Everything Bagel Chicken Salad

Everything Bagel Chicken Salad is packed with the nutty, oniony, and garlicky goodness of an everything bagel. Tender shredded chicken, creamy mayo, onion, celery, and everything bagel seasoning gets tossed together to make a cold chicken salad perfect for sandwiches, wraps, and salads.

Today, we’re updating your everyday chicken salad with everything bagel seasoning! Everything bagel seasoning is made with the same ingredients baked into the iconic everything bagel flavor. It’s typically made with poppy & sesame seeds, dried garlic & onion, and salt. In other words, everything on an everything bagel!

This salty, garlicky, nutty blend of flavors and is the BEST way to make boring chicken salad something special. I like making it at the beginning of the week for meal prep to have an easy high protein snack or lunch throughout the workweek!

Everything but the bagel chicken salad is made with low-carb, real food ingredients that align with paleo, keto, and Whole30 protocols. You can use store-bought mayo or make 1-minute Whole30 mayo for a homemade touch.

🧅 Ingredients You’ll Need

• Cooked Shredded Chicken – Cold chicken salads are good for repurposing rotisserie chicken. For everything, there is to know need to know about making shredded chicken, check out my all-purpose shredded chicken guide.
• Mayonnaise – For paleo and Whole30 purposes, use a compliant store-bought mayo or make avocado mayo from scratch. Otherwise, use any full-fat quality mayo.
• Celery & Red Onion – This veggie duo brings fresh flavor, crunch, and a pop of color to improve presentation.
• Everything Bagel Seasoning – Trader Joe’s began selling “everything but the bagel seasoning” several years ago, and it’s since become a spice rack staple. You can find it pretty much everywhere these days. McCormick, Great Value, Simple Truth, and the store brand at Aldi are good options.

🥣 How To Make Chicken Salad with Everything Bagel Seasoning

1️⃣ Dice vegetables: First, dice the onion and celery into small cubes.

2️⃣ Toss chicken salad ingredients: Add the diced onion, diced celery, shredded chicken, mayo, and everything bagel seasoning to a large mixing bowl, and toss until the chicken is saturated in mayo, and the onion, celery, and seasonings are evenly distributed.

3️⃣ Season to taste: Give it a quick taste and sprinkle in more everything bagel seasoning or salt if it needs more.

4️⃣ Serve: Serve on a green salad, as a sandwich or wrap, with crackers, or simply with a spoon. Enjoy!

👩🏻‍🍳Chef’s Tips

• Taste before adjusting seasoning – Depending on your spice blend, you may need to add more salt. After mixing everything, give it a taste. Flaked sea salt is best here.
• Chicken options – Rotisserie chicken or any tender, cooked chicken breast is best, but drained canned chicken also works.
• Protein variations – Instead of chicken, make a cold seafood salad with canned tuna, canned salmon, or cooked shrimp (chopped into small pieces).
• Turn up the heat – Add a pinch of red chili pepper flakes or freeze-dried jalapeno.
• Customize the vegetables – For a milder onion flavor, use the green part of green onions or chopped chives instead of red onion. Also, feel free to add shredded carrots, diced bell peppers, or thinly sliced seedless cucumber.
• Add a sweet element – Craisins, raisins, diced green apple, and grapes pair perfectly with the salty and savory everything bagel seasoning.

🥒 Ways To Serve Everything Bagel Chicken Salad

These serving suggestions offer a variety of ways to enjoy Everything Bagel Chicken Salad, whether you’re looking for a quick snack, a hearty meal, or a healthy appetizer!

1. Bagel With Chicken Salad: Spread a serving of chicken salad on a bagel (or everything bagel) for maximum taste.
2. Stuffed Avocado Boats: Halve avocados and remove the pits, creating a bowl-like space. Fill the center with cold chicken salad for a healthy, low-carb option.
3. Open-Faced Sandwich: Toast slices of artisan bread or bagels lightly. Spread a generous amount of chicken salad on top for an open-faced sandwich, garnishing with additional everything bagel seasoning or fresh herbs.
4. Wrap or Burrito: Spread the chicken salad on a large tortilla or flatbread, add lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers for extra crunch, and roll it up for an easy, on-the-go lunch option.
5. Stuffed Tomatoes or Bell Peppers: Hollow out tomatoes or bell peppers and fill them with the chicken salad. This option is perfect for a light lunch or as part of a brunch.
6. Salad Topping: Serve a scoop of Everything Bagel Chicken Salad on a bed of mixed greens, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and red onion rings for a hearty salad.
7. Cucumber Rounds: Slice cucumbers into thick rounds and use them as a base. Top each round with a spoonful of chicken salad for a refreshing and low-carb appetizer or snack.
8. Pita Pockets: Stuff pita pockets with the chicken salad, adding greens, avocado slices, or additional veggies for a satisfying and easy lunch.
9. Quinoa Salad Bowl: Mix the chicken salad with cooked quinoa, diced vegetables (like bell peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes), and a handful of greens for a hearty and healthy bowl meal.

🧊 How To Store Chicken Salad

Transfer any leftover chicken salad with everything bagel seasoning into an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 4-5 days for maximum freshness.

❔FAQ

Can I make the everything bagel seasoning for chicken salad?

Yes! Combine 1 tablespoon each of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and sea salt. You’ll have a few extra tablespoons to use elsewhere.

Is everything bagel seasoning Whole30?

As a rule of thumb, always double-check the ingredient, but for the most part, everything bagel blends are compliant. The ingredients are typically only poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and dry spices.

🍎More Cold Chicken Salad Recipes

• Shredded BBQ Chicken Salad
• Chicken Salad with Apples & Walnuts
• Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
• Sonoma Chicken Salad