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Chicken salad isn’t just for the summer months! This Hot Chicken Salad recipe takes the ease and tastiness of my delicious chicken salad sandwiches and transitions it into a cool-weather fan favorite.
What are Hot Chicken Salad Sandwiches?
Hot chicken salad is a warm, bubbly, cheesy, creamy chicken salad mixture that is stuffed with all the fixin’s and served in a flatbread, a tortilla burrito-style, or as a side. If I had to give it a one word review, I would describe it as a WINNER.
Perfect as a quick dinner or easy lunch, this dish has all of the benefit of my quick and delish easy chicken salad sandwiches – just with an added dose of cozy, warm comfort. Just like regular chicken salad, you can customize your add-ins to reflect your taste buds. While this recipe outlines a few possible additions, please feel free to get creative and add in any extras your heart desires! Like green onions, cashews, chopped spinach, craisins or whatever else you can think of!
Ingredients in Homemade Hot Chicken Salad
- Chopped cooked chicken – You already know I use rotisserie chicken for this because I am the queen of simplifying dinner! But any cooked chicken will work.
- Chopped celery
- Slivered almonds, divided – If you need a nut-free option, you can definitely omit the almonds. But I am in LOVE with the texture they add.
- Chopped water chestnuts – Again, this adds such a wonderful slight crunch that elevates the dish.
- Minced onion
- Mayonnaise – You can use a low fat option, if you’d like.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided – The sharp cheddar really gives this such an outstanding flavor, but you can easily use whatever your favorite cheese is.
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Small Pita breads, for serving
How to Make a Hot Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and chopping your ingredients.
- In a 9×9 casserole dish combine the cooked chicken, celery, 1/4 cup slivered almonds, water chestnuts, minced onion, mayo, 3/4 cup shredded cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined.
- Once you’ve mixed your chicken salad, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top of the mixture and then layer the remaining slivered almonds on top.
- Bake uncovered for 30 min in a 350°F oven.
- Once it is heated all the way through and bubbling, remove from the oven and portion into warm pita breads for serving.
- Enjoy!
How should I serve Hot Chicken Salad?
Hot Chicken Salad is typically served as a side to a veggie and fruit. BUT we always eat it as an alternate chicken salad sandwich of sorts with flatbread. Lightly warm your pita and stuff it with this warm chicken salad and you’ve got an easy, drool-worthy main dish on your hands. If you’re more of a wrap kind of person, you can also fill a tortilla burrito-style and lightly grill the wrap in a pan on the stove for a fun twist!
How to Store Hot Chicken Salad Sandwiches?
Allow your warm chicken salad to cool and place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat in the microwave and serve on a warmed flatbread.
Fast & Easy Lunch Ideas
Hot Chicken Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken, (like rotisserie chicken!)
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/2 cup (heaping) mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 small Pita breads, for serving
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and chopping your ingredients.
- In a 9×9 casserole dish combine the cooked chicken, celery, 1/4 cup slivered almonds, water chestnuts, minced onion, mayo, 3/4 cup shredded cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined.
- Once you’ve mixed your chicken salad, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top of the mixture and then layer the remaining slivered almonds on top.
- Bake uncovered for 30 min in a 350°F oven.
- Once it is heated all the way through and bubbling, remove from the oven and portion into warm pita breads for serving.
- Enjoy!
Delicious! I did chickpeas instead of water chestnuts and added some craisins. Love the toasted nuts on top! Will definitely be making again.