This smoked chicken salad sandwich is an incredible summer lunch and is a great way to use up leftover chicken from a BBQ! This smoked chicken salad is a delicious spin on your classic chicken salad recipe. It’s full of smoky flavor and it’s a great recipe to bring to your next picnic, beach outing, or summer pool party.

Smoked chicken salad sandwich on a plate with chips.

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There is nothing more that my family and I love to do in the summertime than to pull out our electric smoker and fill it up with meat! Homemade smoked chicken, fish, burgers, and hot dogs are our absolute favorites to make!

My Dad’s birthday is in the middle of summer and of course, there’s Mother’s Day and Father’s Day super close to the summertime, so firing up (or plugging in!) the electric smoker is a great way to celebrate these festive times!

Of course, since we did fill up the smoker we are bound to have some leftovers. Finding creative ways to use up smoked meat is also fun and these chicken salad sandwiches are always incredible.

Easy smoked chicken recipe

Whether you made your own smoked chicken, or have some leftovers from a summer BBQ, turning it into chicken salad is a great way to use it up!

Smoked chicken breasts have incredible flavor and give the chicken salad an even richer depth of flavor that can’t be achieved any other way!

Turn this smoked chicken salad recipe into a sandwich served with a slice of tomato and lettuce on a toasted bun, or topped on a bed of lettuce. No matter what this chicken salad will be your new favorite summer staple.

Recipe Ingredients

Chicken salad sandwich ingredients on a table.

Smoked chicken breasts – I used 1 ½ breasts. Use cold leftover smoked chicken or wait until the chicken has cooled down before trying to cut it into small pieces.

Chopped red onion and celery – give a nice crunch to this chicken salad.

Lemon juice – provides a slight tang to help balance out the other smoky and savory flavors in this recipe.

Salt and black pepper – season to taste.

Sandwich bun – we love the Brioche buns from Whole Foods, but any sandwich bread or bun can be used instead. Toast the bun first or leave it plain, it’s up to you!

Lettuce and tomato – give extra crunch and a fresh juicy flavor to this smoked chicken salad sandwich recipe.

How to Make The Best Smoked Chicken Salad Sandwich

All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step one. Chop your cooked smoked chicken breasts into small pieces. Then add it to a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients – chopped red onions, celery, lemon juice, mayo, salt, and black pepper.

Close up image of smoked chicken salad in a bowl.

Step two. Stir until everything is combined then taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step three. Serve chicken salad on a toasted bun with lettuce and tomato. Enjoy!

Chicken salad sandwich with lettuce and slices of tomato.

Serving suggestions

On a bed of lettuce or a salad

With crackers, pita crackers, or potato chips

With celery sticks, carrot sticks, sliced bell peppers, or sweet peppers

Chicken salad sandwich with smoked chicken on a plate.

Variations

Dijon mustard instead of lemon juice for a slightly tangy flavor.

I find that the breast meat is the best to use for chicken salad feel free to use chicken thighs instead.

Storing Instructions

Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container and leftover sandwiches tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for 3 – 5 days.

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