My Grandma’s Baked Chicken Salad is one of those comforting family recipes that deserves to be passed down. Tender chicken is mixed with crunchy almonds, celery, pimentos, and a creamy lemon-seasoned dressing, then baked until warm and bubbly beneath a layer of crispy French-fried onions. It’s simple, nostalgic, and perfect for family dinners, luncheons, showers, or using up leftover chicken.
💕Why You'll love my Grandmother's baked chicken salad recipe:
- It’s an old-fashioned family comfort-food recipe.
- Cooked chicken and rice make it hearty enough for dinner.
- Almonds, celery, and French-fried onions give it lots of wonderful crunch.
- Pimentos add a little color and mild sweetness.
- It’s a great way to use leftover chicken and rice.
- You can assemble most of it ahead of time.
- Ready in about 40 minutes
- Hearty enough to feed the whole family
- Freezer-friendly
If you love this recipe, you'll also need to try my Garlic and Herb Chicken and Vidalia Onion Almond Chicken
Ingredients for Grandmother’s Baked Chicken Salad with Rice:
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Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish or an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish.
Add the celery and either the green pepper or onion to a small skillet. Sauté over medium heat for about 4–5 minutes, just until slightly tender. Remove from the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced chicken, cooked rice, slivered almonds, pimentos, and sautéed vegetables.
In a separate small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice, and seasoned salt until smooth.
Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the chicken mixture and gently stir until everything is evenly coated.
Stir about half of the French-fried onions into the chicken mixture.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle the remaining French-fried onions over the top and return the casserole to the oven.
Bake for another 8–10 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the onions are golden and crisp.
Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Storage Tips:
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave or warm the casserole in a 325°F oven until heated through.
For the best texture, sprinkle a few fresh French-fried onions over reheated servings.
Make Ahead tips:
Assemble the chicken mixture and refrigerate it in the baking dish for up to 24 hours, but leave off the French-fried onion topping. Add the onions just before baking so they stay crisp.
Freezing Tips:
You can freeze this baked chicken salad casserole, but freeze it without the French-fried onion topping.
Because the casserole contains mayonnaise, the filling can become a little less creamy after freezing and thawing, but since the mayo is mixed into a baked casserole with chicken and rice, it should still turn out nicely. Full-fat mayonnaise tends to freeze better than light mayo.
For the best results, assemble the casserole through the point where it goes into the baking dish, leave off the French-fried onions, cover very tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2–3 months. You can also freeze individual portions of an already-baked casserole.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Substitute cooked turkey for the chicken, especially after Thanksgiving.
- Toast the almonds briefly before adding them for a deeper nutty flavor.
- Add a small handful of shredded cheddar cheese for an extra-rich version.
- Use both onion and green pepper if you enjoy a little more vegetable flavor.
- Substitute chopped roasted red peppers for pimentos if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Absolutely. Remove the skin and dice or shred the meat before measuring.
Can I use leftover rice?
Yes! Cold leftover rice is actually perfect for this casserole.
What kind of rice works best?
Long-grain white rice works beautifully, but jasmine, basmati, brown rice, or a wild-rice blend can also work.
What should I serve with baked chicken salad?
Try it with a simple green salad, steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, cranberry sauce, fresh fruit, or warm dinner rolls.
Recent Recipes:
Grandmother’s Baked Chicken Salad with Rice
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- Small skillet
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- 2-quart casserole dish or 8- to 9-inch square baking dish
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken, diced
- 1 cup cooked rice
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ¼ cup chopped pimentos, drained
- 1 cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper or ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup milk I used whole milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 can French-fried onions, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish or an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish.
- Add the celery and either the green pepper or onion to a small skillet. Sauté over medium heat for about 4–5 minutes, just until slightly tender. Remove from the heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced chicken, cooked rice, slivered almonds, pimentos, and sautéed vegetables.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice, and seasoned salt until smooth.
- Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the chicken mixture and gently stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Stir about half of the French-fried onions into the chicken mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the remaining French-fried onions over the top and return the casserole to the oven.
- Bake for another 8–10 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the onions are golden and crisp.
- Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Let freshly cooked rice cool slightly before mixing it into the casserole so it doesn't make the mayonnaise mixture too warm.
- Drain the pimentos thoroughly to keep excess liquid out of the casserole.
- Don't overcook the celery before baking; a little crunch is part of what makes this recipe so good.
- Taste the chicken mixture before baking if your cooked chicken is already heavily seasoned. You may want to slightly reduce the seasoned salt.
