Honey BBQ Chicken Salad
You are going to love piling this Honey BBQ Chicken Salad on sandwiches, lettuce wraps, and so much more. This isn’t your usual barbecue chicken salad recipe. It’s made with Greek yogurt to keep it creamy and light, but with the savory flavor of your favorite barbecue sauce and the crunch of apples to pull it all together. Try something new for lunch this week!
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: No-cook
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
When you hear “barbecue chicken salad”, you may think of grilled chicken on lettuce with corn, bacon, and avocado, like my other BBQ Chicken Salad recipe. That’s delicious too, but this version is creamy, like classic chicken salad. It’s designed to be scooped on bread, tucked in wraps, or eaten with crackers.
It’s always good to have a go-to chicken salad recipe. In fact, if you want to keep things interesting, it’s not a bad idea to have a few different ones. Most often, you’ll find me making my Waldorf Chicken Salad or Tropical Chicken Salad. But, for this BBQ Chicken Salad recipe, I decided to stir in a little of our favorite BBQ sauce.
In our house, not one of us turns down a dish with the smoky barbecue flavor we love. It doesn’t just have to get slathered over baked chicken breasts or BBQ Chicken Pizza. That sweet, smoky, savory goodness is even tasty when you want to meal prep chicken salad for lunches during the week or even make a no-cook dinner!
Why This BBQ Chicken Salad is the Best
Yes, I like all kinds of chicken salad, but I think my barbecue version tops everyone else’s. Here’s why you’ll love it…
- Not your usual. Unlike a green salad topped with barbecue chicken, this is a creamy version perfect for a chicken salad sandwich, lettuce wrap, or any other way you want to pack it into a lunchbox to enjoy.
- Light but creamy. It uses my favorite base of Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Not only does it add protein and keep it a bit lighter, I also prefer the texture and the tangy flavor when combined with all of the mix-ins.
- Anything but boring. Plain old chicken salad can be a bit bland. But with the barbecue sauce twist, plus the other ingredients to liven up the flavor and texture, BBQ chicken salad is actually something exciting to eat!
- Can use shortcuts. I love to grab a rotisserie chicken at Costco or just use up leftovers, and then I can have a meal that doesn’t require me to turn on the stove or oven!
Recipe Ingredients
Besides the chicken, you only need a few basic ingredients from your pantry and fridge to make this flavor-packed BBQ chicken salad recipe! Scroll down to the recipe card for the full amounts.
- Plain Greek yogurt: Use nonfat, lowfat, or whole milk yogurt, depending on your preference.
- Spicy brown mustard: Dijon or yellow can also be used.
- Barbecue sauce: Use your favorite brand. This is how you can customize the flavor, depending on whether you like it tangy, spicy, smoky, or sweet.
- Honey: Just a little adds the perfect hint of sweetness.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Chicken: You’ll need about 4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. If you don’t have leftovers, you’ll need to cook about 1-1 1/3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts to get this amount.
- Apple: Peeled and chopped, this adds some juicy, crunchy bits that balance out the flavors and textures.
- Red onion: This is optional, but if you use it, you’ll want it finely chopped.
- Salt and pepper: Adjust the amount to taste.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Salad
You only need one bowl!
- Make the dressing. Stir together the Greek yogurt, mustard, barbecue sauce, and honey.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Toss in the chicken, apples, and onion, if using, and fold it all together.
- Finish it off. Then season to taste with salt and pepper. You can even drizzle with a little extra BBQ sauce, if you like.
Variations
- Go back to mayo: You can always skip the Greek yogurt and use an equal amount of mayo. You might not need the vinegar, though, since that is there mainly to thin it out a bit.
- Add some bacon: Want more smoky flavor and a bit of saltiness? Add a few sliced of cooked and crumbled bacon. I give all the details on how to cook bacon six different ways, just in case you haven’t tried using your air fryer or Instant Pot yet.
- Mix in cheese: Some shredded cheddar can give a little sharpness that balances the creaminess and complements the barbecue flavor.
- Give it a little crunch: Toasted walnuts give your creamy chicken salad a little more texture. Or try mixing in some chopped celery or red bell peppers.
FAQs
Is BBQ chicken salad the same as BBQ chicken on a salad?
While a barbecue chicken salad recipe often means grilled chicken slathered with sauce and piled on top of lettuce with other delicious toppings, this one is more like a deli-style chicken salad. You’ll love using it for lunches, whether you make sandwiches, wraps, or lettuce wraps, or scoop it up with crackers. And yes, you can also pile it on top of your favorite salad greens.
What kind of chicken do you use for chicken salad?
When it comes to making chicken salad, you can pretty much use any cooked and cooled chicken. White meat or a mixture of mostly white meat with a little dark meat will give you the best texture. Using all dark meat will make it too greasy.
Preferably, you’ll want your chicken to just have mild or neutral seasoning, even just salt and pepper. But you can also use leftover chicken that has flavors that will match the recipe.
- Rotisserie chicken – there are so many uses for leftover rotisserie chicken, so I always grab one at Costco. They are usually big enough to have some for a meal and have leftovers to make chicken salad.
- Roast chicken – if you are making roast chicken for dinner over the weekend, then just thrown an extra one in the oven. You can even make a crockpot roast chicken while you sleep so it is ready in the morning.
- Cooked chicken breasts – if boneless, skinless breasts go on sale at the grocery store, buy in bulk and cook them in the oven, crockpot, or Instant Pot to chop or shred for use in recipes. Or if you are baking or grilling chicken for dinner, make a few extra so you can whip up a batch of BBQ chicken salad later in the week.
How do you store chicken salad?
Use it right away, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Can you freeze chicken salad?
I do not recommend freezing leftover chicken salad. The yogurt can separate and become watery, leading to an undesirable consistency.
How do you serve barbecue chicken salad?
Whether you need some kids lunch ideas or quick and easy dinners, there are endless ways to serve this deli-style BBQ chicken salad!
- Sandwiches: Pile it on your favorite rolls, gluten free bread, or even make sliders on Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits or Gluten Free Hawaiian Rolls.
- Wraps: Tortillas are great, but you can also make lettuce wraps using a leaf lettuce such as Boston, Bibb, or Butter.
- Salads: Spoon the creamy BBQ Chicken Salad over a bed of salad greens with your favorite salad toppings. Give it a drizzle of Creamy Southwestern Dressing or Jalapeno Ranch Dressing.
- Veggies: Use it to make a more satisfying ants on a log, or scoop it up with mini bell peppers or cucumbers.
- Crackers and chips: Tortilla chips and gluten free crackers are great to add a little crunch when snacking on chicken salad.
More Creamy Chicken Salad Recipes
Honey BBQ Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 1-1 1/3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked)
- 1 peeled and chopped large apple
- 1 Tablespoon chopped red onion , optional
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 2 Tablespoons honey, and 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar and stir till combined.
- Add 4 cups shredded, cooked chicken , 1 peeled and chopped large apple1 Tablespoon chopped red onion (if using), and fold together. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle with a little extra BBQ sauce, if you like.
- Serve on a sandwich, lettuce wraps, salad, crackers, pita, etc. If not using right away, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Really yummy. I was hesitant about the addition of apple but it really brings it all together. A new favorite.
Happy to hear it!