Chicken Salad Croissant

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This Chicken Salad Croissant is the ultimate croissant sandwich that's easy to make with 10 ingredients, plus it's a great make ahead meal. Customize the filling with any of your favorite spices, seasonings, veggies, and fruit!

Chicken salad is SO delicious when it's homemade, and this Chicken Salad Croissant is super easy to whip up and tastes even better. Made with tender chicken, a creamy dressing, and full of crunchy mix-ins, it's the perfect flavor combination.

If you're a fan of the popular Chicken Salad Chick flavor Sassy Scotty, you'll be in heaven! The flavors of this chicken salad are spot on! It's then piled high onto buttery, flaky croissants. That's right, these are croissant sandwiches - is there anything better?!

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Not only can you make it ahead of time, but this croissant chicken salad is completely customizable too. Add in any ingredients you like, or remove the ones you don't. No matter how you serve it, it's sure to be a winner. We'll bet on it!

If you like this recipe, be sure to try some of these other variations. Our Southern Chicken Salad is a twist on the classic and happened to go viral too. Two of our other fan favorites are Savory Chicken Salad, and our flavor-packed Cornbread Chicken Salad.

Table of Contents

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Quick and Easy Sandwich Idea: With a quick prep time and using simple, good quality ingredients, this chicken salad is easy to mix together and ready to enjoy in no time.
Full of Flavor and Texture: Tender chicken, creamy mayonnaise and ranch dressing, and crunchy celery and bacon make this the ultimate flavor and texture bomb in every bite.
Customizable: This is our favorite go-to version, but it can easily be customized to anyones preferences. Add or omit ingredients depending on taste - include fruit or nuts, change up the spices, or serve it on different types of rolls or sliced bread. Get creative, the options are endless!
Make Ahead: Not only is this salad super quick and easy to make, but it can be made in advance. And it actually gets better after it sits for a while! Make it ahead of time and let the flavors meld together for a few hours before serving.

A bowl of chicken salad with a spreader.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Chicken: The base of this chicken salad, we shred the protein after it's been cooked and cooled. We like boneless, skinless chicken breasts best, but you can use whatever you like or have on hand. You can even use a whole rotisserie chicken as a shortcut!
Mayonnaise: Rich and creamy, this is the base for the chicken salad dressing.
Ranch Dressing: Adds a zesty, tangy flavor to the dressing and helps to thin it out a bit.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp and delicious in flavor, cheddar goes perfectly on this sandwich and pairs well with the bacon.
Bacon: Smokey and crispy, this adds nice flavor and texture to the sandwich.
Celery: Adds a french and crunchy bite to the chicken salad.
Green Onions: Provides a mild onion flavor and a nice pop of color.
Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: Dried spices you probably already have on hand, these help to subtly flavor the chicken salad and help enhance the other flavors.
Salt and Pepper: As I always say, season everything with salt and pepper! It makes everything taste better, trust me.
Croissants: Rich, flaky and buttery, soft croissants are the perfect vessel to eat this delicious, tender chicken salad on.

Laura Ashley's Tip: Use rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut, it's just as delicious as making it from scratch!

The ingredients to make a chicken salad croissant.

How To Make Chicken Salad Croissants

To a large bowl, combine the chicken, mayonnaise, ranch dressing, cheddar cheese, bacon, celery, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.

The ingredients to make chicken salad in a bowl.

Mix with a hand mixer until well combined.

Mixing together chicken salad in a bowl with a mixer.

Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, slice croissants in half. Scoop and spread ½ cup prepared chicken salad on each croissant.

Expert Tips

Poach For Tender Chicken: Poach or boil your the breasts for the most tender, juicy results. You can also bake the chicken, but be sure to not overcook it, or it will be rubbery and dried out.
Use Rotisserie Chicken for a Shortcut: If you're short on time or don't want to make your own chicken, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. They're a great time-saver, super flavorful and delicious, easy to find at any grocery store, and work perfectly for chicken salad.
Shred Chicken While Warm: Shred the breast meat shortly after cooking it while it's still slightly warm. It'll shred easier this way versus when it's cold.
Let Flavors Meld: Once you've mixed together the salad, let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so (or even overnight) to let the flavors meld. It's one of those things that tastes better with time!

Variations and Mix-Ins

Add Fruit: Sweet, crunchy fruit add great flavor and texture to chicken salad. Try halved red or green grapes, diced apples, raisins or even any dried fruit.
Go Nuts for Nuts: Chopped or toasted nuts add texture and flavor in every bite. Almonds, pecans or walnuts would be delicious.
Add Toppings: Load up your sandwich with fresh, crunchy, and flavorful toppings like butter lettuce, sliced heirloom tomatoes, tangy pickled onions, or spicy pickled jalapenos.

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

Make-Ahead: This chicken salad recipe can be made ahead of time, and in fact, actually tastes better if you let it sit for a few hours before serving. Make this in advance to let the flavors meld and serve it a few hours, or even the next day for best results. Just be sure to keep the croissants separate so the sandwiches don't get soggy.
Fridge: Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Store the croissants separately, and when you're ready to enjoy, simply assemble your sandwiches.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you keep chicken salad croissants from getting soggy?

Keep the chicken salad and croissants separate until you're ready to serve. This goes for storing the chicken salad, too. Assemble your sandwiches right before you're ready to enjoy to avoid soggy croissants!

Should you toast your croissant before adding the chicken salad?

You definitely can if you'd like! Simply slice your croissants in half and toast them (on your preferred toaster setting or in a 375-degree oven) for about 5 minutes until golden and browned. Just be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn - they toast quickly!

What is a chicken salad sandwich made of?

Chicken salad is traditionally made with shredded, cooked cooked chicken, a mayonnaise-based dressing, and fresh, diced celery and onion. There are a lot of varieties that also include fruit like grapes or apples and nuts like walnuts or almonds. This can be served on any type of bread, roll or croissant you'd like.

How long does chicken salad last?

Chicken salad is a great make-ahead recipe. You can store it in the fridge for up to 3-5 days for best flavor results. Just be sure to keep the chicken salad and the bread you plan to serve it with, separate. And just a note, we don't recommend freezing any leftovers, as it can affect its texture and flavor.

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