Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

5 from 4 votes

This Lemon Basil Chicken Salad is perfect for lunch! It's made with rotisserie chicken tossed in a creamy lemon dressing and fresh herbs.

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: rotisserie chicken salad, lemon chicken salad, chicken salad with basil

Servings:

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Ingredients

For The Chicken Salad:

2 lbs. rotisserie chicken yields 4 cups chopped chicken
4 cloves garlic
2 shallots or ½ an onion (any color)
1 bell pepper any color
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
⅓ cup basil plus more for garnish

For The Lemon Mayo Dressing:

⅓ cup mayo
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. kosher salt adjust to taste
¼ tsp. pepper adjust to taste
tomatoes optional
arugula or spinach optional
gluten free bread, wraps, or crackers to serve optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Chicken Salad:

Mince 4 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (or half a small onion, any variety).
Dice 1 bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange are best).
Mince ⅓ cup fresh basil.
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove it from the package. Remove the skin and discard.
Carefully pull all of the white and dark meat from the bones and place it onto a cutting board. Cut the chicken into cubes or shred it (depending on your preferred texture). Feel free to cut the pieces as large or small as you like.
Yields 4 cups of chopped chicken
Discard any bones from the rotisserie chicken.

For The Lemon Mayo Dressing:

To make the dressing, squeeze 3 Tbsp. of fresh lemon juice (equals 1-2 lemons).
Add ⅓ cup mayo to a small mixing bowl along with 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (you can also use stone ground mustard), 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
Mix all of these ingredients until completely combined using a fork or a small whisk.
Place the diced or shredded chicken into a large bowl along with the minced garlic and shallots and diced bell peppers.
Pour the dressing over the chicken salad and toss until completely combined.
Pour the extra 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice over the top and add the minced basil. Stir again until all of the ingredients are completely combined.
To Serve: Garnish with some extra torn basil and squeeze of lemon. Serve the chicken salad as-is, with some crackers or crostini, on toasted bread or buns as a sandwich, in a wrap, or in lettuce cups. It's great with some sliced tomatoes and hearty greens such as arugula or spinach.

Notes

Leftover roasted or grilled chicken or leftover turkey may be used in place of rotisserie chicken. See copy above for instructions on how to make roasted bone-in chicken breasts.

The nutritional information does not include any bread, buns, or wraps.

Nutrition