This Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe takes only 10 minutes to make and is loaded with flavor! It’s a cashew chicken salad with grapes and celery that brings the perfect crunch and a pop of sweetness from the grapes. Serve it on croissants, rolls, sliced bread or as a cracker dip!

This is a great recipe to have on hand for last minute sandwich prep and is a great way to use up any leftover chicken and/or rotisserie chicken! For another delicious take on this recipe, try my Avocado Chicken Salad! You can also try my leftover turkey salad sandwich recipe for another great sandwich recipe. For a Mexican twist, try my Ensalada de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Salad) recipe!

Chicken Salad Sandwich with leafy green lettuce on a croissant.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Perfectly seasoned. I’ve had chicken salad from Costco, and it’s OK, nothing spectacular by any means. The trick with chicken salad is that you must season it appropriately. This recipe has the perfect blend of seasonings. I use (and love) Mrs. Dash Seasoning and celery salt. The last word you’ll think of when eating these chicken salad sandwiches is “bland.”
  • Quick and easy recipe. This chicken salad croissant recipe comes together in just 10 minutes! It’s an easy way to mix up your lunch menu.
  • Variety of textures. I’m BIG on textures and this recipe has all of them! The fresh crunch from the celery is refreshing and light combined with the soft and plump grapes that provide a burst of sweetness and moisture to the sandwich. And don’t forget the soft crunch and subtle nuttiness of the cashews! It’s a dream…

Ingredient Notes

Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe ingredients in glass bowls on a white marble background.
  • Chicken: If you are cooking chicken from raw, cook then shred the chicken. You can also use rotisserie chicken! 
  • Mayo: The mayo is the only ingredient that brings that creamy element to the chicken salad croissant. If you’re looking to make a healthier substitute, substitute part of the mayo with some Greek yogurt. I probably wouldn’t do a complete swap, but maybe start with 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt.
  • Celery: Chicken salad with celery is one of my favorites! The celery adds a nice crisp crunch to the sandwich.
  • Grapes: Either red or green grapes work here. You can also do half green and half red if you’d like. Slice the grapes in half so they fill the sandwich better and don’t pop out. 
  • Cashews: This cashew chicken salad sandwich wouldn’t be complete without cashews! I love the soft nuttiness it brings to the recipe. Use unsalted cashews if you want to be able to control the saltiness of your croissant sandwich. 
  • Mrs. Dash Seasoning: This Mrs. Dash seasoning is the secret to the best chicken salad sandwich recipe! Unfortunately, there isn’t a great substitute for this seasoning, but you could try making it yourself if you don’t have it or can’t find it at the store. It’s blend of onion powder, black pepper, celery powder, bail, oregano, bay marjoram, thyme, cayenne pepper, coriander, mustard, rosemary and cumin. It’s basically all the best spices mixed together for a perfect seasoning blend! 
  • Croissants: You can also use dinner rolls for serving or sliced bread. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken. Cook the chicken (if starting with raw chicken) an then chop or shred the cooked chicken and let cool. 
A glass bowl with shredded chicken, purple grapes, celery, cashews, and mayo in it.
  1. Make the chicken salad. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix until combined. 
  2. Serve chilled. Serve on croissants, homemade rolls, or sliced bread.
Chicken Salad filling in a glass bowl on a light gray background.

Recipe Tips

This is a great recipe to use leftover chicken you may have in the fridge from last nights dinner. You can even use rotisserie chicken, bottled chicken, or grilled chicken. Just make sure it’s cooked and shredded or chopped into bite sized pieces.

Additional add-ins: Chopped chives, sliced green onions. You don’t have to use cashews in this chicken salad sandwich recipe, pecans or even sliced almonds would be great alternatives. Add some fresh lettuce on the sandwich for an extra veggie and additional crunch. 

If you’re looking to make a healthier chicken salad sandwich you can try substituting plain greek yogurt for the mayo. I probably wouldn’t do a complete swap, but maybe start with 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt. You can also use a fat-free mayo as healthier option, too.

This chicken salad recipe can also be used as a cracker dip, rolled in a tortilla for a chicken salad wrap, topped on a bed of lettuce, served with sourdough or a baguette! The options are endless. Want a healthier take? Make these into a chicken salad lettuce wrap instead of using croissants or bread! 

The beautiful thing about this recipe is you don’t have to follow it exactly. If you want more grapes, add more grapes. If you want more cashews, add more cashews.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Store any leftover (of if made in advance) chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. 

This recipe won’t freeze well due to the fresh grapes and celery, the nuts and the mayo (or if you’ve used Greek yogurt) in the dressing. 

FAQs

What can you serve with chicken salad sandwiches? 

This recipe would be great with crispy potato wedges, zucchini fries (for a healthier side), air fryer waffle fries, or a fresh strawberry spinach salad

Is this chicken salad dairy free? 

Yes! If you use a dairy-free bread, then this recipe is completely dairy free. Mayo doesn’t have dairy in it, so if you are using Greek yogurt, it won’t be dairy free anymore. But if using just the mayo in this recipe, then yes it is a dairy free chicken salad sandwich!

Is this chicken salad sandwich recipe healthy?

There are plenty of elements in this chicken salad that are healthy! It is packed with celery, cashews, grapes and shredded chicken. You can adapt some of the less healthy ingredients (the croissant and the mayo) for healthier options, such as fat free mayo or Greek yogurt or whole wheat bread or lettuce for chicken salad lettuce wraps.

A Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe on a croissant.

More Easy Lunch Recipes

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A Chicken Salad Sandwich on croissant against a white background.
Print Save Review
5 from 13 votes

Chicken Salad Sandwich

I LOVE a good chicken salad, especially one with lots of delicious flavor! This is my all-time favorite chicken salad sandwich recipe! You can serve it on rolls, or my personal favorite, buttery and flaky croissants. This recipe is loaded with several seasonings along with celery, grapes, and cashews.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded - about 16 oz
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 3/4 cup celery, chopped - (I do a heaping 3/4 cup)
  • 1 1/2 cups grapes - cut in half
  • 2/3 cup cashews, roughly chopped - (I like a lot of cashews so I’ll do a heaping 2/3 cup, or even 1 cup)
  • 1/2 tablespoon Mrs. Dash seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 8-10 rolls or croissants*
  • salt and pepper - to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl combine the shredded chicken, mayo, celery, grapes, cashews, Mrs. Dash seasoning,and celery salt. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cut rolls or croissants in half length wise, and fill each roll with the chicken salad filling. Add lettuce to the sandwich if you'd like. Serve immediately.

Notes

*If using rolls, you’ll get a lot more than 8 sandwiches. 
This recipe is just a guide. If you want more grapes, add more grapes! If you want more/less celery add accordingly. 
Store any leftover (of if made in advance) chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. This recipe won’t freeze well due to the fresh grapes and celery, the nuts and the mayo (or if you’ve used Greek yogurt) in the dressing.
Recipe Source: Salt & Baker

Nutrition

Calories: 595kcal (30%)Carbohydrates: 35g (12%)Protein: 23g (46%)Fat: 40g (62%)Saturated Fat: 12g (60%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 95mg (32%)Sodium: 709mg (30%)Potassium: 350mg (10%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 12g (13%)Vitamin A: 515IU (10%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 43mg (4%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating and review on the blog post letting me know how you liked this recipe! Take a picture and tag @saltandbaker on Instagram and Facebook so I can see what you’re making!

This recipe was originally published on Jan. 20, 2020. It was republished on Jan. 20, 2022, to include additional information and photos.