Growing up, tuna salad was a staple in my house. As an adult, I make canned chicken salad far more often. Some links in this article are affiliate links that earn me a commission if you purchase through them.
Why you’ll love this recipe
When I want a simple meal that requires no heating of my house with the oven or ok really much work at all, I turn to this recipe. It takes less than three minutes to make, and it’s tasty and filling.
When I want to put more effort into chicken salad, I poach chicken breasts and make the chicken salad while they’re still warm. That’s a different kind of chicken salad altogether though, as this one focuses on an easy pantry meal.
This canned chicken salad is so easy that my son has made it by himself since he was maybe 6 or 7. In fact, this may have been his school lunch staple when I didn’t have leftovers ready for him.
How should I serve canned chicken salad?
This canned chicken salad is incredibly versatile. It is fantastic on bread as a sandwich, but you can enjoy it in so many other way, too.
It’s naturally gluten free, which means I can serve it to my kids’ friends who have dietary restrictions. In fact, I often enjoy it on top of a rice cake rather than as a sandwich.
This simple chicken salad recipe is perfect to add to lettuce for a salad, too. This helps add protein and turns a side salad into a full meal.
Of course, we eat this chicken salad on bread as a sandwich, too, sometimes toasted, sometimes not. I like it with sliced tomatoes and lettuce, but my kids enjoy it just plain.
When I’m really in a pinch, I grab some of my favorite crackers and enjoy it on crackers, too. Yes, sometimes straight from the bowl, and it makes a great mid-afternoon snack.
Needless to say, I always keep some of the Kirkland canned chicken from Costco in my pantry. I know I’m not the only one!
If you’re a visual learner, watch the video. It really is this simple to make!
How to Jazz Up Canned Chicken Salad
This chicken salad add Parmesan cheese to give it some extra flavor, and it tastes absolutely delicious this way. However, you may want to get creative and add different flavors to it depending on what you have in your pantry.
I like to swap it up so my kids don’t get bored with it, and it also lets me use up ingredients that are almost gone but I can’t quite throw away.
You don’t need more than one or two additional items, and I use about a quarter to a half cup total, depending on what I add. Test it out, and have some fun.
Some of my favorite mix-ins include:
- Sliced grapes
- Dried cranberries
- Toasted pecans (toast them for just a few minutes in a pan on your stove, shaking it – you’ll thank me)
- Pepitas
- Chopped celery
- Whole grain mustard (just a tablespoon or so)
- Finely chopped shallots
- Green onion
- Chopped pickles
- Diced green apple
- Chopped Red or yellow pepper
Ingredients to Make Canned Chicken Salad
- Canned chicken
- Mayonnaise
- Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, not the green can)
- Pepper
These are the ingredients that are part of this recipe. There are tons of optional ingredients you can add to change the taste or make this fancier.
See the ideas in the previous section for some ideas of what you can include.
How to Make Canned Chicken Salad
Open your chicken and drain it. You don’t have to squish out all the juice, as it tastes better without a super dry chicken.
Place the chicken into a nonskid bowl, and add the mayonnaise.
Grate the Parmesan into the bowl with your zester – one of my favorite tools. I never use the green can but always grate from the block because it tastes so much better, and it’s cheaper in the long run.
Add pepper, then stir together with a fork. Use the fork to ensure the chunks of canned chicken separate enough to get the flavors mixed throughout your chicken salad.
Serve immediately in a wrap, on a sandwich, with crackers, or however you prefer.
If you have leftovers, store them in a tightly sealed container for two to three days in the fridge. It’s good cold, so no need to warm it up!
The Microplane zester is a classic for a reason. It is perfect to grate parmesan cheese or nutmeg, depending on what you're making. Mine has lasted me well over a decade with zero issues.
Be sure to bookmark this canned chicken salad recipe to make again!
More favorite pantry meal ideas:
- Mexican skillet quinoa
- Tuna and tomato pasta
- Grown up mac and cheese
- Cacio e pepe
- Cheesy beef and rice casserole
- Instant Pot baked potato soup
Canned Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 12.5 ounces can chicken
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Open your chicken and drain it.
- Place chicken into bowl with mayonnaise, Parmesan, and pepper.12.5 ounces can chicken, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- Stir together with fork.
- Serve immediately in a wrap, on a sandwich, with crackers, etc.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to jazz this up further with your favorite mix-ins from sliced grapes to chopped peppers to pepitas and more.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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