Fresh cherries & tarragon add delicious flavor to this easy Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe! It’s made with greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for a healthy spin on a classic!

Chicken salad on toast on white plate with potato chips

Table of contents

Chicken salad is one of of the easiest things to meal prep and eat throughout the week. It’s a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken and this version is both healthy and delicious!

Fresh sweet cherries are available from June through August, but frozen cherries can be found year-round. If fresh cherries can’t be found, simply thaw frozen cherries under cold running water and add them to the salad.

I like to serve my chicken salad sandwich open-faced on sourdough bread. I’ve also used multigrain gluten free bread to make this sandwich gluten fee. And I’ve tried the sandwich on butter croissants, which is Kurt’s favorite way to eat the sandwich!

No matter which way you serve it, the combination of sweet cherries, tart greek yogurt dressing and fresh tarragon, will make this the best chicken salad sandwich you’ve ever had!

Overhead shot of open face chicken salad sandwiches on a white plate with cherries

Step by step instructions

  1. Combine plain greek yogurt, honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add fresh tarragon, green onions and black pepper to make the dressing for the salad.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cooked, shredded chicken with chopped walnuts, fresh cherries and chopped celery. Add the dressing and stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, or until ready to serve.

Ways to prepare the chicken

Leftover rotisserie chicken works great for this recipe because it’s already cooked and can easily be taken off the bone and shredded.

If you don’t have rotisserie chicken on hand, you can cook chicken breasts in a pressure cooker, Instant Pot or on the stove.

  • For the traditional pressure cooker or Instant Pot recipe, simply cover the chicken breasts in liquid, either water or chicken broth, in the pressure cooker.  Pressure cook the chicken for 7 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker or Instant Pot to pressure down, then remove the lid, remove the chicken and shred it.
  • For the stovetop method, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 1-2 minutes per side. Add 3/4 cup water or chicken broth, cover the skillet and allow to cook for 7-10 minutes. Remove the lid, remove the chicken from the skillet and shred the chicken.

To shred the chicken, use two forks on a cutting board, or use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to quickly shred the chicken.

Ways to serve chicken salad

Chicken salad can be served in a number of different ways, here are a few of my favorites.

  • Open faced on toasted sourdough bread with fresh spinach
  • On a butter croissant
  • In lettuce wraps or endive spears (check out how I served Thai Chicken Salad on Endive Spears)
  • Wrapped in a tortilla
  • In pita bread
  • On a toasted ciabatta roll

What to serve with it

If packing these Chicken Salad Sandwiches for lunch, a bag or chips, fruit or fresh veggies with hummus are easy sides that can be packed for lunch with the sandwich.

If you have a little extra time to make a side dish at home, I would highly recommend this Kale Apple Slaw, Pasta Salad or Quinoa Corn Salad as delicious side dish options!

Frequently asked questions

  • Should chicken salad be served cold? This chicken salad is meant to be served cold. After first making the salad, I recommend refrigerating it for at least 10-15 minutes before serving.
  • How many calories are in chicken salad? This chicken salad is 198 calories per serving. What you decide to serve the chicken salad on will determine any additional calories. A butter croissant is 231 calories, a slice of sourdough bread is 185 calories, a large flour tortilla is 218 calories and a large lettuce leaf is 4 calories.
  • Can you eat this salad on a low carb diet? If you’re looking for a low carb lunch option, the lettuce leaf is a great way to serve this chicken salad. The chicken salad itself is only 7 carbs per serving and a leaf of lettuce is less than 1 carb.
  • How long will chicken salad stay good? Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, chicken salad will stay good for 3-5 days.
Chicken salad on toast with potato chips on white plate

More chicken salad recipes

For more great chicken salad recipe ideas, check out these fan favorites!

Chicken salad on toast with spinach and cherries on a white round plate
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Cherry Tarragon Chicken Salad Sandwich

Fresh cherries & tarragon add delicious flavor to this easy Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe! It’s made with greek yogurt for a healthy spin on a classic!
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Course: Main Course, Salad, Sandwich
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Serving Options

  • 4 slices bread, gluten free, sourdough or ciabatta
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 4 butter croissants
  • 4 lettuce leaves

Instructions

  • Combine the greek yogurt, honey and dijon mustard in a small bowl.
  • Add the lemon juice and zest, tarragon, green onions and black pepper.
  • In a large bowl combine the shredded chicken, walnuts, cherries and celery.
  • Add the dressing to the chicken salad and stir to combine.
  • Place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
  • If serving on bread, lightly toast the bread, then place 5-6 leaves of spinach on top of the bread, add the chicken salad and serve. 
  • To serve the chicken salad on a croissant, slice the croissant through the middle lengthwise, then add the spinach, if you’d like to the bottom half of the croissant, then top with the chicken salad and the top half of the croissant.
  • To serve the chicken salad on lettuce leaves, simply add the salad to the leaves of lettuce.

Notes

  • The nutrition information provided is for the chicken salad only. The serving options are not included.
  • This recipe is gluten free when served on gluten free bread or in lettuce wraps.
  • If fresh cherries can’t be found, thaw frozen cherries under cold running water to use in the salad.
  • Leftover rotisserie chicken works great for this recipe because it’s already cooked and can easily be taken off the bone and shredded. If you don’t have rotisserie chicken on hand, you can cook chicken breasts in a pressure cooker, Instant Pot or on the stove.
    • For the traditional pressure cooker or Instant Pot recipe, simply cover the chicken breasts in liquid, either water or chicken broth, in the pressure cooker.  Pressure cook the chicken for 7 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker or Instant Pot to pressure down, then remove the lid, remove the chicken and shred it.
    • For the stovetop method, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet on the stove over medium heat, add the chicken breasts and sear for 1-2 minutes per side. Add 3/4 cup water or chicken broth, cover the skillet and allow to cook for 7-10 minutes. Remove the lid, remove the chicken from the skillet and shred the chicken.
    • To shred the chicken, use two forks on a cutting board, or use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to quickly shred the chicken.

       

Nutrition Facts

Calories 198kcal (10%)Carbohydrates 7g (2%)Protein 20g (40%)Fat 9g (14%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Cholesterol 53mg (18%)Sodium 107mg (4%)Potassium 284mg (8%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 4g (4%)Vitamin A 105mg (2%)Vitamin C 5.5mg (7%)Calcium 42mg (4%)Iron 1.3mg (7%)
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