SIMPLE Chicken & Broccoli Salad (Perfect for Leftovers!)

Looking for an easy, healthy-ish recipe that tastes even better the next day? Say hello to your new go-to: Simple Chicken & Broccoli Salad. It’s creamy, tangy, crunchy, and comes together in minutes—especially if you’ve got some leftover chicken hanging around. Bonus points if you toss in some crispy bacon (because... why not?).

Whether you're meal prepping, packing lunches, or just trying to clean out the fridge, this salad checks all the boxes. Let’s get into it!

🛒 What You’ll Need:

For the Dressing:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (use your fave—regular, avocado-based, or even homemade!)

• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp raw honey

• 3 tbsp mustard (Dijon, yellow, or stone-ground—your call!)

• 1/2 tsp pepper & salt

• A dash of:

  • Garlic powder

  • Onion powder

  • Paprika (for that smoky depth)

For the Salad:

• 2 heads of fresh broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets

• Leftover cooked chicken, shredded or chopped

• Optional but recommended: crispy bacon, crumbled

🥄 How to Make It:

1. Whip up the dressing:
   In a small bowl, mix together your mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, and spices. Stir until it’s smooth, creamy, and calling your name.

2. Build the salad base:
   In a big bowl, combine the chopped broccoli, chicken, and bacon (if using). Pro tip: blanch the broccoli for 1 minute if you prefer it slightly softer—but raw works great too!

3. Dress it up:
   Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until everything is nicely coated in that delicious, tangy goodness.

4. Chill before serving:
   Let the salad hang out in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It gets even better once the flavors mingle!

🌟 Why You’ll Love It:

• Takes 10 minutes, tops

• Packs in protein and fiber

• Customizable with whatever you’ve got on hand

• Tastes amazing straight from the fridge

This salad is a little bit crunchy, a little bit creamy, and a whole lotta YUM. It’s one of those recipes that quietly becomes a staple—you didn’t know you needed it, but now you’re hooked.

Let me know if you make it, and tag me so I can drool over your bowl! 💚

SIMPLE Chicken & Broccoli Salad

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Yield: 8-10

Author: Laura Paquin

Prep time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min

A creamy, crunchy salad perfect for using up leftover chicken! Quick to make, full of flavor, and great for meal prep or potlucks.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (use your fave—regular, avocado-based, or even homemade!)
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 3 tbsp mustard (Dijon, yellow, or stone-ground—your call!)
• 1/2 tsp pepper & salt
• A dash of: garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika (for that smoky depth)

Salad

• 2 heads of fresh broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets
• Leftover cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• Optional but recommended: crispy bacon, crumbled

Instructions

1. Whip up the dressing: In a small bowl, mix together your mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, and spices. Stir until it’s smooth, creamy, and calling your name.
2. Build the salad base: In a big bowl, combine the chopped broccoli, chicken, and bacon (if using). Pro tip: blanch the broccoli for 1 minute if you prefer it slightly softer—but raw works great too!
3. Dress it up: Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until everything is nicely coated in that delicious, tangy goodness.
4. Chill before serving: Let the salad hang out in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It gets even better once the flavors mingle!