Chicken Salad Croissants
This post may contain affiliate links.
Light, bright, and thoroughly filling, this make-ahead chicken salad is exactly the type of no-drama camping lunch we love!
Chicken salad is such a versatile camping lunch idea! It’s endlessly customizable, allowing you to add or subtract ingredients depending on your personal preference. It can be either a main course or a side dish, on its own, on salad greens, or as a sandwich or wrap!
And the best part is that there’s no on-site cooking required. Just take it out of the cooler and serve!
We’ve included a recipe on how to cook your own chicken, but if you’re tight on time, there’s nothing wrong with picking up a rotisserie chicken from the market and skipping the cooking altogether. Just mix everything together, put the mix in a sealable container, and place it in the cooler!
We were so grateful to have this chicken salad ready to go in our cooler on a recent trip to the Cascade Lakes Hwy. Our kids were melting down just as we pulled our van up to Twin Lake, and we were able to feed them, get them down for their naps, and then enjoy our chicken salad croissant sandwiches without having to cook a single thing. That’s the easy kind of lunch we’re all about these days!
-Megan & Michael
Ingredient Substitutions and Notes
- Gently poaching the chicken is an easy way to cook chicken so it’s juicy and flavorful, or you can use rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Mayo can be substituted with plain Greek yogurt (full-fat is best).
- Feel free to play around with the ingredients in this recipe to make it your own! Try cashews or almonds instead of pecans, add dried cranberries instead of grapes, and use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand (I especially love tarragon in this recipe instead of parsley).
Pre-Trip Prep
- Cook the chicken or pick up a rotisserie chicken. Chop up all of the ingredients, mix them together, and store it in a sealed container.
- Pre-made chicken salad will store for up to four days in the fridge or in a properly packed cooler.
Cooking Tips
- Use an instant-read thermometer to avoid overcooking the chicken.
- The recipe below is a great way to cook chicken stovetop, but you can also use our Instant Pot chicken recipe. Just chop the chicken instead of shredding it once cooked.
Chicken Salad Croissants
Ingredients
Instructions
For the chicken
- Place the chicken breasts, broth or water, and salt in a saucepan, making sure that the liquid covers the chicken (add more water if it doesn't). Bring to a gentle boil, then cover and turn off the heat. Poach the chicken for 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160℉ (check this with an instant-read thermometer).2 chicken breasts, 4 cups chicken broth or water, 4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- Remove the chicken from the liquid and place it on a cutting board. Let it rest until it's cool enough to handle, then chop it into small bite-sized pieces.
For the sandwiches
- Add the mayo, Dijon mustard, celery, grapes, pecans, shallot, and parsley to a bowl and stir to combine.1 cup mayo, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ cup chopped celery, ½ cup grapes, ½ cup pecans, ¼ cup shallot, ¼ cup parsley
- Cut the croissants in half lengthwise. Divide the chicken salad among the croissants. Serve & enjoy!6 croissants
Notes
Poached chicken method adapted from Bon Appetit.
yarrakbet giris