I never enjoyed chicken salad until I started working at a deli in my early 20s. It quickly became a lunch staple for me, even though I had so many other sandwich options at my fingertips.
Nowadays, I usually get my chicken salad fix at home when I have leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken. But I wanted to check out the grocery store to see if I could find something good to add to my lunch rotation.
So, I visited four major supermarket chains — Costco, Trader Joes, Wegmans, and Whole Foods — and bought premade chicken salad at each one.
I taste-tested all four with some crackers and ranked them from worst to first. Heres how they stacked up.
Chicken salad is a classic dish that has been popular in America for over 150 years. It combines shredded chicken meat with mayonnaise or a mayonnaise-based dressing, and often includes add-ins like celery, onions, grapes, nuts, and spices. While making your own homemade chicken salad can be delicious, it’s also convenient to grab a pre-made tub from your local supermarket when you’re pressed for time.
But there are so many places that sell chicken salad these days, how do you know which is the best? I tried chicken salads from major grocery stores and takeout restaurants to find out which ones are the creamiest and tastiest.
The Best Chicken Salads from Grocery Store Deli Counters
While you’re busy, you can get chicken salad at the deli counter of your local grocery store. It’s quick and easy. Most big chains sell at least one kind, with either familiar flavors or new ingredients. To find the best chicken salad, I tried foods from well-known stores like Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Publix, and more.
Walmart – Walmart has some of the best chicken salads you can find at any grocery store. Their Southern-style chicken salad is perfectly balanced, with just the right creaminess, saltiness, and sweetness. It also contains shredded chicken, hard boiled egg, and the perfect crunch from veggies. Other excellent options include their rotisserie seasoned chicken salad and cranberry pecan chicken salad.
Publix: If you live in the southeast of the US, you can probably get bird salad from Publix. With pickle relish for crunch, their classic chicken breast salad is a great choice for a classic meal. I also loved their chunky chicken salad and spicy hot honey chicken salad.
Costco – You can’t go wrong with Costco’s Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken salad. It tastes just like their famous rotisserie chicken, with tender, juicy meat and crispy chicken skin flavors throughout. It’s excellent for feeding a crowd.
If you want a really tasty chicken salad, try Trader Joe’s homestyle chicken salad. It tastes strong of black pepper and is smooth and sweet without being too much. Don’t get their curry chicken salad; it’s not as good.
Sprouts – Sprouts makes fresh, light chicken salads focused on letting the veggies shine rather than heavy mayo creaminess Their classic chicken salad features lots of crisp carrots, celery, and green onion.
Specialty Chicken Salads from Restaurant Chains
In addition to grocery stores, many restaurant chains also sell their own unique chicken salad varieties. Here are some of the best chicken salads you can get from popular fast food and fast casual spots:
Panera Bread – Panera offers a Napa almond chicken salad sandwich, which has chicken, celery, grapes, and toasted almonds mixed into a creamy dressing It makes a satisfying lunch paired with tomato and greens on bread.
Chick-fil-A – Chick-fil-A’s classic chicken salad has finely minced chicken breast, celery, and mayo. You can order it as a sandwich or side salad. Their spicy and nutty pecan chicken salads are also tasty options.
McAlister’s – This sandwich and salad shop lets you customize your own chicken salad creation with mix-ins like pecans, grapes, pineapple, bacon, and more. Their pre-made classic chicken salad is also excellent.
Pret A Manger – Pret’s chicken salad sandwich features chicken, mayo, almonds, cranberries, and whole grain mustard on multigrain bread. The avocado adds a nice creaminess.
Jason’s Deli – For a healthier chicken salad, try Jason’s Deli version made with grilled chicken, pineapple, and almonds. It has lower sodium and no artificial ingredients.
Arby’s – Arby’s seasonal pecan chicken salad sandwich is a sweet and nutty treat. It contains chicken, pecans, apples, grapes, and celery.
HoneyBaked Ham – This chain’s popular chicken salad sandwich features chicken salad with cranberries and toasted almonds served on a croissant.
Au Bon Pain – Get Au Bon Pain’s chicken salad scoop made with chicken, cranberries, and almonds served atop mixed greens for a well-balanced meal.
