Chicken Salad with Leftover Chicken (Perfect for Dry Chicken)
Turn dry or overcooked chicken into a fresh, flavorful chicken salad with avocado, chickpeas, olives, capers, and a bright lemon dressing. A healthy and easy leftover chicken rescue recipe.
Servings: 4
Calories: 446kcal
Ingredients
For the salad
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast flaked or diced
- 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ English cucumber diced
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado diced
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives sliced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
For the dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Using two forks, gently pull the cooked chicken breast into thin flakes or shreds. You can also dice it into small pieces. This helps the chicken absorb the dressing better and makes it softer.3 cups cooked chicken breast
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flaked chicken, chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, avocado, olives, capers, and dill.1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, ½ English cucumber, ¼ red onion, 1 large avocado, ⅓ cup kalamata olives, 2 tablespoons capers, 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- Pour the dressing over the salad and, using two large spoons, gently toss everything together until the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Allow the salad to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This gives the chicken time to absorb the dressing and allows the flavors to meld together.
Notes
- Make it ahead: This salad can be prepared a day in advance, but for the freshest texture, add the avocado just before serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The avocado may brown slightly, but a squeeze of lemon juice helps slow oxidation.
Nutrition
Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 674mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg