This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Smoked chicken salad is one of our favorite meal prep recipes to make for quick lunches throughout the week. Whip up a batch of this easy chicken salad recipe with leftover smoked and shredded chicken, and store it in the fridge for awesome sandwiches to enjoy all week long.
There’s chicken salad…and then there’s smoked chicken salad. Elevating an already classic dish with a subtle kiss of smoky flavor transforms an ordinary meal prep staple into something you’ll look forward to all week.
And since we like to do everything a little “extra”, we pack our chicken salad recipe full of all the mix-ins like crunchy celery, sweet grapes, chopped pecans, and tangy sweet pickles. Combined with the subtle smoke flavors of the smoked chicken breast, this delicious and easy recipe strikes the perfect balance between smoky, sweet, and savory.
Let’s just say, I ate one of these smoked chicken salad sandwiches every day for lunch last week, and Monday’s sandwich was just as tasty as Friday’s. So whether you’re looking to revamp your weekly lunches or treat your friends and family to something special, this smoked chicken salad is sure to be a hit.
Ingredient Notes (for Easy Meal Prep)
- Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are best, but this recipe is flexible to whatever chicken you have. If you don’t have smoked chicken, then you can substitute shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Pecans: Adds a buttery crunch—walnuts or cashews would work, or omit for nut allergies.
- Grapes: Red or green, just cut them in half. You could try apple for a crunchier bite.
- Celery & Onion: Chop finely for best texture.
- Mayonnaise: Start with a smaller amount and add to desired creaminess. I personally like Kraft Mayo in chicken salad, but use your favorite brand.
- Sweet Pickles: If you only have dill pickles or relish, those work too, but the sweet ones add a special tang.
- Celery Seed: Optional, but highly recommended for that “deli” chicken salad flavor.
Smoking the Chicken Breasts
The first step to making this awesome loaded chicken salad recipe is to smoke the chicken breasts. This is one of my meal prep secrets – you can make a big batch of smoked chicken breasts on the pellet grill, shred the meat, and refrigerate to use for all types of recipes.
When smoking chicken to be used for other recipes like this chicken salad, I prefer to use skin on, split chicken breasts. The bone helps to keep the meat moist and flavorful, and the skin protects the chicken breasts from developing that rubbery exterior. The result is perfectly juicy and tender chicken with a hint of smoke flavor.
Simply salt the chicken breasts and place them directly on the grill grates of your smoker or pellet grill. Then smoke to the proper internal temperature, allow the chicken to rest, shred the meat, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours.
You can read more about how I make smoked chicken breasts for meal prep here.
How to Make Smoked Chicken Salad
After the chicken is smoked and shredded, this easy lunch is almost ready. Just combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently mix everything up.
Then transfer the chicken salad to an airtight container, and refrigerate until ready to use. The chicken salad should stay good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so my wife and I usually get a full week’s worth of lunches out of this recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Use an instant read thermometer – No more guessing if the chicken is done. Always cook chicken to the proper internal temperature for the best juicy chicken.
- Customize the crunch and sweetness – Not a fan of grapes? Try chopped apples or omit fruit. Swap pecans for walnuts or sunflower seeds.
- Substitute rotisserie chicken – Short on time and can’t smoke the chicken? Use 5 cups of rotisserie chicken instead. This is one of our favorite chicken salad recipes, whether the chicken is smoked or not.
- Serve chilled – This salad is best served cold, straight from the fridge. Perfect for meal prep, lunchboxes, or surprise drop-in guests.
Smoked Loaded Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in split chicken breasts with skin on
- kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups red grapes, halved
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped, about 2 stalks
- ⅓ cup pecans, finely chopped
- ¼ cup sweet pickles, finely chopped
- 1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
- Heat the pellet grill or smoker to 275℉ with your choice of wood pellets.
- If needed, reposition the skin of the chicken breasts so that it is covering the meat before seasoning. This helps to protect the meat and keeps your chicken juicy. Then sprinkle the breasts with kosher salt.
- Place the salted chicken breasts directly on the grill grates of the heated pellet grill or smoker, arranging them so that there is space between each for even cooking. Close the grill lid, and smoke the chicken until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breasts reaches 162°F, about 90 minutes depending on the size of your breasts. This allows for carryover cooking and ensures that your chicken won’t be dry. Keep in mind that some of the chicken breasts may finish quicker depending on size. *The USDA recommends cooking chicken to an internal temp of 165℉.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate or baking sheet to rest for about 15 minutes. Then shred and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
- Finely chop the celery, nuts, and sweet pickles. Cut grapes into ½-inch pieces, halved or quarter depending on size.
- In a large bowl add all the ingredients and the shredded chicken, and gently stir with a spoon until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 3 ½ pounds of chicken salad.
Notes
- Chicken – This recipe calls for 4 bone-in split chicken breasts. After shredding the smoked chicken, you should have about 5 cups of meat. You can also make this recipe by slow cooking 3-4 chicken breasts in salted water, making about 5 cups of chopped meat. Or substitute 5 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Variations – Add some of your preferred fruits or veggies for a customized salad. For example, chopped red onion, sliced green onion, diced apples or dried cranberries, or 1-2 teaspoons of fresh minced herbs such as dill, parsley, or chives.
Pinterest user? Do us a favor and PIN this recipe to your board for easy smoker recipes to try. This is a GREAT way to support us!
