Pesto Chicken Salad
Pesto chicken salad is an easy upgrade to the classic sandwich filling. A heaping helping of fragrant basil pesto is mixed with creamy mayo and chopped chicken for a flavorful variation on everyday chicken salad.
We eat a lot of chicken salad in our family.
It makes a smart lunch choice since my boys are always starving and the protein in it helps keep them full.
So to keep things interesting, I make tons of different varieties.
Variety is the spice of life after all.
And basil pesto is the spice of this chicken salad.
Well not the spice since pesto is a sauce but the flavor.
It adds herby, garlicky, rich overtones to the chicken salad that is just delicious.
And it takes no extra time at all to make this upgraded chicken salad recipe.
Can’t beat that!
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Chicken– I use finely chopped rotisserie chicken with the bones and skin removed. You could also use boneless, skinless grilled or roast chicken.
- Pesto– Your favorite jarred or homemade basil pesto.
- Mayonnaise– Real full fat mayonnaise and not Miracle Whip or mayonnaise style dressing.
- Lemon juice– Fresh is best but bottled will do in a pinch.
- Green onions– Thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper– To taste
How to Make
Pesto chicken salad is so easy to make!
Just stir all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl until they are evenly combined.
Season them with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve pesto chicken salad the same way you would serve any chicken salad.
It makes a delicious filling for sandwiches and wraps.
You could also serve it on crackers or on a bed of lettuce for a green salad.
Tips and Tricks
- You don’t need as much mayo because the pesto itself will add a lot of moisture to the chicken salad.
- Serve this as is or chill for an a hour or so in the fridge. It will be delicious either way.
- For a little texture and to play up the nuttiness of the pesto, you could stir in some toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted walnuts.
Other Chicken Salad Recipes
Pesto chicken salad is an easy, tasty variation on classic chicken salad.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other chicken salad recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this PESTO 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!
Pesto Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onions
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir them together until they're evenly combined.2 cups finely chopped rotisserie chicken, 1/3 cup basil pesto, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onions, 1 tsp lemon juice
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.salt & pepper
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You don't need as much mayo because the pesto itself will add a lot of moisture to the chicken salad.
- Serve this as is or chill for an a hour or so in the fridge. It will be delicious either way.
- For a little texture and to play up the nuttiness of the pesto, you could stir in some toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted walnuts.
Nutrition
