Name: Pesto Chicken Salad
Prep time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.5 cups shredded rotisserie chicken; 1/3 cup red onion; 1/3 cup celery; 1/4 cup mayo made with avocado oil; 2 cups fresh basil, packed; 1/4 cup pine nuts; 1 lemon, juiced; 2 garlic cloves; 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/2 tsp sea salt; dash of pepper; 1 tbsp water

Jump to Recipe

I love a good chicken salad and this Pesto Chicken Salad may be a new favorite. Not only is it made with simple ingredients, including a homemade pesto, but it’s perfect to prep for an easy lunch for the week! This salad is great to throw into a wrap, top on greens or serve with veggies and crackers to make into a meal.

I love making recipes that are perfect for an easy lunch throughout the week. One of my go-to’s has always been chicken salad and I’ve found a few different ways to switch them up each time! (Check out the Chipotle Chicken Salad or Southwestern Chicken Salad on the blog!) These are great to meal prep at the beginning of the week, switch up into different meals and always hit the spot.

If you’re looking for

Table of Contents

What you need for Pesto Chicken Salad:

Rotisserie Chicken (or two shredded chicken breasts!)
Red Onion
Mayo
Fresh Basil
Olive oil
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Pine nuts
Lemon
Garlic clove
Sea salt
Black pepper

How to make this chicken salad:

Shred your rotisserie chicken.
In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients to make a homemade pesto: pine nuts, fresh basil, lemon, garlic clove, olive oil, grated parmesan, sea salt and pepper. Blend and set aside.
Add diced red onion and mayo to the bowl with shredded chicken. Add homemade pesto.
Mix to combine.
Add into a wrap or however you’d like to enjoy it!

How to store your pesto chicken salad:

It’s best to store your leftover chicken salad in a sealed container in the fridge. If you are making these to take in a lunch box, I like using these! Or for easy fridge storage, these are great for the fridge.

If you want to pair this chicken salad, try these options:

Add your chicken salad to a wrap!
Top it on sourdough toast for a delicious sandwich
Serve it with crackers and veggies

If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy these on One Balanced Life:

FAQs

How long will this salad last for?

You can keep this salad in the fridge for up to 4 days!

Can I use store bought pesto?

Yes! If you want to keep this even simpler and use your favorite store bought pesto, you can. I use ½ cup pesto.

Save and Pin for later!

Make sure to save and pin this recipe for later! Are you following me on Pinterest yet? You can also follow me on Instagram & Facebook, and make sure to leave a star rating and tag me if you make this recipe! xx