Instant Pot Chicken Salad is the perfect recipe for a salad topper, a sandwich, or a wrap!

Get gourmet-quality chicken salad from the Instant Pot! Tender Instant Pot chicken breasts are mixed in with fresh celery and green onions in a creamy Dijon dill sauce. It’s perfect for batch cooking!

Chicken salad served on top bread and shredded lettuce

Instant Pot Chicken Salad

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Easy Chicken Salad Recipe

  • Let the Instant Pot do all the work! Pressure cooker chicken always comes out tender and juicy.
  • Chicken salad can be served as a chicken salad sandwich, over lettuce, or in wraps.
  • Prepare large batches of shredded chicken for other meals.
  • Follow the basic seasonings below or add your favorites for a great meal.

Serve with a side of homemade air fryer potato chips, fries, or some hot and buttery cornbread muffins.

Chicken Salad ingredients in a bowl

Ingredients & Variations – Fast & Fresh!

CHICKEN Fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts cook up fast and flavorful in the Instant Pot! Or, use a rotisserie chicken, shred what you need, and save the rest for more recipes all week long.

Leftover turkey and even smoked salmon go great with the Dijon mustard sauce too!

ADD-INS Crunchy celery and green onions round out the texture and flavors with a little fresh dill to season it! Water chestnuts, chopped walnuts, or slivered almonds add more crunch and color!

DRESSING Dijon and mayonnaise have the right flavor combination to go with chicken, but other flavors mixed with mayo will create a new dish every time! Try adding mashed avocados, Thousand Island dressing, basil pesto, or a bright and tangy tapenade that can all be mixed with mayo.

Chicken Salad prepped in a bowl

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Salad

Nothing could be easier than making chicken salad in an Instant Pot.

  1. Cook chicken breasts in a small amount of water in the Instant Pot (as per recipe below).
  2. Allow to rest, then shred or dice.
  3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy.

Serve as a salad, on a sandwich, or in a wrap for a tasty snack or lunch!

PRO TIP: Chill at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Chicken salad served on top bread and shredded lettuce

Tips for the Best Sandwich

There is an art to building the best sandwich ever! It’s all in the layering. Bread won’t absorb condiments and get soggy if layers of lettuce, tomato, or cucumber are next to the slices.

Since chicken salad is already mixed with a dressing, scooping it on top of lettuce and serving it as an open-face sandwich makes an elegant presentation! Top with bleu cheese or feta crumbles.

PRO TIP: Toast thick pieces of sourdough bread (or your favorite variety) first! Or, layer large pieces of lettuce on your favorite tortilla or wrap and then place the chicken salad on that.

Leftovers

Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s not wise to freeze chicken salad since it won’t retain its texture when thawed.

More Chicken Recipes

Chicken salad served on top bread and shredded lettuce
5 from 17 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Easy Instant Pot Chicken Salad

Quick and easy chicken salad is so delicious sandwiched between two slices of bread.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Pressure and Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients  

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 5-6 oz each
  • 1 cup celery finely chopped
  • 1 green onion sliced
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh dill
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Season the chicken breasts with salt & pepper to taste. Place in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of water or broth.
  • Press “Manual” and cook for 12 minutes if frozen and 9 minutes if fresh. Allow the instant pot to naturally release for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and cool until you can handle it. Shred or dice the chicken and cool completely.
  • Once cooled combine the chicken with all ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Mix well and serve over salad or on bread.

Notes

Cooking time is for 5-6oz chicken breasts. Adjust the cooking time for larger or smaller chicken breasts. Chicken breasts should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
You can cook up to 6 chicken breasts (increase the water to 2 cups)  to make extra chicken for meal prep or future salads. No adjustments to cooking time are needed.
Add in your own favorites seasonings or additions. Dried cranberries or fresh grapes are favorites.
Nutrition information is for chicken only.
5 from 17 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Salad, Sandwiches
Cuisine American

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Chicken salad sandwich with writing

Chicken salad on bread with writing
Top image - Chicken salad on bread. Bottom image - chicken salad ingredients in a bowl with writing

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About the author

Holly is a mom of 4 with a love for all things air fryer! Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making recipes for the everyday home cook!
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Comments

  1. Making it and taking it for the 3rd time. It’s easy and wonderful. I think the fresh dill makes it. Has become my favorite chic salad for sure. Thanks for the recipe