The Ultimate Guide to “It’s a Chicken Salad” Meme: History, Variations & Why It’s Still Funny

Have you ever scrolled through your TikTok feed and suddenly heard someone exclaim “It’s a chicken salad!” with surprising enthusiasm? If so, you’ve encountered one of the internet’s most delightful food-related memes. Today I’m diving deep into this viral sensation that has people chuckling while preparing their lunch.

Where Did the “It’s a Chicken Salad” Meme Come From?

The meme originated on TikTok when a creator posted a video showing off their lunch with unexpected excitement. What made it funny wasn’t just the chicken salad itself, but the earnest delivery and genuine enthusiasm for something as ordinary as a chicken salad. The original video quickly gained traction because of its relatability and wholesome energy.

Many of us have experienced that moment of pride when making something simple yet satisfying for lunch. The creator captured that universal feeling and the internet decided it was hilarious.

Why Did It Go Viral?

The “It’s a chicken salad” meme resonated with people for several reasons:

• Simplicity: It celebrates finding joy in ordinary things
• Relatability: Everyone has been excited about food at some point
• Memeable format: Easy to recreate with different foods or contexts
• Sound bite quality: The phrase has a catchy rhythm that sticks in your head

The meme gained momentum when other TikTok users began using the original sound to create their own versions, applying the audio to different situations that had nothing to do with chicken salad at all.

Popular Variations of the Chicken Salad Meme

The best thing about this meme is how versatile it became. Here are some popular variations

1. The Bait and Switch: Videos that build up to something impressive but end with a humble chicken salad
2. Pet Reactions: People showing their confused pets a chicken salad with the audio playing
3. Non-Food Applications: Using the audio for things that definitely aren’t chicken salad (like showing off a new car)
4. The Meta Version: People making actual chicken salad recipes while using the sound

Making Your Own Chicken Salad Meme

Wanna join in the fun? Here’s how to create your own version:

1. Choose something unexpected or surprisingly mundane
2. Build anticipation with your camera work
3. Use the original sound (search “it’s a chicken salad” in TikTok sounds)
4. Add your unique twist or interpretation
5. Don’t forget to use popular hashtags like #chickensaladmeme

Why We Love Food Memes

Food memes like “it’s a chicken salad” have a special place in internet culture. They tap into our shared experiences around something we all do every day – eat. There’s something inherently funny about getting overly excited about basic foods, especially in a world where social media often showcases extravagant meals and foodie culture.

I think these memes also provide a bit of relief from the pressure to be extraordinary. They celebrate the small joys of everyday life, like making a satisfying lunch.

The Real Chicken Salad: A Brief Detour

While we’re on the topic, let’s talk about actual chicken salad for a moment. This classic dish typically contains:

• Cooked chicken (usually shredded or cubed)
• Mayonnaise or yogurt base
• Celery for crunch
• Various seasonings
• Optional add-ins like grapes, nuts, or herbs

Everyone has their own variation, which is part of what makes chicken salad so great. It’s customizable, practical, and satisfying – much like the meme itself!

When Memes and Health Collide: A Strange Connection

Interestingly, while researching this topic, I noticed something unusual. The “chicken salad” meme has nothing to do with chicken health issues, but poultry owners might be more familiar with terms like “coccidiosis” than your average meme enthusiast.

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease affecting chickens that can be serious if not treated promptly. The symptoms include:

• Weakness and listlessness
• Pale combs
• Bloody droppings
• Decreased appetite

If you actually raise chickens (and aren’t just here for the memes), keeping your flock healthy involves regular cleaning of their environment, providing clean water, and sometimes using medicated starter feeds for chicks.

But I digress – back to our regularly scheduled meme content!

The Psychology Behind Viral Food Memes

Why do we find food memes so entertaining? Psychologists suggest several reasons:

• Universal experience: Everyone eats, making food memes widely relatable
• Low stakes humor: Food jokes are generally inoffensive and accessible
• Emotional connection: Food is tied to comfort, nostalgia, and pleasure
• Identity signaling: What we eat (or joke about eating) says something about who we are

The chicken salad meme hits all these notes perfectly. It’s approachable, slightly absurd, and celebrates something ordinary in an extraordinary way.

Other Famous Food Memes

The chicken salad meme joins a prestigious lineup of food-related internet phenomena:

• Avocado Toast: The millennial financial crisis explained through breakfast
• Hot Dog Girl: The inexplicable dancing hot dog character from Snapchat
• Kale Smoothies: Representing health culture taken to extremes
• Banana for Scale: Using fruit as an impromptu measuring tool

Each of these memes says something about our relationship with food and how we communicate about it online.

The Lifecycle of a Food Meme

Like any internet trend, the chicken salad meme has followed a predictable path:

1. Origin: Someone creates content without necessarily intending to start a meme
2. Virality: The content spreads as others find it entertaining
3. Imitation: People create their own versions
4. Evolution: The meme develops variations far from the original
5. Commercialization: Brands try to capitalize on the trend
6. Decline: Eventually, interest wanes as new memes take over
7. Nostalgia: Months or years later, people reference it for nostalgic value

We’re currently seeing the chicken salad meme somewhere between evolution and commercialization, with plenty of creative takes still emerging.

Creating Content That Resonates

What can content creators learn from the chicken salad meme?

• Authenticity matters: The original creator’s genuine enthusiasm is what made it funny
• Simplicity works: Complex jokes often don’t translate as well across audiences
• Leave room for interpretation: The best memes allow others to put their spin on it
• Timing is everything: Sometimes being in the right place at the right time makes all the difference

My Take on the Chicken Salad Phenomenon

I’ve watched dozens of these videos, and I still chuckle every time. There’s something refreshing about a meme that isn’t trying too hard. It’s not political, it’s not mean-spirited, it’s just… a chicken salad.

And in today’s complex world, sometimes that’s exactly what we need – a moment of shared joy over something as simple as lunch.

The “it’s a chicken salad” meme might seem trivial, but it represents something important about internet culture – our ability to find common ground through humor and everyday experiences.

In a digital landscape often divided by controversy, a silly video about chicken salad brought people together through shared laughter. That’s worth celebrating, don’t you think?

So next time you’re making lunch, maybe film it with a bit of extra enthusiasm. Who knows? You might just create the next viral food moment. After all, if a chicken salad can become famous, anything is possible!

What’s your favorite version of the chicken salad meme? Have you created your own? Share in the comments below!

“Chicken salad” can refer to two main things: a dish and a metaphorical expression. As a dish, it’s a type of salad consisting primarily of chopped chicken, often mixed with mayonnaise, celery, and other seasonings.