Laden with zesty bites of sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil, this flavorful Rotisserie Chicken Salad recipe requires only a handful of ingredients and 15 minutes prep! Serve it as a sandwich filling, as a snack with crackers, or on top of a tossed salad with your favorite dressing.
I always enjoy finding good semi-homemade recipes that use a rotisserie chicken — it’s a smart shortcut to a delicious meal for busy families.
Who can argue with less time and effort when you can still serve up a tasty Chicken Florentine or BBQ Chicken Pizza, White Chicken Chili, Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup, or a Mac and Cheese Casserole — all using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken?! Not me!
Rotisserie chicken salad with sun dried tomatoes and basil
I speak the truth, when I made Rotisserie Chicken Salad for the first time everyone at my house devoured the entire bowl in literally minutes!
Most traditional chicken salad recipes are filled with celery and onion, so the sun dried tomatoes are a bit unexpected. This recipe uses sun dried tomatoes that are packed in olive oil and a bit of that oil goes right into the salad for a subtle boost of flavor.
The fresh basil in this chicken salad makes it feel particularly light and fresh. Also, I opt for a low-fat mayo to bind it all together, but you could use Greek yogurt or sour cream if you prefer.
Did I mention I LOVE the fact that using a rotisserie chicken makes preparing this recipe SUPER easy? That’s what makes Rotisserie Chicken Salad a great meal prep/lunch idea for the entire week, too!
Ingredients
- Rotisserie chicken — buy a whole rotisserie chicken and remove the skin and bones. Some deli counters sell packages of rotisserie chicken already shredded — that makes this recipe that much easier!
- Mayonnaise — I personally opt for the low-fat mayos or olive oil mayo
- Sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil — the recipe uses the tomatoes plus some of the oil in the jar
- Fresh basil — don’t skip on the fresh basil as it really amps up the flavor!
- Diced shallot or sliced scallions — totally optional, but well worth including.
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
PRO TIP: Make chicken stock from the leftover chicken carcass. Add the chicken skin and bones to a large stock pot with onion, celery, and thyme. Cover with water and simmer for about an hour. Strain the stock, cool completely, then seal tightly and freeze for later use.
How to make rotisserie chicken salad
- Remove the skin and bones from the rotisserie chicken; chop the meal and place in a large bowl
- Chop the sun dried tomaotes and basil.
- Add mayonnaise and the chopped sun dried tomatoes to the chicken in the bowl and stir to combine.
- Lastly, add the chopped fresh basil, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled about 4 hours.
FAQs
Rotisserie chicken will last for 4 to 5 days when stored in the refrigerator.
Unfortunately, chicken salad does not hold up well when frozen. However, you could prep the rotisserie chicken ahead of time and freeze the chopped meat, then add the other ingredients at a later time.
Yes and no. Although you’d think chicken salad made with mayo would be keto friendly, the sun dried tomatoes in this recipe do add a small number of carbs to this dish.
Serving suggestions
- on top of a bed of lettuce or a tossed salad
- as a sandwich on wheat bread or on a croissant
- make a chicken wrap in a spinach tortilla
- sliders built on soft Hawaiian rolls
- serve as a spread with crackers
- stuffed in a tomato cup (see tip below).
PRO TIP: To make a tomato cup, take a large, ripe tomato and starting from the top, slice down into six wedges, but not all the way through to the bottom. Carefully transfer the tomato onto a plate and separate the wedges slightly. Add a big scoop of chicken salad right in the center of the wedges and enjoy!
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Zesty Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 1 small shallot chopped fine (optional)
- 2/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil from sun dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove chicken from the bone, discarding the skin, and chop. Place into a large bowl with the shallot, if using.
- Gently stir in the mayo, diced sun-dried tomatoes, and oil. Add chopped basil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- For the best flavor, refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Video
Notes
- You may substitute 4 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast for the rotisserie chicken.
- Add more mayonnaise if the chicken salad seems too dry.
- Garnish leftovers with more fresh basil, if desired.