Can chicken salad be frozen?

Chicken salad is a kitchen classic because it tastes delicious and is super versatile.

With its base of chicken and mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt), you can add endless ingredients to create a unique and flavorful dish that will satisfy your taste buds.

Making chicken salad is super easy, and with the popularity of batch cooking to save time in the kitchen, you may end up making more chicken salad than you can eat in a few days.

With all these leftovers, you may be wondering how best to preserve chicken salad.

So can you freeze your chicken salad?

In general, when you freeze mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, they tend to separate when thawed, which can change the texture of your chicken salad. However, by adding a little more mayonnaise or Greek yogurt to your thawed product, you can fix it. 

Read on to find out if you can freeze different types of chicken salad, the best way to freeze it, other ways to store it, and how to make the best chicken salad.

Can Chicken Mayonnaise Salad be frozen?

One of the most popular ways to make chicken salad is to mix shredded or chopped chicken with mayonnaise and other seasonings and ingredients.

The mayonnaise helps bind the chicken and all the other ingredients together and gives it a delicious, creamy flavor and texture. 

But can chicken salad made with mayonnaise be frozen? First of all, we have to understand what mayonnaise is to see how it behaves in the freezing process.

Mayonnaise is an emulsified product , which means that it combines a liquid and a fat, something they don’t like to do naturally, through a specific process.

To make mayonnaise you need the basic ingredients of oil, egg (whole or yolk, depending on the recipe or brand), lemon or vinegar, and sometimes some mustard.

What you do to make mayonnaise is to emulsify the oil with the egg yolk to create a thick and creamy sauce. 

This texture is completely different than sauces made with oil, such as vinaigrettes, because it is thicker and the oil fully combines with the egg to create a stable, creamy sauce.

When you freeze mayonnaise, the oil can end up separating once thawed, leaving you with something oily instead of creamy . This means that for the best quality chicken salad, you probably don’t want to freeze it.

Now with that being said, there are a few steps you can take when thawing your chicken salad to improve the texture.

I like to add another tablespoon of mayonnaise and a little Dijon mustard to the thawed chicken salad and stir it all together. 

Adding more emulsified mayonnaise and mustard can help re-emulsify the oil in the chicken salad mixture, so you end up with a better texture.

This step isn’t foolproof, but it can certainly make thawed chicken salad more enjoyable.

Can Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad be frozen?

If you want to make your chicken salad with a twist, Greek yogurt is a great option. It’s bursting with flavor, packed with protein, and super creamy from the healthy fats.

I find that it gives the chicken salad a bit more flavor than the mayonnaise, thanks to the fermentation process the yogurt goes through before you eat it.

However, like mayonnaise, which can separate once thawed, Greek yogurt has a similar problem.

Since it is also a mixture of fat and liquid, although it does not go through the same emulsifying process as mayonnaise, these two ingredients can be separated once frozen and thawed.

So, can Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad be frozen? The separate texture of thawed Greek yogurt may be off-putting to some people, so freezing the chicken salad may not be the best idea.

Like the chicken mayonnaise salad, you can try stirring in a bit of the Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard once thawed to help mix the separated yogurt back into the mixture.

This may not work completely and some people still don’t enjoy the texture, even if you add more yogurt to the chicken salad.

Best Methods to Freeze Chicken Salad

Although it doesn’t seem like the best idea to freeze your chicken salad if it’s made with mayonnaise and/or Greek yogurt, you can give it a try. In this section, I’ll explain how to freeze it and other tricks you can try to save time in the kitchen.

How to Freeze Leftover Chicken Salad

If you’ve made a big batch of chicken salad and don’t think you’ll be able to finish it before it goes bad in the fridge, you can try freezing it.

Remember that if you use a mayonnaise or Greek yogurt base, it can separate when thawed, so adding a little more of either to the thawed product can give it a better texture.

1. Portion the chicken salad into the portions that you are likely to consume once thawed. You don’t want to freeze it all in one big lump if you won’t be able to finish it once it thaws. 
2. Look for freezer bags or resealable containers that fit your serving size. Be sure to leave a third of the space empty, as the chicken salad will expand once frozen. 
3. Place chicken salad in freezer bag, gently press to remove excess air, and seal. Or, if you’re using a container, place the chicken salad in it and press a piece of plastic wrap over the mixture before sealing the lid. 
4. Take a piece of tape and write the date and content on it.
5. Put the chicken salad in the freezer and consume it within 3 months. 

How to Freeze Batch Cooked Chicken Salad

If you haven’t already added mayonnaise or Greek yogurt to your chicken salad, you can follow these steps to freeze it properly.

