Artichoke Chicken Salad is a fresh twist on a classic recipe. This salad is so versatile and is easy to throw together for lunch, when company comes over or for parties! Loaded with tender chicken, artichokes, capers and red onions, then all tossed in a light, bright dressing, this salad is sure to become a new favorite for anyone who loves chicken salad.
Chicken salad is one of those much beloved dishes that’s been around for decades. I think everyone has their own favorite version of it and I’m no exception. I do love a classic chicken salad made with celery, egg and mayo especially if it’s served on toasted bread with a slice of juicy tomato. The thing is, even a classic needs to be updated every now and again. Enter in, my Artichoke Chicken Salad. It’s made with just a few ingredients that each have great flavor and when combined, make a terrific salad that’s destined to become a tradition in my house!
What you’ll need to make Artichoke Chicken Salad:
- Shredded chicken
- Jarred Artichokes Hearts
- Capers
- Red Onion
- Lemon
- Mayonnaise
I really like experimenting with different flavor combinations and that’s exactly how this chicken salad came about. I had some chicken breasts that I need to cook so I threw them in the Instant Pot they were ready in no time. While that was happening, I headed to my pantry to see what I could find to add to my salad. On that particular day, there was one thing that was not going to happen. I was not going to the store that day so I had to come up with ingredients that I had on hand. Does anybody else get sick of going to the grocery store? Anyway, I found a jar of artichoke hearts and a jar of capers then let my creativity take over. Within minutes, I’d whipped up a salad that was absolutely incredible!
I made this salad with chicken I cooked in the Instant Pot but you could certainly use rotisserie chicken from the grocery or leftovers from another meal. I believe one of the best things about this recipe is that the ingredients are not bogged down in a heavy dressing. I cut the mayonnaise in half from what I normally put in chicken salad, added some lemon zest and juice to give it a beautiful, fresh taste. With a hit of chopped parsley, the whole dish came together in no time!
Ways to serve Artichoke Chicken Salad:
- As a light lunch with fresh veggies and crackers.
- An appetizer for parties and when you’re entertaining. Spoon it into Phyllo Cups, place on a pretty platter and sprinkle on chopped parsley.
- Stuffed into tomatoes or avocados. This makes a beautiful presentation when you’re having company over and want to serve something light.
- Make wraps or loaded pita pockets for supper. Just add a greed salad with vinaigrette and you’ve got a meal!
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Ingredients
- 4 cups white meat chicken - shredded (2-3 chicken breasts cooked)
- 1 12 ounce jar artichoke hearts in water (not in marinated) - drained and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers - chopped
- ½ cup red onion - minced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley - chopped
Instructions
Instant Pot Fresh or Thawed Chicken Breasts
- Place chicken breasts in Instant Pot. Add one cup of water or chicken stock. Sprinkle on salt and pepper to season chicken.
- Set pressure cooker to 6 minutes, high pressure and set valve to seal.
- Once the timer goes off, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes then do a quick release. Carefully remove lid, remove chicken breasts and let rest for 5 minutes.
Chicken Salad
- Place shredded chicken, artichokes, capers and onion in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk together until smooth. Pour over chicken salad ingredients. Mix to combine.
- Sprinkle on parsley, salt and pepper and toss gently. Serve immediately.
- **Chicken salad will keep in refrigerator for 3-5 days in a covered container.
Nutrition
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Cindy Webb
Really good. I used what I had on hand which was canned chicken and marinated artichoke hearts, but turned out fine. I also added a little orzo pasta.
Sounds good. Glad you made it your own.
~Donya
Claire Clark
I’m so glad this recipe showed back up. I made it last spring. It’s delicious!
Jessica
So I’m obsessed with this recipe. I’ve made it twice in two weeks! This week I added steamed asparagus and a little bit of pasta (we’re out of saltines) and I love it.
Donya
Hey there Jessica!
Wow! I am so glad to hear that you’ve been enjoying this recipe, the flavors in this recipe are hard to beat! Adding asparagus and transforming the dish into a pasta salad was a terrific idea, I’ll have to give that a try! Thank you so much for your kind words of support and your fantastic rating, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to ask!
~Donya
Rebecca
This is a great tasting salad. I did add some dill just because I love it so much, but this recipe would be amazing as is. It keeps very well for several days, too. Thanks for all your recipes!!
Donya
Hey there Rebecca!
My goodness! Thank you so very much for this sweet comment, and your phenomenal rating! I’m so happy to hear that you’ve enjoyed this recipe, adding dill sounds absolutely delicious I will definitely be trying that. If you liked this recipe, you should check out my Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad. This Artichoke Chicken Salad has a fresher, zestier flavor profile whereas the Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is a little sweeter, but those pecans give the perfect crunch, it’s delicious. Thank you so much for your support, I appreciate it! I hope you’re having a great summer!
~Donya
Joanne
OH MY GOSH! Are you kidding me? I can’t wait to make this! It has everything I love (artichokes, capers, red onions, lemon). I never thought of making chicken salad in this way. I might even add a few kalamata olives to it. Thank you! I’ve been following you for a few months now and love your site, recipes, inspiration and all around attitude towards life.
Joanne!
You are the sweetest person ever! Thank you so much. You’ve inspired me today and I love you for it. As far as the chicken salad, YES, add the olives! All of these flavors together are crazy good and I think you are going to LOVE this salad.
Have a wonderful day!!
XO,
~Donya
Catherine
This looks so good! I have everything but the chicken, but I do have some great cans of tuna in olive oil, so I’m going to try that! Thank you, been looking for an easy recipe to use my artichokes. Absolutely love your blog and recipes. God bless!