Roast Chicken Salad is quick and easy to prepare with a simple zingy balsamic vinegar dressing! This epic roast chicken salad is made from a store bought rotisserie chicken ticking all of the boxes with convenience and taste!
Recipes like the Chicken Ribs, Chicken Pesto Linguine and the Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken make winner winner it's chicken dinner an easy option any night of the week!
The Tortilla Garlic Bread is fuss free and quick to prepare!
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:
- Using a store bought roast chicken saves times and energy without cutting corners on flavour and texture!
- Family favourite: this recipe will be loved by the whole family regardless of age. It is the perfect family dinner recipe.
- Simple ingredients: there is a 9 total ingredients for this recipe!
- Substitutions and variations: you can use spinach leaves or shredded lettuce for the rocket leaves if you prefer.
- Feed a crowd: this is a large salad and will feed 4 - 6 people.
🤍 Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are simple and easy to find at the local shops. They are set out in the photo below so you can see exactly what you need:
As you can see, we have:
- roast chicken
- rocket leaves (can use spinach if you prefer)
- beetroot
- cherry tomatoes
- cucumber
- shallots
- lentils
- croutons
- balsamic vinegar
The croutons add texture and crunch to the dish and the balsamic vinegar adds a flavour packed zingy-ness!
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by preparing the cooked chicken. You will find a knife and chopping board handy to begin these steps.
- Remove any string and cut/tear the chicken meat from the carcass (Photo 1)
- Use a knife to slice the cucumber (Photo 2)
- Finely chop the shallots into pieces (Photo 3)
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in halves(Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Roast Chicken Salad
If you want even less chopping for your salad, throw the cherry tomatoes in as they are!
It doesn't take long to pull the chicken off the bones and the beetroot and lentils require minimal prep time.
- Start to plate your salad with the rocket leaves (Photo 5)
- Add the sliced cucumber (Photo 6)
- Next add drained and rinsed lentils (Photo 7)
- Then add the beetroot (Photo 8)
You can use either beetroot cubes, like I have done, beetroot slices or small baby beets which are the round little beetroot balls.
Chicken and beetroot is a winning combination for salad as the 2 flavours compliment each other so well and it is a nice change from a garden salad with chicken!
- add cherry tomatoes to the salad (Photo 9)
- then add your shredded chicken (hot, warm or cold) (Photo 10)
- sprinkle the chopped shallots over the chicken (Photo 11)
- then add the croutons on top (Photo 12)
The salad is ready to serve once the ingredients have been brought together in a salad bowl (it will need to be a big bowl) or plate.
Keeping the dressing separate till you are ready to serve it saves it from becoming a soggy salad!
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chicken Salad supposed to be cold?
Chicken salad doesn't have to be cold. In fact, with this recipe you can have warm chicken, cold chicken or hot chicken. The options are limitless!
If you want to take this salad as your plate to a pot luck, BBQ with mates or picnic with friends, you can make it in advance and keep the dressing separate until you are ready to serve.
Or if you are low on energy and dinner on the table stat is your priority, then grab a Woolies or Coles roast chicken on the way home, throw the rest of the salad on the plate and then tear the chicken apart and throw it on warm.
This is a versatile salad that feeds a crowd!
What goes with Chicken Salad for dinner?
Chicken salad is great for lunch but also works for dinner!
If you want to make a complete meal, you can serve this with my Duck Ft Roast Potatoes, Creamy Garlic Potatoes or Skin on Roast Potatoes.
In fact, any of the potato dishes in the roasted potato side dishes collection would be the perfect way to serve your roast chicken salad!
💡 Tasty Tips
These tips are to help you master this recipe from the 1st time you make it:
- Use a chopping board, remove any string then start carving the chicken from the breast.
- Remove the breasts, legs, wings then pull and tear the chicken like shredding.
- Set the chicken aside whilst you prepare the rest of the salad.
- You will need a large platter or bowl for this salad, it is HUGE!!
- Portion the leftovers into containers for easy grab and go week day lunches!
- Prep this salad on the weekend so meals are ready during the week.
This salad has everything you need. We have pops of colour, a variety of taste and textures, protein, sweetness from the balsamic and savory sensations dance on your tongue as well!
😍 More Easy Chicken Recipes
For chicken recipes that get the dish on the table fast, have a look at these ideas:
- Asian Chicken Pizza
- Chicken Noodle Stir Fry
- Chicken Sausage Rolls
- Chicken Spaghetti Bolognese
- Easy Chicken Yaki Udon
- Chili Lime Chicken Wings
- Honey Soy Chicken Stir Fry
- Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Mexican Lime Chicken
- Chicken and Chorizo Paella Recipe
These recipes are to bring ease and convenience to your week! Give them all a go one by one and bookmark your favourites!
Who needs to cook a chicken when you can grab a cooked one and make this in 3, 2, 1!
Adrianne x
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📖 Recipe
Roast Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Standard chopping knife
- Large platter or salad bowl
- Servers
- Small bowl for dressing
Ingredients
- 1 whole roast chicken Note 1
- 120 grams rocket leaves Note 2
- 425 grams beetroot drained, not rinsed Note 3
- 400 grams lentils drained and rinsed, Note 4
- 250 grams cherry tomatoes Note 5
- 1 continental cucumber
- 1 bunch shallots
- 1 cup croutons Note 6
- balsamic vinegar to serve
Instructions
- Place your roast chicken on a chopping board, remove any stuffing and strings and then begin to carve it and remove it from the carcass
- Use a knife to slice the cucumber, finely chop the shallots and cut the cherry tomatoes in halves.
- Begin to bring the salad together, starting with the rocket leaves, then the cucumber, lentils, beetroot, cherry tomatoes, shallots and croutons
- When ready to serve dress salad with balsamic vinegar and toss.
Video
Notes
- Note 1 I use a store bought roast chicken as it is SO easy and saves time cooking a chicken
- Note 2 Rocket leaves have a peppery bitter taste and are a great addition to many recipes. If you like you can substitute spinach leaves for the rocket.
- Note 3 This is a standard tin of beetroot. My favourite is the diced style, but you can also use sliced or beetroot balls, whichever is your favourite!
- Note 4 This is a standard tin of lentils. So if you grab a jar or a tin, drain and use them, don't worry if you get a 420 gram tin for example, use them all as to not waste them (or have the dreaded small amount of them leftover in the fridge!)
- Note 5 This is a standard punnet of cherry tomatoes
- Note 6 I do make my own croutons and it is fun and easy (loads of garlic) but if in a hurry, grab the ones from the store as it doesn't get much easier than that!! (x)
- Note 7 For the balsamic vinegar is it VERY STRONG in flavour and you only need a little bit. 2 - 3 tablespoons for the whole salad is enough an drizzle it out so it doesn't sit just in one pool of liquid.
veenaazmanov says
A perfect light Dinner option. Love all the healthy veggies and roast chicken toppings. The Balsamic dressing is so yummy and I am drooling.
Dannii says
We love making this as a way to use up leftover chicken. YUM
Adrianne says
Thanks Danni! That is great feedback.