Add a Pinch | Recipe Index | By Ingredient | Chicken Recipes

Hot Chicken Salad Recipe

Robyn Stone

Published Mar 05, 2025

This easy Hot Chicken Salad recipe is a classic Southern favorite with a delicious, creamy chicken filling baked with buttery cracker topping. It’s perfect for family meals and potlucks and is always a crowd-pleaser!

Hot chicken salad baked in a white baking dish. - 1

Chicken salad is always such a loved dish! This easy hot chicken salad is no exception! It is a family favorite recipe that we’ve enjoyed for generations. Creamy chicken with crunchy bits of celery topped with a scrumptious buttery cracker topping makes a quick and easy supper or a popular potluck dish. You’ll be thrilled with how quickly it’s on the table and love how fast it disappears, too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy recipe. This recipe comes together quickly and bakes in the oven until golden and bubbly.
Comforting chicken salad recipe. Chicken salad is always delicious, but this hot chicken salad is warm and comforting. Great anytime!
Make ahead and freezer-friendly . Great for meal prep to serve during a busy week or to take friends and family for a meal.

How to Make Hot Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

Chicken – This recipe uses cooked chicken. I love to use my shredded chicken recipe or even leftover baked chicken . You can also use rotisserie chicken , homemade or store-bought.
Celery – Diced celery adds crunch to this hot chicken salad recipe.
Salt – I use kosher salt. I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you substitute with Morton’s Kosher salt, fine sea salt, or table salt, you will only need half the amount of the salt called for in the recipe.
Pepper – Black pepper adds flavor to this recipe.
Lemon juice – Brightens this chicken salad.
Sour cream – Makes the chicken salad creamy and delicious. You can also substitute with partial or all Greek yogurt if you like.
Mayonnaise – Like the sour cream, the mayonnaise adds to the creaminess of the hot chicken salad.
Cheddar cheese – Shredded cheddar cheese is delicious in this recipe.
Ritz crackers – Crushed buttery crackers are added to the top of this hot chicken salad and then baked for a delicious topping!
Butter – added to the top of the Ritz cracker topping for baking.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Ingredients for the recipe in a glass mixing bowl on a white counter. - 3

Mix the ingredients . Add all ingredients except the crackers and butter to a large mixing bowl.

Mixture in a baking dish ready for topping to bake. - 4

Pour into baking dish. Spread the mixture into a baking dish.

Salad mixture in baking dish with cracker and butter topping added. - 5

Add topping and butter. Distribute the cracker crumbs and butter on top of the casserole.

Baked salad in a baking dish on a white surface. - 6

Bake. Bake in a 350º F oven until golden brown and heated throughout – about 20 minutes.

Hot chicken salad casserole ready to serve. - 7

Serve and enjoy!

What to Serve with Hot Chicken Salad

Serve with fruit like grapes or apple slices or another salad like broccoli salad or fruit salad.

Storage Tips

Make ahead. Cool and wrap tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat and serve.

Freeze. Prepare and spread it into a freezer-safe baking dish. Wrap tightly with freezer-safe wrap and store in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and add the cracker crumbs and butter before baking.

More Chicken Salad Recipes

Chicken Salad with Grapes
Avocado Chicken Salad
Fiesta Chicken Salad
Rosemary Chicken Salad
Classic Chicken Salad

Here’s my Hot Chicken Salad recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do.

Equipment

Baking Dish (9×13)

Ingredients

▢ 4 cups chicken breasts , cooked and chopped
▢ 1 cup celery , diced
▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
▢ 1/4 cup sour cream
▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
▢ 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
▢ 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
▢ 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º F.
Mix together all ingredients except butter crackers and butter. Pour into a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Spread evenly.
Crush butter crackers and spread over top of chicken salad mixture. Top with pats of butter.
Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned and heated throughout.

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Join today & start saving your favorite recipes

Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes.

Enjoy! Robyn xo