Smoked Chicken Salad Recipe
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!
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).
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!
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!
Other Salad Recipes You Might Like
Classic Egg Salad
Healthy Tuna Salad
Greek Orzo Salad
Smoked Salmon Salad
Made this recipe and loved it?!
We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
Follow Us on Social
Equipment
- kitchen twine
Ingredients
Smoked Chicken:
- 4 pound whole chicken
- 2-3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2-3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
Smoked Chicken Salad:
- 3 cups smoked chicken, shredded*
- 1 cup red grapes, halved
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup celery, sliced (about 2 stalks)
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ – ½ cup almonds, slivered or chopped (or pecans)
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons honey, more, if desired
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep Chicken: Ensure a 4 pound whole chicken is fully thawed 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 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℉. Place chicken on the smoker (breast side up) and close. Let cook approximately 3½ – 4½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉. 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 3 cups smoked chicken, halved grapes, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, sliced celery, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, ¼ – ½ cup almonds, diced red onion, sliced green onions, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 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.
- Cook Time: of course this is a great use for leftover smoked chicken in which case that cook time will be “0”.
- 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.
Emily says
Great recipe – whole family loved it!