This might be the best chicken salad you’ll ever taste. Serve it with crackers or as a sandwich—perfect for parties, picnics, lunches, or any occasion. It’s gluten free and dairy free.
Now that hot summer is here, chicken salad is one of our family’s favorite quick meals. It’s simple to prepare, packs easily for picnics or to-go dinners for sports events, and you won’t have to heat the house by turning on the oven.
To add a subtle coconut note, I fold in a bit of a favorite side dish: coconut rice. We make coconut rice regularly to go with curry, tacos, or chicken, and the leftover rice adds a lovely texture and flavor to this chicken salad.
If adding rice to chicken salad sounds unusual, give it a try—you might be surprised. For more coconut flavor, sprinkle a little toasted coconut on top before serving.
Chewy dried cranberries and crisp toasted almonds bring bright color, contrasting textures, and a touch of sweetness that really elevate the salad. I like cranberries sweetened with apple juice rather than sugar for a cleaner flavor.
Always double-check that your ingredients are labeled gluten free if you need to avoid gluten. When buying nuts, look for packaging with clear gluten free labelling whenever possible.
This chicken salad is versatile: use a gluten free wrap or tortilla, pile it on a bun (we like BFree brown seeded rolls), or serve it in butter lettuce leaves and finish with a sprinkle of toasted coconut.
No matter how you serve Coconut Chicken Salad, it’s likely to be a crowd-pleaser.
We enjoy a variety of mix-ins; feel free to swap or omit anything to suit your taste.
Try chopped dried cherries in place of cranberries for a different twist, or serve the salad with crackers or in gluten free tortillas for an easy lunch.
If you enjoy chicken salad, you may also like other healthy versions such as Costco-style chicken salad.
Chicken Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 12.5 oz can chicken breast in water drained well (I used the Costco brand)
- ⅓ cup gluten free mayonnaise I used Chosen Foods Coconut Oil mayo
- ¼ cup cooked coconut rice or regular cooked rice
- ¼ cup gluten free dried cranberries optional
- ¼ cup gluten free sliced toasted almonds
- garlic salt celery salt, and pepper to taste (I used about ⅛ teaspoon garlic salt, 3-4 dashes celery salt and pepper)
Equipment
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Buns or rolls (optional)
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Crackers or wraps for serving
Method
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Combine the drained chicken, mayonnaise, cooked coconut rice, dried cranberries, sliced toasted almonds, and seasonings in a bowl. Stir with a fork until everything is evenly combined. The salad can be made a day ahead and scales easily if you want to double or triple it.
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Serve on a gluten free bun, roll, pita, wrap, or over a bed of lettuce. Finish with toasted coconut if desired.
Nutrition
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