Creamy & Refreshingly Crunchy Cucumber Chicken Salad
This Creamy Cucumber Chicken Salad is a light, crisp, and refreshing dish that's perfect for warmer days or when you need a quick and satisfying lunch. It's fast to make, especially with leftover chicken, and takes just minutes to whip up. It's a crowd-pleasing staple great for sandwiches, wraps, or eating with crackers.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl Medium-sized
- Airtight container For chilling and storage
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups Cooked chicken breast Leftover rotisserie, boiled, or baked chicken. Shredded or diced.
- 1 large Cucumber English cucumber preferred. Remove large seeds if needed.
- 1 clove Garlic Finely minced.
- 0.5 cup Red bell pepper
- 0.25 cup Red onion Rinse under cold water if raw onion is too strong.
- 0.75 cup Mayonnaise Adjust amount based on preference.
- 0.25 tsp Black pepper Freshly ground preferred.
- 0.25 tsp Salt Adjust to taste.
Instructions
- Prep Your Veggies & Chicken: First things first, make sure your chicken is cooked and cooled. Shred or dice it into bite-sized pieces. Next, wash and dice your cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion. Mince that garlic clove finely. I try to chop everything into roughly similar sizes so you get a bit of everything in each bite.
- Combine Ingredients: Grab a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add your prepared chicken, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, minced red onion, and minced garlic to the bowl.
- Add the Creaminess and Seasoning: Dollop in the mayonnaise. Sprinkle in the black pepper and salt. Now, gently stir everything together. You want to coat all the chicken and veggies evenly with the creamy mayo mixture. Don't overmix; just combine until everything looks happy and coated.
- Taste and Adjust: This is the most important step! Grab a spoon and take a small taste. Does it need a little more salt? A crack of pepper? Maybe a tiny bit more mayo for extra creaminess? Adjust the seasonings to your liking. Sometimes, I feel like it needs a tiny squeeze of lemon juice here to brighten it up even more!
- Chill (Optional but Recommended!): While you can eat it right away, this salad is even better after it's had a chance to chill in the fridge for at least 15-30 minutes. This lets the flavors meld together beautifully and makes it even more refreshing. Pop it in an airtight container and give it a little rest.
- Serve and Enjoy!: Now for the best part! Serve your creamy cucumber chicken salad in lettuce wraps, on crackers, as a sandwich filling, or just enjoy it with a fork straight from the bowl. However you eat it, savor that wonderful fresh crunch!
Notes
For the best texture, start with cold ingredients. Chopping chicken and vegetables into similar sizes ensures a good bite. You can prep the chicken and vegetables a day in advance and store them separately, mixing everything just before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It's important to keep it chilled and not leave it at room temperature for more than an hour or two.