal Cart Chicken Salad
Inspired by a street food staple, this recipe might be one of our favorite ways to use a rotisserie chicken. Iceberg lettuce and cherry tomatoes are crunchy and bright against warm, spiced rotisserie chicken, topped with lots of tangy yogurt dressing.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley4/23Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad
For a weeknight-friendly riff on lemon-pepper wings, rub boneless, skinless chicken thighs generously with lemon-pepper seasoning, then broil until crispy. Served with a simple green salad and a creamy dressing.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman5/23Som-Tam-Style Chicken Salad
This Thai-inspired summer salad calls for green beans and nectarines, but any stone fruit will work. Swap in peaches, plums, or cherries—and in the fall, try inky black grapes.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kaitlin Wayne, prop styling by Stephanie De Luca6/23Chicken Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce
Transform leftovers into an easy chicken dinner with this medley of ramen noodles, romaine lettuce, and cucumber, dressed with a fiery chile-peanut sauce.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams7/23Grilled Buttermilk Chicken With Summer Salad
You could serve this salad one of two ways: Spoon the cucumber-tomato salad over char-marked chicken breasts, or slice the chicken into batons and toss with the rest of the ingredients.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.8/23Summer Goddess Chicken Salad
Showered with fresh herbs, this colorful chicken salad tastes like canceling plans and lolling around in the sunshine for the rest of the afternoon.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Christina Allen9/23Smoky Chicken and Avocado Kale Salad
Remember in 2018 when we were all massaging kale? Well, we’re still doing it, but this time with smashed avocado and lime juice. This not-to-be-missed step softens tough leaves, making a nice bed of greens to snuggle your chicken slices into. Pile leftovers on sliced focaccia for an upgraded chicken salad sandwich.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni10/23Warm Chicken Piccata Salad
Think: Classic chicken piccata, but make it salad. A warm lemon-caper vinaigrette brightens pleasantly bitter radicchio, and a shower of toasted panko adds crunch to every bite. Oh, and let’s not forget about the juicy seared chicken breasts.
Photography by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jamie11/23Chicken Salad With Citrus and Chile Oil
A dynamic duo of bitter lettuces and sweet satsumas makes a dramatic backdrop for seared-then-roasted chicken breasts. Boneless breasts cook faster, but are prone to drying out, which is why we prefer juicier bone-in breasts here.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Plates by Meilen Ceramics12/23Healthyish Chicken Salad
Instead of mayonnaise, toss poached chicken breasts and cucumbers in a savory tahini dressing, then mix with your favorite salad greens. The result tastes like a lazy lunch in the sunshine but packs up well enough for a desk-side meal between meetings.
13/23Spring Chicken Salad With Smashed Green Beans
This Niçoise-ish salad artfully arranges poached chicken with colorful spring veggies, chive matchsticks, and a drizzle of tangy Dijon mustard dressing. Smashing the green beans opens up their pores so they can better soak in all the flavors.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski14/23Grilled Chicken and Quinoa With Matcha Dressing
The green goddess–like dressing for this salad gets a dash of matcha, turning it a vibrant shade of green and giving the rich ingredients a balancing boost of bitterness.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni15/23Laotian-Style Chicken and Rice Salad
Toss crispy, golden rice and ground chicken with lots of fresh herbs and a nuoc cham-style dressing for this savory bright dinner salad recipe. We encourage you to eat it with your hands.
16/23Chopped Dinner Salad With Crispy Chickpeas
We love chopped salad recipes for meal prepping. You can slice vegetables, shred chicken, fry chickpeas, and whip up a vinaigrette in advance, then assemble and dress in batches.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Sean Dooley17/23Bob’s Chicken and Cabbage Salad
“This recipe is worth my whole subscription,” one reviewer writes. “I’ve made it at least a dozen times and could easily enjoy it every week.” Enough said.
Alex Lau18/23Crispy Thai Chicken Salad
Breathe new life into a rotisserie chicken by shredding the meat, then crisping it in a skillet. But that’s just one component of this dynamic dish: Granny Smith apples and dried sour cherries (cranberries work too) add sweet-tart pops to this quick, Thai-inspired salad with chicken.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by D’mytrek Brown19/23Warm Chicken and Swiss Chard Salad
Oil, vinegar, and—the secret ingredient—chicken schmaltz make a simple, but layered vinaigrette for quickly blanched Swiss chard and seared chicken thighs.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott20/23Noodle Salad With Chicken and Chile-Scallion Oil
When you need a meal fast, turn to this highly riffable Sichuan noodle salad. Cut down the cook time with pre-made chile oil and store-bought rotisserie chicken, then pack the leftovers for lunch tomorrow—no reheating needed.
Peden & Munk21/23Pomegranate Molasses Chicken With Bulgur Salad
Marinate chicken in sweet-tart pomegranate molasses for a glossy, shellac-like finish, then serve it with a colorful bulgur salad, jeweled with pistachios, mint, and dried currants.
Danny Kim22/23Cabbage Slaw With Chicken, Peanuts, and Kimchi
For a ridiculously easy salad, toss leftover chicken, mushrooms, and kimchi onto a bed of cabbage, tie it all together with a homemade salad dressing, and call it lunch.
Photo by Alex Lau23/23Crisp and Crunchy Chicken Salad
Deeply browned thighs and a pile of raw, crunchy vegetables make this salad with chicken anything but boring. Toss everything with a splash of red wine vinegar and finish with crushed pita chips for extra texture.

