Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Rotisserie chicken makes this creamy salad a no-cook meal. A mix of shreds and bite-size pieces gives it substance, while diced celery, red onion, and chopped baby spinach keep each bite crisp and fresh. A mayonnaise-forward dressing with a little Greek yogurt, Dijon, and lemon should coat the chicken without pooling in the bowl.
It takes about 15 minutes to assemble and makes 4 servings. Taste after mixing before adding more salt: rotisserie chicken is often well seasoned already. Serve the salad right away or chill it briefly, with seeded crackers alongside.
Ingredients for Rotisserie Chicken Salad

- About 4 cups picked rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, shredded with some bite-size pieces (450g)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise (75g)
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (30g)
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced, about 1/2 cup (60g)
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion (40g)
- 1 packed cup roughly chopped baby spinach (30g)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus a little for finishing
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus a little for finishing
Optional: 1–2 tablespoons additional mayonnaise if the salad needs more moisture, and seeded crackers for serving alongside.
How to Make Rotisserie Chicken Salad

- Prepare the chicken: Remove the skin and bones, checking for small bones or cartilage. Shred most of the meat and cut the rest into bite-size pieces.
- Whisk the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon, lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth.
- Chop the vegetables: Finely dice the celery and red onion. Roughly chop the spinach and parsley, reserving a little parsley for the top.
- Fold together: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chicken, celery, red onion, spinach, and most of the parsley. Add the dressing and fold gently until it clings to the ingredients and the chicken pieces remain distinct. If the salad seems dry, fold in additional mayonnaise a spoonful at a time.
- Taste and serve: Taste before adding more salt; adjust the pepper if needed. Spoon into a shallow bowl and finish with the reserved parsley and a little black pepper. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes. Keep the crackers beside the salad, not mixed in.
How to Keep the Salad Creamy, Not Runny
The amount of dressing needed depends on how moist the chicken is and how finely it is shredded. Keep some larger pieces and fold gently rather than stirring the salad into a paste. Add extra mayonnaise only after mixing; the dressing should coat the chicken and vegetables without collecting at the bottom of the bowl.
Choosing the Rotisserie Chicken
Breast meat, dark meat, or a mixture all work. Chicken that is still warm may be easier to shred, but there is no need to heat it for this salad. For a richer dressing without yogurt, replace the 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt with the same amount of mayonnaise.
Serving and Storing
Serve the salad in a bowl with seeded crackers, or spoon it onto bread, over greens, or into lettuce leaves. If making it ahead, fold in the spinach closer to serving to keep the leaves fresher.
Keep the salad cold when serving. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in an airtight container and use within 3–4 days. The mixed salad is not recommended for freezing because the creamy dressing may lose its texture; picked chicken can be frozen separately.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1/4 of the recipe (about 175g; crackers not included): 350 calories, 32g protein, 23g fat, and 3g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 200 calories, 18g protein, 13g fat, and 2g carbohydrates. Values vary with the rotisserie chicken and mayonnaise used.
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Salad
- About 4 cups picked rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, shredded with some bite-size pieces (450 g)
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about 1/2 cup; 60 g)
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion (40 g)
- 1 packed cup roughly chopped baby spinach (30 g)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus a little for finishing
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise (75 g)
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (30 g)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus a little for finishing
Optional
- 1–2 tablespoons additional mayonnaise, as needed
- Seeded crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, checking for small bones or cartilage. Shred most of the meat and cut the rest into bite-size pieces.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon, lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
- Finely dice the celery and red onion. Roughly chop the spinach and parsley, reserving a little parsley for finishing.
- Combine the chicken, celery, red onion, spinach, and most of the parsley in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the dressing and fold gently until it coats the ingredients. If the salad seems dry, fold in additional mayonnaise a spoonful at a time.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Spoon into a shallow bowl and finish with the reserved parsley and a little black pepper.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes. Serve crackers alongside rather than mixing them into the salad.
Tips
- Taste the salad before adding more salt because rotisserie chicken may already be well seasoned.
- Keep some larger chicken pieces and fold gently to preserve the salad’s texture.
- Add extra mayonnaise only after mixing, a spoonful at a time.
- For fresher leaves when making ahead, fold in the spinach closer to serving.
- Keep crackers beside the salad so they stay crisp.
Variations
- Richer Dressing: Replace the 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt with the same amount of mayonnaise.



























