Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Cherry Tea
While DH is great at creating healthy recipes like Parmesan Cauliflower, fun ones like Corn Dog Sushi and other summer refreshments, I’m pretty good at making a few things. Several years ago, I created Nicole’s Next-Day Rotisserie Chicken Salad. Yes, I named it after myself because it was my first recipe. Just this week, #CollectiveBias challenged me to create a recipe that pairs well with tea. Well, I decided my beloved rotisserie chicken salad and my latest creation, Cool Cherry Sweet Tea, would be #TEARifficPairs.
After picking up the Rotisserie chicken from Sam’s Club, I headed to Walmart for the remaining ingredients. Most of these items are probably already in your spice cabinet. We had to grab some extras, including the kind that don’t store in a cabinet. (cough, Klondike Bars and Ben & Jerry’s, cough)
Summer schedules are always hectic so it’s a bonus that both these recipes are ridiculously easy – not to mention really tasty!
Nicole’s Next-Day Rotisserie Chicken Salad
3 lb Rotisserie Chicken (Our favorite – Sam’s Club)
¼ tsp Oregano
¼ tsp Basil
¾ tsp Tarragon
1 tsp Garlic powder or Granulated Garlic
¼ tsp Kosher salt
1 cup Mayonnaise (MAYONNAISE not Miracle Whip! Our favorite – Hellmann’s)
Pepper to taste (Straight from the pepper mill if you have it)
Note: This recipe is best if prepared while the chicken is still warm then allowed to chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Pull and dice the entire rotisserie chicken. Discard all but a few well-seasoned pieces of skin for added flavor. Dice skin pieces and add them to the chicken. While it might seem quicker, don’t use a chopper as it doesn’t provide the right texture. Trust me, I’ve tried. I like shortcuts but not this time.
Next, add all the spices. If you have a pepper mill, it’s best with fresh ground pepper. I used restaurant grade black pepper this time then topped it off with fresh ground when I needed to adjust “to taste” at the end. You can use either garlic powder or granulated garlic. Both work equally as well.
The third (and final) step is to add the mayonnaise and stir it all together. Don’t skimp on the mayonnaise, folks! It may look too creamy but much will be absorbed while refrigerated. This is one of the things that makes it better the next day. (Hence the recipe title.) I also want to stress that mayonnaise means mayonnaise. I’ll use other products when making tuna salad but mayo makes a huge difference in this recipe. We prefer Hellmann’s and were sad when we moved to Los Angeles and couldn’t find it. Only to discover it’s Best Foods west of the Rockies. Yeah, we’re kind of fanatical about it.
It’s great on crackers or as a sandwich… but we love it by the spoonful, too! We added a touch of dried cranberries to the sandwich this time to sweeten the flavor a little.
What summer sandwich would be complete without summer drinks? Our entire family loves pop flavored with grenadine. Most often, we’ll order Roy Rogers but sometimes the kids will ask for a Shirley Temple. We keep grenadine on hand but don’t regularly purchase pop to use it with. I decided to brew up some Lipton tea and create a Cool Cherry Sweet Tea to go with the rotisserie chicken salad! Details, you ask? I’m happy to oblige!
Cool Cherry Sweet Tea
1 gallon brewed Lipton Tea
1 cup sugar
Grenadine
Maraschino cherries for garnish
- Add 8 ounces of Sweet Tea to a glass of ice.
- Stir in 1½ tbsp grenadine
- Garnish with Maraschino cherries
Of course, a delicious rotisserie chicken salad and cool cherry sweet tea meal should be finished off with a tasty dessert! While at Walmart, we picked up some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (yeah, we love the stuff) but also caved into the new Klondike Kandy Bars.
The kids just completed school and are working hard at track so it’s nice to be able to have some rewards on hand instead of having to stop by the ice cream shop. Let me tell you, those Klondike Kandy Bars are delicious. I’m not sure I want to share!
What’s your favorite sandwich and drink combo for the warmer weather?
Your cheery tea reminds me of Kool-aid, that I haven’t had in years and used to love. I think yours will taste better though! And, I love the idea for the chicken salad. I buy rotisserie chicken for my husband and he loves them! Thanks for sharing your ideas!
