Million Dollar Chicken Salad

    Million dollar chicken salad totally lives up to the name. It’s creamy, cheesy, crunchy, and packed with bacon, so every bite is full of flavor. Serve it on croissants, with crackers, or straight from the bowl! It’s that good.

    Million dollar chicken salad in croissants with lettuce.

    Why Your Lunch Just Got Better

    • Beyond the Basic: These simple, yet tasty ingredients turn ordinary chicken salad into a flavor packed superstar!
    • Meal-Prep Magic: Make it ahead, chill, and it’s ready whenever hunger strikes. Great for meal prep, it’s the perfect high, extra protein lunch!
    • So Many Ways to Serve: Pile it on croissants, over lettuce, in wraps, or with crackers… so many delicious options!

    Million Dollar Chicken Salad Ingredients

    Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.
    • Chicken: Use chopped or shredded chicken. I like to use rotisserie chicken when I’m short on time!
    • Bacon: Precooked, refrigerated bacon heats up quickly! You can use real bacon bits to make it easy.
    • Almonds: Slivered almonds are a classic million-dollar ingredient, but you can use sliced or chopped almonds as well.
    • Salt and Pepper: Season just to taste! The bacon and cheese add a salty flavor, so taste the salad before adding any salt.

    How to Make Million Dollar Chicken Salad

    Get ready to fall in love with chicken salad all over again! This million dollar version is a total game changer, and if you’re a fan of big flavors, don’t miss my other million dollar hits like million dollar spaghetti and million dollar chicken.

    1. Combine: Add the chopped chicken, celery, shredded cheddar cheese, slivered almonds, crispy bacon, and green onions to a large bowl.
    2. Stir: Add the mayonnaise and stir well until everything is evenly coated.
      Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    3. Serve: Enjoy on fresh croissants, on a bed of lettuce, or with crackers.
    Chicken, bacon, celery, green onions, cheese and almonds all added to a bowl.
    Mayonnaise added to the bowl of ingredients.
    All of the ingredients mixed together in a mixing bowl.

    Alyssa’s Pro Tip

    • Add Some Tang: My OG chicken salad recipe has 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and I love the flavor it adds. Feel free to add some to this recipe!
    Print

    Million Dollar Chicken Salad

    A rich and creamy chicken salad with a simple twist that makes it taste like a million bucks.
    Course Dinner, lunch
    Cuisine American
    Keyword million dollar chicken salad recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 628kcal
    Author Alyssa Rivers

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast or shredded
    • 1 ¼ cups mayonnaise
    • ¾ cup chopped celery
    • ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
    • ½ cup slivered almonds
    • ½ cup cooked and crumbled bacon 8 slices
    • ¼ cup diced green onions
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Add 3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast, ¾ cup chopped celery, ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup slivered almonds, ½ cup cooked and crumbled bacon, and ¼ cup diced green onions to a large bowl.
    • Add 1 ¼ cups mayonnaise and stir well to combine.
    • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on fresh croissants, on a bed of lettuce, or with crackers!

    Notes

    Make Ahead and Leftover Instructions
    • Make-Ahead: Prepare it, cover it tightly, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy! Before serving, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise to add moisture if the salad needs a refresh!
    • Fridge: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    • Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 24g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 582mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 292IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 1mg
    Large bowl of million dollar chicken salad ready to be eaten.

    More Easy Lunch Recipes

    If you’re on the hunt for more lunch ideas, you’ll love these! They’re easy to make and come together in a flash.