This Classic Hot Chicken Salad is a bit of an unusual dish. It is actually a baked casserole made with chicken salad ingredients and a cheese-and-breadcrumb topping. I like to top with toasted almonds and toasted bread crumbs to give the “salad” extra texture and flavor.
To make this, start by combining cooked chicken, celery, mayonnaise, toasted almonds, lemon juice, and chopped onion in a bowl. Season and stir in ½ a cup of the toasted bread crumbs. Transfer the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and the remaining toasted bread crumbs. Bake the casserole until the topping has browned and the filling is bubbly around the edges. Serve the dish hot and garnished with green onions or parsley with cooked rice and a tossed salad, steamed broccoli, or green beans on the side.
To make the Classic Hot Chicken Salad, you will need the following ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 425 °F and butter a 2-quart baking dish or baking pan.
Combine 3 cups of cubed cooked chicken, 2 cups of thinly sliced celery, 1 cup of mayonnaise, ½ cup of toasted almonds, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of chopped onion in a bowl. Taste and season with salt, if needed.
Stir ½ a cup of the toasted bread crumbs into the chicken mixture.
Spoon the chicken mixture into the greased baking dish and sprinkle with ½ cup of shredded cheese.
Mix the remaining 1 cup of toasted bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the cheese layer.
Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Serve hot with cooked rice and a tossed salad, steamed broccoli, or green beans.
This Classic Hot Chicken Salad is a delicious casserole made with salad ingredients! Remember to tag #cookmerecipes if you try this recipe!
