Maple Bacon Chicken Salad

This maple bacon chicken salad takes the lunchtime classic and infuses it with some of your favorite brunch flavors. It’s easy to throw together, and perfect for serving a crowd whether it’s a brunch or a luncheon.

Sometimes it’s so hard to come up with an easy recipe in the Summer. Do I need to do an easy lunch? Should I shoot for a light dinner?

This maple bacon chicken salad checks all the boxes. It’s a quick and easy chicken salad that’s also savory with a little bit of sweet mixed in. 

It’s the perfect way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken, and it’s become such a family favorite that my kids ask for it all the time.

Ingredients Needed

Like all of our favorite recipes, this one has a relatively short ingredient list.

To make it you’ll need:

• Chicken – Chopped rotisserie chicken, a great way to use up leftovers.
• Bacon – Several strips, cooked crisp & crumbled.
• Onion – It need to be red onion. Other onions taste great, but red onion is the one that suits the flavors of this chicken salad the best.
• Mayonnaise – Real mayonnaise, and NOT miracle whip or salad dressing. Those have a tang that will throw off the entire flavor profile.
• Cheese – Shredded cheddar cheese
• Syrup – Maple syrup is a must, NOT pancake syrup. Spring for the good stuff for the best results.
• Seasonings – A little bit of salt and pepper, to taste. 

Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, you’re ready to get started!

How To Make

Like all the best chicken salad recipes, this maple bacon version is pretty simple to prepare.

Start by adding the chicken, bacon, onion, and mayonnaise to a mixing bowl. Use one bigger than the ingredients to allow for easy mixing without making a mess. Stir them all together until evenly combined.

Add both the cheese and maple syrup to the bowl, mixing again until everything’s evenly combined. If desired, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the salad and refrigerate for one hour to chill, then serve and enjoy.

Serving Suggestions

Traditionally maple bacon chicken salad is great served as a sandwich on bread. However, we love (and highly recommend) serving it sandwich style on fluffy toasted waffles instead of bread.

The combination of maple and bacon flavor with the waffles makes for a delicious sandwich style treat.

It’s also great as a hearty dip you can serve with crackers or pretzels at parties and barbecues.

STORING

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, although the bacon will lose it’s crispiness the longer you store it.

Unfortunately because it is mayonnaise based it doesn’t freeze well. When thawed the mayo will separate and result in an unsavory texture.

TIPS & TRICKS

• This recipe is ideal for repurposing leftovers, specifically rotisserie chicken and cooked, crisp bacon.
• Be sure to use the specific ingredients called for, especially the real mayonnaise and maple syrup instead of pancake syrup. These main ingredients are key to the final flavor of the recipe.
• DO NOT attempt to freeze leftovers. Mayonnaise separates when thawing and it won’t taste well anymore.

Other Easy Chicken Salad Recipes

Give leftover rotisserie chicken a delicious new life by infusing it with maple & bacon flavor and making it into a savory chicken salad.

This easy recipe makes a great option for brunch, lunch, or even a light dinner.

Looking for other easy chicken salad recipes to enjoy?

Try these:

• Classic Southern Chicken Salad
• Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad
• Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

If you’ve tried this MAPLE BACON CHICKEN SALAD, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!