This Chicken Salad Hack Takes Less Effort And Is 10x More Delicious

The idea of homemade chicken salad waiting in the fridge is enough to make your morning zoom by as you look forward to digging in. Unfortunately, when time is tight, as it always seems to be, making chicken salad from scratch feels like just a little too much effort. But you're on your way to delicious chicken salad in a fraction of the time with one easy hack: rotisserie chicken.  

Rotisserie chicken is so flavorful because it is already seasoned with an herb rub. Some groceries even offer garlic herb or lemon pepper varieties. What's more, the method of cooking slowly on a rotating spit using indirect heat means the meat stays moist as it continually bastes in its own juices. And you get all of that flavor and tenderness when you use rotisserie chicken in your salad.

In my house, adding toasted pecans and halved seedless grapes (we like purple) along with the mayo to bind everything together with the chicken is a sure winner. Other variations include adding juicy and sweet canned pineapple for even better rotisserie chicken salad, or going savory and herbaceous with walnuts, tarragon, and fennel in a triple anise chicken salad. Whatever mix-ins you prefer, make sure to prep enough for lunches and late-night protein fixes. You'll be amazed at how many yummy meals you can stretch out of a rotisserie chicken (or two). And prepping it on Sunday will pay off in spades, as family members will undoubtedly be opening the fridge looking for something to snack on as the week rolls on.

You've likely appreciated the enticing aroma of rotisserie chickens wafting toward you in the grocery store. Almost more impressive is that the chicken is wallet-friendly and already cooked and seasoned. Talk about a win-win-win. The best rotisserie chickens seem to come from grocery stores like Sam's Club, Costco, Fresh Market, and Wegmans. Wherever you buy yours, make sure to pick a rotisserie chicken that feels plump with a bit of heft to ensure you've got the juiciest bird.

I find that harvesting the meat right when you get home from the grocery store is easiest, as the whole messy situation feels quicker if done while the chicken is still warm and tender. If you really want to utilize every part of the rotisserie bird, you can even use the leftover carcass to create a flavorful chicken broth for yet another meal. Rotisserie chicken is a great thing to keep on your grocery list, as you can repurpose the meat into a variety of dishes, from chicken salad to chicken fajitas, chicken chili, and even chicken potpie.