What Makes a Great Chicken Salad?
When searching for store-bought chicken salads, keep an eye out for these characteristics:
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Creamy texture – The mayo dressing should add nice creaminess without being overly greasy. Too little mayo can make it dry.
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Tender chicken – Look for freshly cooked, shredded chicken breast meat rather than low quality processed chunks.
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Crunchy mix-ins – Onions, celery, nuts, pickles, and other crunchy ingredients provide texture.
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Seasoning – Salt, pepper, spices, and herbs amp up the flavor. A hint of sweetness balances savory notes.
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Quality ingredients – Fresh, natural ingredients make better chicken salad than artificial additives and flavors.
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Variety – Unique mix-ins like fruit, nuts, bacon, and avocado create flavorful options beyond basic chicken salad.
Tips for Serving Store-Bought Chicken Salad
Once you’ve selected a delicious store-bought chicken salad, here are some serving ideas:
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Scoop it onto bread, croissants, or rolls for chicken salad sandwiches. Add lettuce, tomato, avocado or other veggies to build a sandwich.
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Stuff it into a pita pocket, wrap, or lettuce cups for a handheld option.
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Serve it alongside fresh cut veggies or pita chips for dipping.
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Top a salad with scoops or slices of chicken salad for added protein.
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Mix it with pasta or rice for a chicken salad grain bowl.
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Use it as a filling for stuffed tomatoes, celery sticks, or deviled eggs.
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Try a chicken salad lettuce wrap platter with sides like fruit and cottage cheese.
With so many stores offering convenient chicken salad options, you’re sure to find a new favorite by sampling different varieties. Next time you need an easy protein-packed meal or snack, visit your grocery store deli or local restaurant chain to answer the question, “Who sells the best chicken salad near me?” Your taste buds will thank you.
Trader Joe’s Wine Country chicken salad was too sweet for me.
The Wine Country chicken salad was the most like the other items on this list that I could find at three different Trader Joe’s stores in my area. However, it differed slightly from the others as it incorporated sweetened dried cranberries and pecans.
I first thought that might give it an unfair edge in the ranking because I like chicken salad with dried cranberries. The $5 price also seemed like a good deal for a 12-ounce container.
However, this chicken salad was way too sweet for my taste and not quite hearty enough. There were certainly more gooey bits than chunks of chicken, and the cranberries tasted like candy.
Overall, I thought this tasted more like a salad dressing than a deli salad.
I wouldn’t buy the Wegmans grilled chicken salad again.
When I visited Wegmans, a 16-ounce tub of grilled chicken salad cost $15. Since that price seemed borderline outrageous, I hoped the chicken salad would be delicious.
However, I was disappointed. There wasnt much flavor to it at all — the prevailing taste was that of mayonnaise — and it had an oddly grainy texture that closely resembled tuna salad.
There was a good amount of chicken in the mix, which might help explain the price, but the meat lacked flavor and wasnt especially moist.
The price point, more than the chicken salad itself, earned Wegmans the bottom spot on my ranking.
The Best Chicken Salad I’ve ever eaten | Family recipe with Mom B (Kelly Bates)
FAQ
Does Wendy’s sell chicken salads?
Our signature lettuce blend, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, cool, creamy avocado, Applewood-smoked bacon, and grilled chicken breast are used to make this sandwich every day.
Does Arby’s have chicken salad?
Yes, Arby’s does have a Pecan Chicken Salad sandwich, but it’s typically a limited-time offering. According to Arby’s website, it has 100% natural grilled chicken, apples, grapes, celery, toasted pecans, and mayo. It is served on honey wheat bread with green leaf lettuce.
Do McDonald’s sell chicken salad?
Caesar Crispy Chicken Salad. A bed of crispy lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, and garlic-herb croutons tops our Caesar salad. It also has pieces of breaded chicken breast. A Caesar sauce is also available for that extra oomph!.
Does Burger King sell chicken salads?
Grilled Chicken Salad. A blend of premium lettuces garnished with juicy cherry tomatoes, corn, cucumber and grilled chicken fillet, served with balsamic or yogurt or Caesar’s dressing.