Hot Chicken Salad

5 from 1 vote

This Hot Chicken Salad is a twist on the classic in that it’s baked! It’s great served as an appetizer, main course or snack. Use store-bought rotisserie chicken for ease or leftover chicken from the night before.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: casserole, chicken

Servings: servings

Calories: 509kcal

Ingredients

4 cups shredded cooked seasoned chicken
1 1/2 cups finely diced celery
10.5 ounce can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 cup slivered almonds divided
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese divided
8 ounce can water chestnuts drained and chopped
seasoning salt or salt and black pepper amount as desired
2 cups potato stix or crushed plain potato chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
To a large mixing bowl, add diced celery, cream of celery soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt or salt and pepper, 1/2 cup of the almonds, 8 ounces of the cheddar cheese, and water chestnuts. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly combined.
Fold in the shredded chicken.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the top, followed by the remaining almonds and potato stix or chips.
Bake uncovered for 28-32 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Rest for a few minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Storage:

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for a few minutes until warmed through.

We don’t recommend freezing hot chicken salad as it can change texture once it thaws. Prepping the recipe in advance works well. Mix everything to combine and keep in the fridge. Bake when ready to serve.

Tips:

- Use store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken for this recipe. It’s the best for using up roasted chicken from dinner the night before.

- Bake uncovered to keep the topping crunchy. This is key to this hot chicken salad recipe. The best part is the almond and potato chip topping, so bake it without foil on top to keep it nice and crispy.

- Shred your own cheddar cheese if possible. This way the chicken salad has that perfect gooey texture. Pre-shredded cheese can have a coating on it that prevents it from melting nicely.

Nutrition

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