Name: Roasted Chicken Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 celery ribs, diced small 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced small 3/4 cup light mayonnaise 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley 3/4 cup toasted almonds

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Roasted Chicken Salad is always a favorite for our family when we are trying to eat healthy without feeling deprived! Most chicken salads are loaded with mayonnaise but this recipe not only makes a large batch, but the calorie count is only 163 per half cup serving. Roasting the chicken gives the meat such an amazing flavor…but I don’t use boring ole boneless, skinless chicken breasts!

Why bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are used

It comes down to two major difference: flavor and moisture. When you roast the chicken with both the bone and skin, you get so much more of both. Of course, both are removed after the chicken is roasted but you have already gained the benefits of the keeping them both on.

Trust me. It makes a massive difference.

Mayonnaise vs Miracle Whip

I grew up on Miracle Whip so it is very nostalgic for me but it does NOT belong in this amazing salad. It will completely mess up the lovely dressing that lets the actual ingredients of this chicken salad shine through.

Miracle Whip is much too sweet and doesn’t have a high enough fat content to be a solid base for this salad. Personally, my favorite mayo is Hellmann’s Light. I don’t do generic with this specific ingredient.

open faced roasted chicken salad sandwich

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Roasted Chicken Salad

5 from 1 reviews

Print Recipe

The only chicken salad recipe you will EVER need! Requested over and over again year after year.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 celery ribs, diced small

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced small

3/4 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley

3/4 cup toasted almonds

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a large sheet pan and lay the chicken on the pan, skin side up. Drizzle on the vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the hot oven until meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 160 degrees, about 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove skin and bones then hand shred meat into bite size chunks.

2. In a large bowl, mix the shredded chicken with all the remaining ingredients. Taste and add more salt and pepper before serving. I find it needs about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon more kosher salt and 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon more black pepper.

Notes

Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but the result will be a drier chicken and not as flavorful.

Do NOT use Miracle Whip in place of the mayonnaise.

Author: Carole Jones
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Roasted
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 163
Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 244 mg
Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 20 g
Cholesterol: 64 mg

Keywords: healthy chicken recipes

Comments

Steph says

May 05, 2009 at 3:55 pm

OOOhhhh, that looks so yummy! I totally agree about the Miracle Whip – yuck!

Have fun with your in-laws!!

Holly Savage says

May 09, 2009 at 2:22 am

That looks and sounds wonderful, I’m gonna have to try it with the French Bread. Enjoy your family while they are here.

ryan says

June 23, 2011 at 12:03 am

Carole,

We just made this tonight. I smoked some whole chickens this past weekend and used some of the left overs to make this. It was very good.

Carole says

June 23, 2011 at 2:11 am

Glad you guys liked it Ryan. It is one of my favorites…. especially on homemade rolls

Marie says

January 08, 2021 at 1:48 pm

We made this over the holidays and it was amazing! Easily the best chicken salad I’ve ever had. Thank you so much. It will become a regular on our rotation.

- Carole says
  
  January 08, 2021 at 2:09 pm
  
  I’m so happy to hear that Marie! It is just so addictive 🙂 Thanks for coming back and leaving your review. It really helps out so much!