During the summer months we constantly have either our smoker or our grill going and one of my favorite things to do is make some pulled chicken on the smoker and turn into this salad. It takes very little work and is the perfect quick + easy dinner my family loves. If you still have leftover chicken feel free to add them to some easy Chicken Enchiladas or even throw some Chicken Caesar Wraps together!
Looking to Add More Flavor?
If you love buffalo sauce as much as we do, try adding it to your chicken salad and make our Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- smoked chicken: feel free to use leftover smoked turkey if you prefer.
- plain greek yogurt: to make this dairy-free simply use a plain dairy-free yogurt as a substitute.
- mayo: we love our homemade mayo, but use whatever works best for you.
- slivered almonds + red grapes + celery: these add a bit of crunch and pops of flavor, but feel free to switch them out for any other add-ins (like apples or even raisins).
Smoking the Chicken
First smoke your chicken – we have recipes for whole smoked chicken, smoked chicken breasts and smoked chicken thighs! And we like to throw at least 2 chickens on the smoker as long as we have it running!
You can either rub butter all of your your bird + salt and pepper OR you can do a fun dry rub – then smoke at 225 for 3.5-4.5 hours or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F.
Making the Salad
After your chicken rests – shred with two forks.
Stir to combine. Taste and adjust any flavors, as-desired.
Serving Options
- Wrap: add these to your favorite tortilla or lettuce wrap!
- Chicken Salad Sandwich: serve on either a bun, croissant, etc. Whatever you prefer!
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Other Salad Recipes You Might Like
Classic Egg Salad
Healthy Tuna Salad
Greek Orzo Salad
Smoked Salmon Salad
Creamy Smoked Chicken Salad with Grapes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Counter Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
A delicious Smoked Chicken Salad recipe with fresh, simple ingredients and tons of flavor! Perfect for a simple dinner or meal prep!
Ingredients
Smoked Chicken
- Approx. 4 lb whole chicken
- 2–3 tablespoons butter, softened
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
Smoked Chicken Salad
- 3 cups smoked chicken, shredded*
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon honey (more, if desired)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup almonds or pecans, slivered or chopped
- 1 cup red grapes, halved
- 1/2 cup celery, sliced (about 2 stalks)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1–2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- approx. 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Instructions
- Prep Chicken: Ensure chicken is fully thawed and and the cavity is empty. Use kitchen or butcher twine to truss the chicken legs together and tuck the wings. Take 2-3 tablespoons softened butter and mix with 2-3 teaspoons minced garlic and then rub that all over the chicken (including under the skin where you can) then sprinkle generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- Smoke Chicken: Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F. Place chicken on the smoker (breast side up) and close. Let cook approximately 3.5 – 4.5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Keep an eye on your smoking chips so you don’t run out!
- Rest + Shred: Remove from smoker and let rest 10-20 minutes before carving (cover will aluminum foil). Shred with two forks.
- Mix Salad: Place the shredded chicken + all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to fully combine.
- Taste + Adjust: Taste and add additional salt, honey, etc. as desired.
- Serve: Serve on a bed of butter lettuce or on a croissant – or however you like!
Notes
- * Smoked Chicken: you can use whole smoked chicken, smoked chicken breasts or smoked chicken thighs for your shredded smoked chicken.
- Dairy-Free: simply use a plain dairy-free yogurt as a substitute.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 208
- Sugar: 8.6 g
- Sodium: 322.3 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.5 g
- Protein: 15.7 g
- Cholesterol: 47.5 mg
Emily says
Great recipe – whole family loved it!