How To Hack The McDonald's Menu To Make A Budget-Friendly Chicken Salad

There are many ways to get more options from the McDonald's menu, even concocting items that aren't technically available. One of many menu hacks you can do at McDonald's is a budget-friendly way to make a chicken salad using the McChicken sandwich. If you're craving chicken salad and would like to create a low-cost version from ingredients available at your local McDonald's — give this a try.

Are you curious about how you can buy chicken salad at a restaurant that doesn't serve salads anymore? The McChicken sandwich is the perfect base for your salad. Just order it with extra lettuce, add tomatoes, skip the bun, and then choose a sauce to top it. You could also do this hack with the sandwich that's similar to the McChicken — the McCrispy — which uses a crispy chicken fillet. Or, if it's available in your location, it might be worthwhile to try a Chicken Big Mac, which is a spin on the classic Big Mac that uses two tempura-battered chicken patties. Doing this will increase the price, but you'll get more chicken. You can then make your chicken salad fancy by getting creative with your sauce selection.

There are a variety of ways to dress up your McDonald's chicken salad aside from just a drizzle of the mayonnaise that typically comes on a McChicken. Some people like to give chicken salad a kick by adding hot sauce to the mix. McDonald's serves many flavors of packaged sauce, including a Spicy Buffalo that will do the trick to create a budget-friendly crispy buffalo chicken salad.

Another popular addition to chicken salad is ranch dressing, which is also available at McDonald's. It will add a tart, garlicky note to your salad. Creamy Chili McCrispy Strip Dip would also be a great match, with a hint of spice and a toasted sesame finish. You could also go for a classic honey mustard sauce. Or you could mix two sauces that work well together — like Buffalo and ranch.

This menu hack is especially budget-friendly if you order the McChicken from the lunch to late night McValue Menu, where you can buy an item then add another for $1. You could double the chicken, lettuce, and tomato for this chicken salad hack for only one extra dollar.