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 with so many stores selling chicken salad these days, how do you know where to find the best? I tested chicken salads from major grocery chains and restaurant takeout spots to determine who sells the creamiest, most flavorful chicken salad you can buy.
The Best Chicken Salads from Grocery Store Deli Counters
Grocery store deli counters offer a quick and easy chicken salad option when you don’t have time to prepare it yourself. Most major chains sell at least one variety, featuring classic flavors or unique ingredients. I tried chicken salads from popular stores like Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Publix, and more to find the best of the best.
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: Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken salad from Costco is always a good choice. The meat is tender and juicy, and the skin is crispy. It tastes just like their famous rotisserie chicken. It’s excellent for feeding a crowd.
Trader Joe’s – For a super savory chicken salad, try Trader Joe’s homestyle chicken salad. It has bold black pepper flavor and is creamy without being too sweet. Stay away from their curry chicken salad, which isn’t 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
Besides grocery stores, a lot of restaurant chains also sell their own special kinds of chicken salad. You can get some of the best chicken salads at these well-known fast food and fast casual places:
Panera Bread: The Napa almond chicken salad sandwich at Panera is made with chicken, celery, grapes, and toasted almonds mixed into a creamy dressing. It’s a filling lunch when served on bread with tomato and greens.
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. It seemed like there was a lot more goopy liquid 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?
Made fresh daily with our signature lettuce blend, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, cool, creamy avocado, Applewood smoked bacon, and grilled chicken breast ….
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.