6 Fresh and Summery Salads With Chicken

Stay cool with these main-dish salads built around chicken.

By
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
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Updated June 09, 2025
Robin Shreeves
Easy sesame chicken salad in bowls with tahini dressing set in between them.

Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

There comes a time during the summer when it gets so hot that turning on the oven is a really bad idea. That's when summer salads become dinner's best side dish. If you add some protein, like chicken, they turn into dinner's best main dish.

These six salad recipes use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or poached chicken so you never have to heat up the kitchen with the heat from the oven. They're also full of plenty of fresh summer produce and tasty, quick-to-throw-together dressings and vinaigrettes that pull all their flavors together.

  • Sheet Pan Chicken Caesar Salad

    Two salad spoons used to mix sheet pan caesar salad

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas, RDN

    Both the delicious chicken and croutons are prepared at the same time on a single sheet pan in this clever, extra-easy Caesar.

  • Banh Mi Salad

    Overhead shot: banh mi salad bowl with a baguette piece next to a wooden board with another baguette piece, a table napkin with a fork, and another bowl of salad

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    This salad is inspired by the classic Vietnamese sandwich and deconstructs some of the best elements. It’s light yet satisfying and has multiple make-ahead moments.

  • Un-Cobb Salad

    Un-Cobb Salad

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    This composed salad with grilled chicken breast, avocado, apple, mango, and dried cranberries is different than the classic, for sure, but no less satisfying.

  • Cobb Salad

    Cobb salad with greens, egg, bacon, chicken tomatoes on a plate
    Sally Vargas

    The origins of this salad go back to Los Angeles in the 1930s, made famous by Robert Cobb of the former L.A. landmark Brown Derby restaurant. It's now an American staple, full of the flavors of bacon, chicken egg, tomato, blue cheese, and avocado on top of a trio of greens.

    Continue to 5 of 6 below

  • Chow Mein Noodle Chicken Salad

    Chow mean chicken salad in a decorative bowl
    Elise Bauer

    A gingery dressing brightens up this American salad that takes inspiration from Chinese cuisine. Crunchy peanuts, Chow Mein noodles, and crisp lettuce join chicken in this salad that you can make ahead if you keep the salad, the noodles, and the dressing separate until right before serving.

  • Tarragon Chicken Salad

    Plate of Tarragon Chicken Salad

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

    Serve this creamy chicken salad over lettuce leaves or sliced tomatoes to stay in salad territory or of course, it goes without saying that it also makes a great sandwich.

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