I'm Making Kardea Brown’s 10-Minute Chicken Salad From Now On—It's That Good

Last weekend, I took my boyfriend camping in Sequoia National Park. It was an elaborate excuse to cook in the wilderness and eat s'mores with Ritz instead of graham crackers.

Feeling all kinds of Little House on the Prairie, I needed some inspo. I stayed up late, scrolling "easy camping recipes" for hours on end. I finally landed on our camp meal: ham and Swiss cheese croissants toasted in a pie iron. I had high hopes!

Well, fast-forward to the part where the campfire never got hot enough, the pie iron never warmed up, and we ate cold, flat sandos.

Next time, I'm going to leave the camp cooking to Laura Ingalls. Instead, I'll bring Kardea Brown's creamy chicken salad. Packed with ice in a good cooler, this chicken salad can be piled high on flaky croissants for the perfect picnic lunch.

Why I Love Kardea Brown's Chicken Salad

Kardea Brown's Rotisserie Chicken Salad Sandwiches provide a rock-solid foundation to experiment with. Strip a rotisserie chicken, then throw the salad together in a flash with Dijon, chopped celery and bell pepper, hard boiled eggs, and paprika and garlic powder. I like to add fresh romaine lettuce and crushed potato chips to my sandwich for texture.

The sandwiches are gently kicky, totally satisfying, and a little bougie thanks to the soft, buttery croissant. I love how this salad packs up easily for a beach picnic or turns into a dip with some veg, so I'll be making this recipe all summer long.

This recipe makes six sandwiches, so it's a quick lunch for a family adventure—and leftovers can wait in the refrigerator for lunch tomorrow.

Tips for Making Croissant Chicken Salad Sandwiches

• Use a seasoned grocery store rotisserie chicken. It's affordable, tastes like heaven, and comes ready to eat. For this recipe, I used a lemon and herb-seasoned chicken. Since I ditched the skin, what I had left was well-seasoned meat ready to soak up the dressing.
• Top with extra crunch. I added chopped romaine lettuce to my sandwich because I love that textural contrast. I also like a layer of barbecue kettle chips or Fritos on top.
• Stuff with bacon jam. Kardea assembles her chicken salad sandwiches with homemade bacon jam. I love this idea, but I'll pick mine up at the grocery store.
• Pair with a glass of wine. Whether you're eating this chicken salad on a day trip or in the backyard, pour a light, crisp sauvignon blanc. We take the vacay where we can get it!