Chicken Salad with Chili Crisp (Print Version)

Tender chicken salad meets spicy chili crisp in this vibrant sandwich layered with fresh vegetables and creamy dressing.

# What You Need:

→ For the Chicken Salad

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
03 - 1 tablespoon chili crisp
04 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
05 - 1 celery stalk, finely diced
06 - 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ For the Sandwiches

10 - 4 sandwich rolls or slices of bread
11 - 2 cups mixed salad greens
12 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
13 - 1 medium tomato, sliced

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, mayonnaise, chili crisp, Dijon mustard, diced celery, red onion, and fresh herbs. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
02 - Add lemon juice to the mixture, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir well to incorporate the seasonings throughout the salad.
03 - Lightly toast the sandwich rolls or bread slices until golden brown for added texture and warmth.
04 - Place a bed of mixed salad greens on the bottom half of each roll or bread slice. Arrange cucumber slices and tomato rounds evenly over the greens.
05 - Spoon a generous portion of the prepared chicken salad onto the layered vegetables. Drizzle with additional chili crisp if you prefer extra heat.
06 - Place the top half of each roll or bread slice over the filling. Press gently to compact the sandwich and serve immediately while the bread is still warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The chili crisp creates this perfect balance where the heat cuts through the creamy dressing without overwhelming anything else
  • It comes together in about 20 minutes but tastes like something from a specialty sandwich shop
  • The texture combination is ridiculous, soft chicken, crisp vegetables, and those crunchy chili crisp bits throughout
02 -
  • The chicken salad actually tastes better if you make it a few hours ahead and let it chill in the refrigerator, giving all the flavors time to really get friendly with each other
  • Do not skip the toasting step if you are making these ahead of time, untoasted bread will get sad and soggy within an hour
  • The chili crisp intensity varies wildly between brands, start with less and add more until it hits your perfect heat level
03 -
  • If you can find it, use a chili crisp with fried garlic pieces, they add incredible texture throughout the chicken salad
  • Shred the chicken instead of dicing it for a texture that holds together better in the sandwich

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