Some nights, you just need a fast, satisfying meal that doesn’t leave a pile of dishes in the sink. That’s where a simple salad with pre-cooked chicken and a creamy, flavor-packed dressing can save the day.

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Using pre-cooked chicken means you skip straight to the fun part: building a colorful, crunchy salad and whisking together a silky sauce that tastes like it took way more effort than it did. In under 20 minutes, you can have a balanced meal that works for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.

This creamy chicken salad recipe is flexible, forgiving, and easy to customize with whatever you have in your fridge. Follow the basic formula, then tweak it to match your taste and schedule.

Ingredients You Need for a Creamy Chicken Salad

This recipe is designed to be flexible, so don’t stress if you’re missing one or two items. Focus on having a good mix of protein, crunch, and creaminess.

2 cups pre-cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (rotisserie, grilled, or leftover)
4 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, spinach, arugula, or a blend)
1 cup chopped crunchy veggies (cucumber, bell pepper, or celery)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (optional)
1/2 avocado, diced (optional but highly recommended)
1/4 cup shredded cheese (Parmesan, cheddar, or feta)
2 tablespoons toasted nuts or seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds)

For the creamy sauce (dressing):

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise (or a mix of both)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional, for balance)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons water or milk to thin, if needed

Action tip: Before you start mixing, lay out all your ingredients so assembling the salad is quick and stress-free.

How to Make the Creamy Sauce

The dressing is what takes this salad from basic to memorable. It should be smooth, slightly tangy, and well-seasoned.

Add Greek yogurt or mayonnaise to a small bowl
Whisk in olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and Dijon mustard
Stir in minced garlic, honey (if using), salt, and pepper
Add a splash of water or milk and whisk until the texture is pourable but still creamy

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. You might need a bit more salt, lemon, or honey depending on your preferences.

Action tip: Make a double batch of the creamy sauce and store it in the fridge for 3–4 days so you can throw together quick salads all week.

Assembling Your Pre-Cooked Chicken Salad

Once the sauce is ready, the rest of the salad comes together in minutes. Build it in a large bowl so you can toss everything easily.

Place mixed salad greens in a large bowl
Add chopped crunchy veggies, cherry tomatoes, and red onion
Top with pre-cooked chicken and avocado
Sprinkle on shredded cheese, nuts, or seeds for texture

Drizzle about half of the creamy sauce over the salad. Toss gently until everything is lightly coated, then add more dressing if needed so it’s flavorful but not soggy.

Action tip: If you’re packing this salad for later, keep the dressing in a separate container and toss it in just before eating to keep the greens crisp.

Easy Variations and Meal Prep Ideas

One of the best things about this recipe is how easily you can adapt it to your mood or what’s in your fridge. Small swaps can create completely different flavor profiles.

For a Mediterranean twist: add olives, cucumber, feta, and oregano
For a Tex-Mex feel: add corn, black beans, cilantro, and a pinch of chili powder to the sauce
For extra protein: add hard-boiled eggs or chickpeas
For more crunch: add croutons, tortilla strips, or extra nuts and seeds

This salad also works very well for meal prep. Store the components separately:

Keep greens in one container
Store chicken and chopped veggies in another
Keep the dressing in a small jar

Action tip: Prep enough chicken, veggies, and dressing on Sunday so you can assemble fresh salads in under 5 minutes during the week.

Print Recipe

Course Salad

Ingredients

2 cups pre-cooked chicken shredded or cubed (rotisserie, grilled, or leftover)
4 cups mixed salad greens romaine, spinach, arugula, or a blend
1 cup chopped crunchy veggies cucumber, bell pepper, or celery
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion optional
1/2 avocado diced (optional but highly recommended)
1/4 cup shredded cheese Parmesan, cheddar, or feta
2 tablespoons toasted nuts or seeds almonds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds

For the creamy sauce, dressing:

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise or a mix of both
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 tsp honey or maple syrup optional, for balance
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons water or milk to thin if needed

Instructions

How to Make the Creamy Sauce
The dressing is what takes this salad from basic to memorable. It should be smooth, slightly tangy, and well-seasoned.
Add Greek yogurt or mayonnaise to a small bowl
Whisk in olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and Dijon mustard
Stir in minced garlic, honey (if using), salt, and pepper
Add a splash of water or milk and whisk until the texture is pourable but still creamy
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. You might need a bit more salt, lemon, or honey depending on your preferences.
Action tip: Make a double batch of the creamy sauce and store it in the fridge for 3–4 days so you can throw together quick salads all week.
Assembling Your Pre-Cooked Chicken Salad
Once the sauce is ready, the rest of the salad comes together in minutes. Build it in a large bowl so you can toss everything easily.
Place mixed salad greens in a large bowl
Add chopped crunchy veggies, cherry tomatoes, and red onion
Top with pre-cooked chicken and avocado
Sprinkle on shredded cheese, nuts, or seeds for texture
Drizzle about half of the creamy sauce over the salad. Toss gently until everything is lightly coated, then add more dressing if needed so it’s flavorful but not soggy.