Picnic-Perfect Chicken Salad

Cooking Light Staff
Updated
Light yet satisfying, this make-ahead lunch comes together in just 10 minutes. Using rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken makes preparation a breeze.

COMMUNITY MEMBER
Patrick Moore, 46

LOCATION
Schererville, IN

SUCCESS STORY
35 pounds*

When we sent this chicken salad recipe to Cooking Light Diet community member Patrick Moore to preview, he was skeptical about its 1/2-cup serving size. The Indiana native is someone who described his eating style before the Cooking Light Diet as "anything that got in my way," so Patrick was unsure that the suggested portion would work for him.

"I was surprisingly satisfied with the serving size, and the flavor was out of this world," Patrick describes. "Even consistency-wise, it was perfect. Not too dry, not too creamy. My wife, Becky, put this on a bed of greens, and it was just excellent. We've already determined it's going in the regular rotation for us."

But don't just take Patrick's world for it. Try this recipe yourself for an easy make-ahead lunch, or pack it up for your next summer outing.

View Recipe: Tart Apple-Hazelnut Chicken Salad

Here's a sumptuous new spin on the classic. This quick make-ahead salad comes from Cooking That Counts: 1,200- to 1,500-Calorie Meal Plans to Lose Weight Deliciously ($22, Oxmoor House). Serve it over a bed of greens or with a side of veggies and multigrain crackers.

*Cooking Light Diet members on average, lose 1/2 pound a week.