This must be “foodie” day! I just left a comment on a “tuna cake” blog and now, chicken. We buy rotisserie chicken all the time (not at Sam’s club though) and I might just try this recipe as it looks super easy. (I’m not so fond of cooking.)
Thank you for sharing.
Dorit Sasson
http://www.GivingaVoicetotheVoicelessBook.com
Giving a Voice to Your Story
I love chicken salad and am always looking for a new recipe. Yours looks just mouthwatering! The cherry tea is a new one for me and I love cherries, so I think it would be super refreshing!
That looks amazing! I am with you on the Hellman’s. A lot of things change when you cross the Mississippi. It’s like a whole new language…
I’ll have to try the tea – I love something sweet and refreshing in the summer.
CHERRY! What a perfect summer ingredient! I will be making this for lunch, for sure!
This looks Great!! This is the perfect meal for a hot day or when you are running late and trying to figure out what’s for dinner. I really want to try the Cherry Sweet Tea. Yum! I love sweet tea but I have never made cherry sweet tea. Thanks for the recipes.
My husband hates Mayo. Can it work with Miracle Whip or is there a reason not to use it?
Heather – How can he hate mayo? It’s yummy! 🙂 You could try it with Miracle Whip but I don’t think you’ll get the same depth of flavors. Let me know how you like it if you make it with MW.
My husband hates Mayo. Can it work with Miracle Whip or is there a reason not to use it?
This looks so yummy and easy at the same time! My kind of recipe. I can’t tell you how many rotisserie’s I’ve thrown away because nobody eats them. Now I know what I can do with it! Thanks for the awesome recipe. The cherry tea looks AMAZING too! Gonna definitely try it!
Looks Yummy To Me I Can’t Wait To Try Thank You!
Looks great, and I didn’t realize Hellmann’s wasn’t nationwide. Who knew? I tend to go for turkey whenever I make a sandwich or order one. I love a spicy cheese with it too, like pepper jack.
That looks so good! I don’t think I have ever tried cherry sweet tea before.
That sounds delish. I love things like this at lunch time & so does my hubby!
Ok i am really hungry now reading this lol.I love rotisserie chicken we have a mini over with rotisserie so we can now make them at home super cheap.I want a Klondike bar the picture on the box looks so tempting.
Corn dog sushi? I had to go and look at that one! I love the cherry sweet tea. Did you know that Grenadine is actually made from pomegranates and not cherries?
I know, Lindsey, isn’t it crazy that Grenadine gives the flavor of cherry in drinks? When we order Cherry Coke from a restaurant that has a bar, we specifically ask for the bar version using Grenadine syrup. We used to live in a house that had a pomegranate bush but I decided the work of getting them out wasn’t worth the effort. LOL
I take the ice cream please. I love how easy it is to make the sandwich.
This is awesome! Mostly because I love cooking rotisserie chickens, and when I say cook, I mean buy at the store! I must try this, I also love Hellmann’s!
thanks,
mItch
I make a pretty mean chicken salad, but I’ve never made it this way. Sounds delicious! Pinned it for that day when I’m craving an awesome chicken salad.
That chicken salad sandwich has my name all over it! I am more of an unsweetened tea kind of girl, but I would totally be on board for trying cherry tea. I do love a raspberry flavored tea every now and again. I bet I would really like the cherry one too!
If you like bar-style Cherry Coke, Theresa, then you would probably enjoy the Cherry Tea. It’s the same underlying flavor.
This looks so yummy! I wish I could have had it for lunch.
We haven’t had chicken salad in a while…this looks great!
I’m not usually an iced tea fan, but adding the cherry makes it sound really appealing!
I have never thought to make cherry tea! I’ve had cherry soda before, and the kids love it. I think the tea would be a great alternative to it!
I’ll have to try your chicken salad! It sounds great for a summer day!
I love chicken salad. And this looks like a great recipe.
This sounds so delicious. I must try to make it sometime. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, wow, wow that chicken salad looks so so good! I never thought to use rotisserie chicken, great idea!
I love Sam’s rotisserie chicken! Your salad recipe looks amazing. I’m going to give it a try.
