Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad Recipe

This easy spring and summer salad is delicious, and perfect for any picnic, barbecue or lunch! Also great with turkey or ham if you're looking for ideas to use holiday leftovers!

Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad

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It doesn't get much better than springtime in Minnesota.

There's something about the bird's chirping, rhubarb popping out of the ground, flowers, green grass and a warm breeze after a long winter.

All of these things make me think of picnics and BBQ's and today's recipe is absolutely perfect for both!

It's also a great timesaving recipe for those busy days when you don't have alot of time to throw something together.

I'm a huge fan of buying rotisserie chickens at Sam's Club, or my local grocery store, as I'm sure most of you are!

They make a great dinner on the fly, or bring them home and save the chicken for future meals! I usually grab two and use one for each.

We love making chicken salad sandwiches, putting the chicken on caesar salads or makingcasseroles.

My daughter is super picky, and she always devours rotisserie chicken, so it's defintely a win for dinner at our house!

This Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad is always a hit. We just love the sweet and savory flavor combo and not to mention, it's packed full of delicious vegetables.

It's a salad that holds up well, because the veggies are so crunchy. We love taking it to potlucks, picnics and even serve it as a side with some grilled chicken, pork or beef.

When you use the leftover rotisserie chicken, it takes minutes to chop a few veggies, dump the pre-made broccoli slaw and shredded carrots in a bowl and toss.

Anyone can throw this recipe together, even the kiddos!

What is in Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad?

  • Bell pepper: The bell pepper comes in different colors including red, yellow, orange, green, white, and purple. Red peppers have the most nutrition, because they've been on the vine longest. Green peppers are harvested earlier, before they have a chance to turn yellow, orange, and then red. Red bell peppers have almost 11 times more beta-carotene and 1.5 times more vitamin C than green.
  • Carrots: Packed with vitamin a and fiber, carrots are a favorite vegetable at our house. I only buy regular carrots because the flavor is SO much better than the pre cut baby carrots.
  • Sunflower seed kernels: The sunflower seed is the fruit of the sunflower. Most people call the kernels “seeds.” Sunflower kernels are encased in black and white, pin-striped hulls and they are a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, protein and vitamin E.

Looking for more summer salad ideas? Try these:

This recipe is ready in these steps:

  • Combine all ingredients except dressing and sunflower seeds in a bowl
  • Add dressing, toss to coat
  • Sprinkle with sunflower seeds
  • Refrigerate until serving

You can add or substitute with the following ingredients:

  • sliced green onion
  • sharp cheddar cheese
  • diced turkey
  • blueberries
  • red, yellow or orange bell pepper
  • pepitas
  • diced ham
  • vinaigrette dressing
  • coleslaw mix
  • strawberries
  • cooked crumbled bacon

Or some great recipes using chicken breast:

What readers are saying about this recipe:

  • Beth: So good! The longer it sits the better it gets!
  • Rachael: The sunflower seeds MAKE this. Also really good to throw in a wrap with a little sharp cheddar cheese. Wish I'd put more chicken.
  • Dahnielle: This was easy and turned out great. I made it for a school lunch and it’s perfect.

Recipes around this time in blog history....


One year ago

  • Chicken Mushroom and Cabbage Soup

Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad Recipe (8)

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

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Yield: 6 servings

Author: Sheena

Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad

ingredients:

instructions:

  1. Combine all ingredients except dressing and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
  2. Add dressing, toss to coat.
  3. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Refrigerate until serving.

Created using The Recipes Generator


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Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my chicken salad so bland? ›

There could be several reasons why your chicken salad is bland. Here are some common factors to consider: Lack of Seasoning: One of the most common reasons for bland chicken salad is insufficient seasoning. Make sure to add enough salt, pepper, and other seasonings like herbs and spices to enhance the flavor.

How many calories are in chicken poppy seed salad? ›

Panera Chicken Poppyseed Salad (1 salad) contains 12g total carbs, 9g net carbs, 4g fat, 15g protein, and 130 calories.

What should you not do in the preparation of chicken salad? ›

To ensure that your chicken salad tastes the way that it should, you should avoid using overcooked or dry chicken in your recipe. Unfortunately, as we cook chicken, the moisture of the bird slowly evaporates.

How do you make chicken taste more flavorful? ›

Marinating is good for flavouring and tenderising your chicken at the same time. It's best to marinate your chicken overnight to give the flavours plenty of time to infuse. A faster way to add flavour is to simply brine your chicken in salty water prior to cooking.

How many calories are in 1 cup of homemade chicken salad? ›

Chicken Salad (1 cup) contains 2.3g total carbs, 1.6g net carbs, 31.9g fat, 29.4g protein, and 417 calories.

How many calories in 2 tablespoons of Poppy Seed Dressing? ›

Salad Dressing Poppyseed Creamy (2 tbsp) contains 7.8g total carbs, 7.7g net carbs, 11g fat, 0.3g protein, and 132 calories.

How many calories are in a Panera Strawberry Poppyseed chicken salad? ›

Nutrition & Allergens
Nutrition InformationValue
Calories370 Cal
Calories from Fat120 Cal
Fat14 g
Saturated Fat2 g
8 more rows

How do you keep salad crispy? ›

Ample circulation of air is key to keeping lettuce crisp and fresh for longer. For this reason, an air-tight plastic or glass storage container may be preferable over a bag. A container allows the leaves more room so they don't get squished or bruised during storage, allows air circulation within the container.

Why is my salad crunchy? ›

Salt has the ability to draw out moisture from ingredients like fruits and veggies, leading to a reduction in water content, size, and their (once inviting) crispy, crunchy texture.

Why does my chicken salad have no taste? ›

Citrus juice and zest

Citrus juice does wonders to brighten the flavor of foods — including lackluster chicken salad. The acidity in citrus juice balances out the fat in the mayonnaise dressing while adding a tangy pop of flavor. The extra moisture from the juice can also help to make the salad tastier.

How do you make salad less bland? ›

Herbs, fruits, peppers, change your olive oil or try sesame, hazelnut or other traditional nut oils. Also try our variety of basils: Large Green, lemon-basil, spicy Thai, etc.

Why does my salad taste bland? ›

If your salad tastes bland despite having a ton of flavorful ingredients in it, it probably just needs some salt.

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