This Hot Honey Chicken Salad Recipe is a super easy, protein-packed meal that's a spicy-sweet twist on the classic. Just grab a rotisserie chicken and mix it up with spice, honey, Greek yogurt, red onions, and celery for some crunch that's totally delicious. It's perfect for a quick & easy meal, lunchtime meal prep, or picnics.
For even more Hot Honey Recipes, see our whole collection where we have tested and perfected everything from crispy chicken to cocktails to condiments.
No boring cold chicken salad here! This one's a winner for so many reasons:
- Super Easy: Just grab a rotisserie chicken and whip up the dressing in 5 minutes.
- Versatile: Serve on croissants, soft bread, sourdough, lettuce leaves, or eve by itself.
- Flavorful: The tanginess from Greek yogurt and lemon juice, combined with the sweet heat of hot honey and other spices, creates an amazing new twist on classic chicken salad.
- Meal prep: No more wondering what to eat for lunch. Divide this into 4 containers, and boom, lunch is sorted!
Salad recipes are a great way to mix up your meal plan. Check out this hot honey pasta salad with cherry tomatoes next!
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Ingredients
Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is super convenient, but any diced chicken works great.
- Greek yogurt: We love the light, tangy taste of Greek yogurt, but you can use half mayo if you're not into the tanginess.
- Onions: Red onion adds awesome color and texture, while green onions give a fresh, herby flavor.
- Celery: Adds a great crunch and flavor.
- Honey or hot honey: If you go with spicy honey, skip the cayenne pepper.
- Cayenne: The small amount provides a little kick of heat!
- Spices: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper bring it all together.
How to make chicken salad with hot honey
Start by chopping the chicken, red onion, celery and green onions. For the best result make sure the chicken pieces are all similar in size and the veggies are a fine dice.
To make the hot honey dressing, mix together the yogurt, honey, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Whisk together.
Add in the chicken, red onion, celery, and green onions to the mixing bowl and stir thoroughly. Chill and serve cold.
Note: This can be eaten immediately but for best flavor allow salad to meld in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
How to serve chicken salad
- Just grab a fork and dig in.
- Croissants, whether full-size or mini, are perfect for showers or luncheons.
- Lettuce cups add a nice crunch.
- Any kind of bread: soft white bread, rich brioche, tangy sourdough, or crusty rolls.
- Wrap it up in a tortilla or flatbread.
Substitutions
We love this as is, but it is always fun to play around with flavors.
- Greek yogurt: Try using half mayonnaise or a slightly richer flavor.
- Add in a teaspoon or two of dried Italian herbs.
- Try a tablespoon of fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, dill, or chives. Rosemary might be a little too strong.
- For even more heat, sprinkle on a little bit of red pepper flakes.
FAQ
Chicken salad made with a creamy component, like yogurt, will last 4-5 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If meal prepping, store in separate containers for convenience.
Your chicken salad probably tastes bland because it's missing enough herbs, spices, or a bit of acid. But don't worry, this recipe has all the right ingredients to make sure this is a delicious salad and is anything but bland.
Tips and tricks
- No matter what chicken you are using, dice pieces as evenly as possible. Texture is a main component to the success of this dish.
- Just like the chicken, the veggies need to be finely diced for best results.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together really well before mixing in the other ingredients.
What to serve with chicken salad
More hot honey recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Easy Hot Honey Chicken Salad Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!)
Equipment
- chefs knife
- glass boel
Ingredients
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- ⅛ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken, diced or cooked chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add sauce ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk together until the honey incorporates completely.½ cup greek yogurt, ⅛ cup honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Add in the diced chicken and veggies. Stir until everything is evenly coated. Chill and serve cold.4 cups rotisserie chicken, diced, 2 stalks celery, finely diced, ¼ cup red onion, finely diced, ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
Notes
- No matter what chicken you are using, dice pieces as evenly as possible. Texture is a main component to the success of this dish.
- Just like the chicken, the veggies need to be finely diced for best results.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together really well before mixing in the other ingredients.
- Sandwich bread or croissants
- Cheese
- Tomato
- Lettuce
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Danielle says
Such a nutritious meal that can be used in so many different dinners!