1. Mix together the shredded chicken, spices, and vegetables that are not high in water (avoid freezing cucumber or celery as they get very soft once thawed). 
2. Portion the chicken mixture into portions that you want to consume in 1 or 2 meals.
3. Place the chicken salad mix (without the mayonnaise or Greek yogurt) in freezer bags or resealable containers. 
4. If using a freezer bag, gently press out any excess air to prevent freezer burn, then seal the bag. For containers, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the chicken mixture, then snap the lid shut. 
5. Write the date and contents on a piece of tape so you’ll remember what you frozen and when, and you’ll avoid eating chicken salad that’s gone bad.
6. Store it in the freezer for 3-6 months. 
7. When you want to eat the chicken salad, thaw it in the fridge overnight, then add the mayonnaise or yogurt, plus any watery vegetables, like cucumbers or celery. Enjoy!

What Kind of Chicken Salad Can You Freeze?

If you want to batch cook a fully made chicken salad and don’t want to risk the mayonnaise or Greek yogurt separating and potentially having a weird texture, there are other types of binders you can use instead.

One of my favorite things to make chicken salad is a pesto mix. It freezes very well and adds a delicious fresh flavor to your pesto. You can also add a bit of mayonnaise once thawed to get the best of both worlds.

Another option that you can use to make the chicken salad is to use hummus instead of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.

It will be creamier than pesto, but it will freeze and thaw much better than the other emulsified options. Hummus-based chicken salad is also a bit lighter than mayonnaise-based.

When it comes to making chicken salad, there are many delicious varieties to choose from.

If you want to freeze leftovers, it would be best to use a pesto or hummus base instead of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt to prevent splitting once thawed.

How to Properly Defrost Chicken Salad

The best way to thaw chicken salad would be to take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight , especially if you used mayonnaise as a base.

Since mayonnaise can go bad if left out at room temperature for too long, thawing it in the fridge will prevent it from going bad and you from getting sick.

If you’ve frozen a hummus, pesto, or Greek yogurt-based chicken salad, you can let it thaw on the counter for a few hours without too much fear. Mind you, make sure you don’t forget about her!

Another option is to place your container of chicken salad in a bowl of cold water and allow it to thaw there until softened . Be sure not to use hot water, as this could cause the chicken salad to go bad.

If you have time, the best way to thaw chicken salad is certainly in the fridge overnight, but these other options will also work if you need a meal in a hurry.

How to keep chicken salad in the fridge

If you have leftover chicken salad that you know you can eat in about 5 days, then you can store it in the fridge, as it will usually stay fresh to eat during that time.

To batch cook chicken salad portions to go, you can store them in small containers or bags so you know that one serving will be enough for a meal or snack.

I recommend that you buy some small containers in the store for this purpose, so that you can reuse them.

If you’re not so concerned about quickly grabbing the chicken salad, you can store it in a large container and scoop out what you need as you eat. You can use the mix for sandwiches, salads and wraps.

I don’t recommend storing pre-made chicken salad sandwiches in the fridge for more than a couple of days, as the filling can make the bread soft rather quickly.

Whether you decide to store it in one large container or several smaller ones, follow these steps:

1. Place the chicken salad mix in an airtight bag or container. 
2. If it’s in a resealable bag, gently press out any excess air before sealing the bag. Removing the air will help it stay fresh for longer. If it’s in a container, you can press a piece of plastic wrap over the mixture, then close the lid. 
3. Write the date and contents on a piece of tape before putting it in the fridge.
4. Put it in the fridge and consume it within 5 days.

How to make the best chicken salad

If you want to make a delicious chicken salad mix, try this simple and tasty recipe. Remember that it is just a guide and you can always change things to suit your taste and what you have available.

Ingredients

• 2 cooked chicken breasts or the meat of half a roasted chicken
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds or chopped walnuts 
• 1 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt 
• 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped 
• 4 green onions, finely chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, currants, or blueberries 
• 1 lemon, juice and zest 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
• A few black peppercorns

Instructions

1. Dice or strip the chicken to the desired size and place in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. 
3. Let sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to meld. This step is not necessary, but it does make a bit of a difference in the final flavor. 
4. Enjoy it inside sandwiches, on a bed of mixed greens, added to a bowl of quinoa or cereal, or inside a wrap. 

Final thoughts

If you want to freeze your chicken salad, it’s best to do so before adding the mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, as these foods can separate once thawed and give your salad an odd texture.

With leftover chicken salad, you can add a little more mayonnaise or Greek yogurt once thawed to fix the problem. 

Some chicken salad bases that you can freeze without worrying about the texture once thawed are pesto and hummus.

You can even try combining the pesto base with some mayonnaise or Greek yogurt once thawed for a truly decadent chicken salad.

Once frozen, the chicken salad will keep for about 3 months and the best way to thaw it is to let it sit in the fridge overnight, especially if you used mayonnaise. 

Do you have a favorite method for making the perfect chicken salad? Let us know in the comments!