Smoked Chicken Salad - Heart's Content Farmhouse

Prep Time:15

Total Time:45

Equipment

Smoker
Large mixing bowl
small bowl
Whisk
flexible spatula

Ingredients

4 cups cooked, pulled, or diced smoked chicken white and dark meat
½ cup diced celery
⅓ cup finely diced red onion
3 green onions thinly sliced
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 to 2 dashes hot sauce such as Frank's RedHot or Tabasco, or to taste
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Smoke the chicken

Smoke the chicken. Rub a whole chicken with oil and your favorite BBQ seasoning, then smoke at 250°F with apple or cherry wood for 2½ to 3½ hours, until the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Cool and dice. Pull the meat off the bone and let it cool completely before dicing.

Mix the salad

Combine the salad ingredients. Add the smoked chicken, celery, red onion, green onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce, and seasonings to a large mixing bowl.

Combine and season

Mix the salad. Fold ingredients with a flexible spatula until everything is evenly coated.
Taste and adjust. Add more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or hot sauce if needed.

Chill and serve

Chill the salad. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld.
Serve cold. Scoop onto sliced croissants with fresh lettuce, spoon into lettuce wraps, or serve with crackers.

Notes

Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days; stir before serving. Do not freeze the finished salad — the smoked chicken alone can be frozen in preportioned bags and used to make the salad as needed. The ratio is about ¾ cup mayonnaise per 4 cups chicken; adjust up or down to your preference.

Nutrition

Servings: servings

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Katie Shaw