15 Creative Ways to Serve Chicken Salad Besides Sandwiches

Chicken salad is a versatile and delicious dish that can be served in many ways beyond the classic sandwich. With a few tweaks and creative serving ideas, you can take chicken salad from familiar to fabulous. In this article, we’ll explore 15 mouthwatering ways to serve chicken salad creatively on a variety of bases beyond bread.

Make Simple Swaps

One easy way to change up chicken salad is to swap out the bread in a sandwich for something else crunchy or hearty. Some ideas:

Serve chicken salad on top of a lettuce wrap or large lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb option Romaine or butter lettuce work well
For crunch serve chicken salad stuffed in celery stalks or hollowed out cucumber rounds.

For heartiness, use thick slices of tomatoes or avocado halves as the “bread” in a chicken salad sandwich.
Swap bread for waffles or savory crackers and create chicken salad “sliders”.
Stuff chicken salad into a pita pocket for a Mediterranean twist. Roasted red peppers and feta cheese make great additions.

Get Creative with Grains

Rethink the entire grain accompaniment and serve chicken salad atop or alongside warm, hearty grains for a satisfying meal.

Serve chicken salad over toasted crostini or bruschetta for an appetizer-style dish.

Make it a meal by serving chicken salad over quinoa, brown rice, farro or barley.
For added crunch, bake chicken salad inside a hollowed-out sourdough loaf.
Stuff chicken salad into a pouch of naan bread with shredded lettuce and mango chutney.

Load up a Baked Potato

A loaded baked potato turns chicken salad into a hearty, comforting meal.

Top a baked Russet or sweet potato with chicken salad, melted cheese, bacon bits, scallions, and sour cream.

Make twice-baked potatoes by scooping out baked potatoes, mixing the insides with chicken salad and cheese, then stuffing the mixture back in the skins and baking until hot and melty.

Make it a Meal Salad

Chicken salad is a natural fit for leafy green and grain-based salads.

Serve chicken salad over a bed of crisp romaine lettuce, shredded kale, arugula or spinach leaves.
Mix chicken salad right into a garden, taco or Greek salad for added protein.
Make it a meal by spooning chicken salad over pasta, grain or potato salad.

Dip it Up

Liven up a scoop of chicken salad by pairing it with fun dips and crackers.

Set out crackers, bread sticks and fresh veggies for dipping chicken salad. Ranch dressing pairs nicely.

Hollow out a round loaf of bread and fill with chicken salad for edible bread bowl dip.
Serve chicken salad with pita chips, baked tortilla chips or buttery crackers for scooping.

Go International

Add global inspiration to chicken salad through fusion flavors.

Make chicken salad wraps with roti, tortillas, spring roll wrappers or rice paper for handheld fusion bites.
Stuff chicken salad into Chinese steamed buns or Taiwanese gua bao buns for an Asian-inspired sandwich.

Use Indian naan flatbread or pappadums as a vehicle for chicken tikka masala or curry chicken salad.
Fold chicken salad into Mexican tacos or empanadas for a Latin twist.

Pizza and Flatbreads

Pizza crust makes the perfect blank canvas for creative chicken salad combinations.

Use chicken salad as a topping for flatbread pizzas. Scatter on mixed greens after baking.
Prepare flatbread wraps with chicken salad, spinach, tomatoes, cheese and balsamic drizzle.

Scoop chicken salad onto naan or pita bread, top with cheese and bake open faced.
Blend chicken salad with pesto and spoon onto halved ciabatta buns with melted mozzarella.

Simmer in Soup

Warm up cool chicken salad by mixing it into hearty soups and chowders.

Fold bite size bits of chicken salad into minestrone or vegetable soup.
Drop scoops into simmering tomato soup or chicken noodle soup to warm through.

Swirl chicken salad into creamy corn or potato chowder just before serving.
For chilled soups, stir chicken salad into gazpacho, vichyssoise or cucumber yogurt soup.

Breakfast Ideas

Chicken salad also shines in breakfast dishes and brunch foods.

Stuff chicken salad into an omelette or scrambled eggs alongside veggies and cheese.
Sandwich chicken salad between slices of French toast or stuffed into crepes.

Top a chicken salad waffle sandwich with a fried egg for an easy breakfast.
Mix chicken salad into a frittata bake or stratta with veggies and bread cubes.

Entree Salads

For a well-rounded meal in one bowl, pile chicken salad atop fresh greens and veggies.

Mound chicken salad over spinach with avocados, tomatoes, boiled eggs and bacon bits.
Create an Asian chicken salad with chicken salad, greens, mandarin oranges, cabbage, carrots, chow mein noodles and ginger dressing.

For a Cobb salad, layer chicken salad with romaine, hard boiled egg, avocado, bacon, tomato and blue cheese crumbles.

Taco Salads

For a fun Tex-Mex twist, turn chicken salad into a flavor-packed taco salad.

Serve chicken salad over shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, beans, shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole and tortilla strips.
Stir taco seasoning into chicken salad. Load up a taco shell with the chicken salad and all the fixings.
Mix buffalo style chicken salad with hot sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar and ranch dressing over tortilla chips.

Appetizers

For easy starters and snacks, try these chicken salad bites.

Scoop chicken salad onto endive leaves, crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Stuff into cherry tomatoes or hollowed out baby bell peppers for poppable one-bite apps.
Shape into balls, logs or bites and coat with chopped pecans, coconut, panko or crushed chips before serving.
Fill mini phyllo cups with chicken salad and top with salsa or fruit relish.

Chicken salad is endlessly adaptable. With a little creativity, you can take this classic ingredient beyond sandwiches to inventive new dishes perfect for any occasion.