For a filling lunch or light meal for dinner there is nothing better than this Arugula Salad with Leftover Chicken. This simple salad recipe is the best way to repurpose any leftover protein but Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts is my favorite.
Why this Green Salad Recipe is Amazing: It is one of the best ways to use up leftover chicken of any kind - grilled, barbecued, rotisserie, smoked, crispy fried, marinated, baked, or pulled chicken.
No surprises here, this recipe was created when I had a bunch of extra chopped up chicken from a BBQ cookout with friends. Grabbing what else I had in the fridge and pantry is how I came up with this quick & easy meal idea.
I started with some extra greens I had when making my Strawberry Arugula Salad and the end results were yummy. Like my other Cold Lunch Ideas, it's great for your lunchbox. Ok, now we assemble!
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Ingredients Needed
This salad is just 4 ingredients plus your leftover chicken and your favorite bottle of salad dressing. The combination makes it a flavor and texture explosion of salty, crunchy, creamy, sharp, bitter, & savory.
This salad is low-carb, keto, diabetic-friendly, high protein, and low sugar. The combination healthy, hearty, & delicious.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Leftover Chicken - boneless diced, chopped, pulled, or shredded chicken of any kind from breast or thigh meat
- Arugula - the fresh greens are peppery and crisp
- Gorgonzola Cheese - the sharp creamy cheese pairs well
- Pecans - salted, roasted, & chopped nuts for crunch
- Avocado - buttery rich and loaded with healthy fats
- Salad Dressing - your favorite vinaigrette or creamy dressing; or use olive oil & vinegar.
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Make Arugula Salad with Leftover Chicken
It takes just 5 minutes to put this recipe together. I like to serve it with cold chicken straight from the fridge. But if you want it warm, see the FAQs below on that extra step.
Here are the easy steps for making this green salad with leftover chicken.
- Prep the Ingredients
- Add Dressing & Toss
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Prep the Ingredients
Make sure the following is done before adding everything together:
- Wash & dry the arugula.
- Dice the avocado.
- Chop or dice the chicken if needed
- Crumble gorgonzola if needed
Once this is done, add all ingredients to a medium serving bowl or platter. Top the arugula with the chicken, cheese, pecans, & cold pieces of leftover chicken.
You can also divide everything in two equal-sized amounts and place in individual bowls. This recipe and the amounts makes two large meal-sized salads.
2 - Add Dressing & Toss
Once everything is together, drizzle on your favorite dressing. I love a creamy poopy seed, ranch without mayo, Italian salad dressing, or just a quick drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar will do.
Look how amazing that looks. It's colorful and bursting with fresh ingredients to compliment the savory meat.
What I also love about this is you can customize it so easily. I sometimes add diced cherry tomatoes or substitute the arugula with spinach. No rules just 100% yummy!
Serving
Here I am using a creamy Romano cheese dressing from Trader Joe's. Do not overdress it, just a little will go a long way. The delicate baby arugula will wilt quickly so enjoy immediately.
What to Serve with Arugula Salad with Chicken : This is one of my go-to last minute meals in summer. Nothing to cook (no oven or stove) which keeps the house cool. All you need is some fresh crusty bread - Enjoy!
This also packs well for work or school lunches, picnics, potlucks, or beach days - just keep the dressing separate until you are ready to serve and eat.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - Do not add dressing until you are ready to eat.
- This is one of the best meal planning recipes in my rotation. Assemble with the arugula on top so it stays crisp. Store each salad in a container with the dressing on the side. It will last 2-3 days in the fridge.
- Other poultry can be substituted, try it with cornish hens, turkey, duck, goose, or game birds like peasant.
- Experiment with different types of crumbled or shredded cheese like cheddar, jack, feta, blue, parmesan, or mozzarella.
- For a nut-free version, use pumpkin seeds or add croutons for crunch.
- I tried this with leftover chicken fajitas and mixed together salsa with ranch dressing - OMG!
FAQ
If you prefer your chicken warm, even in salads (my husband does), reheat the chicken slightly before adding to the salad. I like to reheat chicken in my air fryer on a low heat for a few minutes versus the microwave which makes it chewy and dry.
YES! I LOVE this with chunks of my Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders or leftover Korean Popcorn Chicken pieces.
Almost any boneless skinless breast or thigh meat will work, such as bite-sized pieces of fried chicken tenders, smoked chicken, cast iron chicken breast, or teriyaki chicken on the stick.
Arugula Salad with Leftover Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 ounces leftover chicken breast or thigh meat - diced, chopped, pulled rotisserie etc
- 3 cup arugula baby or regular chopped
- 1 avocado diced
- ¼ cup salted pecan pieces chopped
- ¼ cup gorgonzola cheese crumbled
- 4 tablespoons dressing ranch, blue cheese, poppyseed, creamy Italian, etc
Instructions
- Prep all the ingredients such as washing and drying the arugula. Dice or chop any ingredients that is needed.
- In a medium mixing bowl or platter add the arugula and then top with the remaining ingredients.6 ounces leftover chicken, 3 cup arugula, 1 avocado, ¼ cup salted pecan, ¼ cup gorgonzola cheese
- Add the dressing and toss gently.4 tablespoons dressing
Notes
- Enjoy immediately after adding the dressing.
- For make ahead or meal planning; assemble the salad in individual containers with the greens on top so they do not wilt. Store dressing on the side.
- Use any leftover poultry such as turkey, duck, etc.
- For nut-free use pumpkin seeds or croutons for crunch instead.
- Try your favorite cheese.
Nutrition
More Main Dish Salad Recipes
Here are some similar recipes for salads that are hearty enough to make it a meal:
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