Warm Chicken Salad Recipe (No Mayo, 20 Minutes)
This warm chicken salad is a mayo-free dish in which canned chicken is sautéed with soft onions, fresh garlic and ginger, celery, and aromatic spices. It is delicious served garnished with sesame seeds, walnuts, and jalapeños. It is ready in about 20 minutes, uses one skillet, and is just as good spooned into lettuce cups as it is piled on crackers.
This warm chicken salad is a unique dish that differs from regular chicken salad. This does not contain cheese or any dressing. It is a quick, spiced skillet version that is low carb and easy to double for meal prep.
A Quick Glance at this Warm Chicken Salad
- No mayo. Sautéed onion and spices build the flavor instead.
- Fast. Canned chicken, one pan, about 20 minutes.
- Flexible. Eat it warm, cold, in lettuce wraps, on crackers, or over greens.
- Meal-prep friendly. It doubles or triples easily and keeps well for lunches.
What is unique about this warm chicken salad?
Versions of warm chicken salad range from a baked, creamy casserole with sharp cheddar cheese to plated salads with a warm vinaigrette. This fun twist is a quick skillet salad: the chicken is warmed with sautéed aromatics and spices, so you get big flavor without any mayonnaise.
Ingredients
The 10 main ingredients needed are listed below along with substitutions.
- Canned chicken: Any leftover chicken can be used instead of canned chicken. Shredded leftover rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken also works.
- Red onion: A yellow onion works as well.
- Garlic and fresh ginger: Use fresh garlic and fresh ginger as they give the salad its bright, spicy backbone. Most grocery stores sell peeled and chopped onion and ginger in the produce section, and these can be used as well. If you only have ground ginger, a reader used 1/4 teaspoon and liked it.
- Smoked paprika, turmeric, and coriander: these replace the richness of mayo with warm, earthy flavor.
- Celery: adds crunch and flavor. Celery can be swapped with some green bell pepper.
- Olive oil: or any neutral oil will work.
- Optional garnish: parsley, sesame seeds, walnuts, and sliced jalapeño. Swaps include cilantro, green onions, almonds, cashews, and Serrano pepper or poblano pepper.
Instructions
- Prep. Chop the onion, garlic, and ginger, and slice the celery.
- Soften the onion. Cook it in oil for about 8-10 minutes until slightly translucent.
- Add garlic and ginger. Cook for about a minute.
- Add the chicken and spices. Stir in the drained chicken, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, and celery, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring well.
- Season and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste, then spoon into a big bowl, garnish with parsley, and this salad is ready to serve.
Tip: Do not rush the onions. Cooking them slowly until soft is what gives this salad its depth in place of mayo.
What to serve with warm chicken salad
There have been times when I’ve enjoyed this warm chicken salad straight out of the pan. There have been other times when my daughter and I have stuffed this Warm Chicken Salad into lettuce leaves and made low-carb tacos. We simply love this warm chicken salad as it is such a quick and tasty meal to enjoy.
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- Spoon tablespoons into lettuce leaves for low-carb tacos
- With butter crackers or veggie crudités for an easy lunch
- Over greens with a squeeze of lemon juice
- In a warm pita or on toast
- Alongside a simple side salad or soup
Variations
- Spicier: add sliced fresh jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes to this hot chicken salad recipe.
- Nuttier: top with toasted pistachios or black sesame seeds or water chestnuts.
Storage and meal prep
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave, or enjoy it cold. Because there is no mayo or dairy, it is easy to pack for lunches.
Warm chicken salad FAQs
Yes. Use about 1½ cups of cooked, shredded or chopped chicken.
Yes. Use a larger skillet and give the onions a little extra time.
This version has about 202 calories and 13 g of protein per serving, with no mayo and no dairy.
I have not frozen this salad. We usually finish it within a couple of days after making it. So, if you freeze it, please let me know your experience.
More Warm Salad Recipes:
- Warm three pepper salad
- Warm tuna salad
- Warm pistachio edamame salad with black sesame
- Warm Holiday Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 small red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 inch piece of ginger
- 1 10 oz can of chicken
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander
- 2 stalks celery
- salt and pepper to taste
- OPTIONAL: parsley, sesame seeds, walnuts, jalapeño to garnish.
Instructions
- Peel and chop up the onion, garlic, and ginger. Wash and slice the celery.
- Add oil to a pan along with the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes or until the onion is slightly translucent.
- Add in the ginger and garlic and sauté for about a minute.
- Then add in the canned chicken, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, and celery and sauté for about 1-2 minutes, stirring well so everything is incorporated.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy as is or garnish with chopped fresh celery, sesame seeds, walnuts, and/or sliced jalapeños.
This chicken salad is really good! Different in a refreshing way. I don’t miss the mayo in it. My boyfriend who doesn’t like ginger very much was a fan (I used 1/4 tsp dried powdered ginger). The only other substitute I made was a small yellow onion instead of red onion because that’s what I had.
The salad looks delightful!