It’s been a long time since I’ve made a nice chicken salad. Thanks for the inspiration–I’m sure we’ll be having some soon. And that tea is on my must-make list!
I lost my chicken salad recipe, so I’ll have to try yours. I love using rotisserie chickens, though, because they taste so good!
Cheery sweet tea– that’s perfect for summer!!
Love the mix of flavors you have going on in the salad. I must try this as we’re HUGE chicken salad lovers!
I love how simple your recipe is. Using rotisserie chicken sure cuts a lot of time.
oooo I love that Chicken Salad! I need to start using Rotisserie Chickens for mine!
This is a great looking meal. The drink looks so refreshing
I use to drink Raspberry tea a lot when we lived in NY because they didn’t have sweet tea. I enjoyed it. I will have to try out your tea!!
I love chicken salad and this sandwich looks so delicious that I had to pin it.
Mmm…there is nothing like a chicken salad sandwich on a croissant. I haven’t tried cherry sweet tea before, but I bet I would like it.
My drool is on! I must make this….looks so good!
I think you just convinced me I need to start eating chicken salad. This looks delish along with the sweet tea! Nom.
I am a sweet tea traditionalist. I do like the idea of trying it with cherry though!
That cherry sweet tea looks delish. Refreshing.
Looks like the perfect combination. I like trying new ways to make tea.
Cherry tea sounds delightful!
I guess my invite got lost in the mail and now I will have to make this for myself. I love chicken salad with apples in it! The tea looks awesome too, I’ve never tried cherry tea before.
Pinned this. Thanks.
I love chicken salad!
Am now craving chicken salad! Gotta try this one! ☺
So glad I happened upon this recipe, I went to Sam’s yesterday too and now I know what I’m going to do with the rotisserie chicken I bought. I want to do it exactly because it looks and sounds so good, but I’ll have to sub raisins for the cranberries or I’ll have to make another trip to the store….but next time I’ll go with the dried cranberries. thanks
This looks so yummy! Def want to make it!
the cherry tea sounds really good.
This sounds and looks very good. My wife has been looking for recipes to use up the left over rotisserie chicken.
I haven’t heard of Cherry Tea until now. I’ll have to try it.
I love Chicken Salad and your recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks for posting the recipe and for the hint of making it while the chicken is still warm; I’d never thought of doing that before 🙂
You had me at “chicken salad”. Love chicken salad and am always looking for new ideas. I’ll try yours, for sure.
I try to save money by buying chickens when they’re on a good sale. Then I roast and chop up for recipes like this one, and various casseroles. So your pre-cooked 3# chicken….how does that equate in number of cups of diced chicken?
Thanks.
It has been our experience that a 3# chicken will yield 4-5 cups total (both white and dark meat, skin included). This is still a favorite of ours thanks to the low cost of a Sam’s Club chicken. So easy to make!
I love the idea of creating something from a rotisserie chicken, which is sure to save time, and the thought of cherry iced tea sounds ultra refreshing too!
This chicken recipe looks simple and delicious. And that cherry tea looks divine!
Dang, what a meal!
I’d probably have to leave out the cherries. While my husband could appreciate them in chicken salad, my daughter would not. 😉
I came back to your recipe because I made a roast chicken for Thanksgiving. I am craving some chicken salad!
Cherry Tea and Chicken Salad sounds good I love anything with Cherry’s and chicken.
This sounds so good. I have never tried cherry tea and now I want to make it!! I have never thought about putting tarragon in chicken salad either. Gotta try it!!
That tea sounds amazing! Yum, yum, yum! 🙂
Your rotisserie chicken salad recipe sounds delicious. I’m copying it into my Evernote recipe folder immediately. Probably won’t pull it out until June though, given its January in Maine. Thanks!
You should post more recipes! I saved this one and I am going to try it soon! 🙂
Wow do these look and sound awesome. And the recipes are pretty straight forward. Thanks.
Your chicken salad has made a very good impression on me and I cannot wait to try it. I also will add cranberries cause I like them and I think they will add an extra zing. Thank you for the recipe.
These recipes look very tasty. Thanks for sharing!
I like chicken salad and a coke. This recipe looks great!