Costco Canned Chicken Salad Copycat Recipe

Costco canned chicken salad comes together in under 10 minutes and tastes like something you’d actually want to eat for lunch three days in a row.

The store version is good, but making it yourself means you control the seasoning and can stretch it further than the little deli container allows.

Why I Love This Recipe

The texture is what gets me. The chicken stays chunky, the celery adds a real crunch, and the dressing is creamy without being heavy.

This is the version I keep coming back to because the lemon juice and Dijon do the actual work of making it taste bright and not flat. No fancy additions needed.

Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cans (12.5 oz each) canned chicken breast – Kirkland Signature or any chunk-style packed in water; drain thoroughly
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise – full-fat gives the best texture; Duke’s or Hellmann’s both work
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard – adds a gentle sharpness that balances the mayo
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice – keeps the dressing tasting fresh, not heavy
• 2 stalks celery – finely diced; gives crunch and body
• 2 tbsp red onion – finely diced; use more or less to taste
• 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish – the small sweet hit that ties the whole thing together
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder – background savory note
• 1/2 tsp salt – start here and adjust after tasting
• 1/4 tsp black pepper – freshly cracked if you have it

Variations / Substitutions

• Swap mayo for Greek yogurt – the salad gets tangier and noticeably lighter, though less rich
• Use dill relish instead of sweet – the flavor goes slightly more savory and less sweet, which some people strongly prefer
• Add 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill – it freshens up the whole bowl and works especially well in a wrap
• Use yellow mustard instead of Dijon – milder result; closer to a classic American diner version
• Skip the red onion for a milder flavor – add 1 tbsp chives instead for a gentler onion note without the bite
• Add a pinch of smoked paprika – gives the salad a faint smokiness that pairs well with crackers

If you like this, Costco Tuna Salad Copycat Recipe is worth trying for the same weekday lunch energy.

How To Make Canned Chicken Salad

Step 1: Drain and Break Down the Chicken

Open both cans and drain the 2 cans (12.5 oz each) of chicken thoroughly, pressing down on the solids with the lid to push out as much liquid as possible. Tip the chicken into a medium bowl and use a fork to flake it into chunky pieces. You want texture here, not a paste, so stop before it looks shredded.

Dry chicken matters. Any liquid left behind will water down the dressing and make the whole thing loose within an hour. Give the drained chicken a moment in the bowl before you mix so any remaining water settles and you can pour it off.

Step 2: Mix the Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice until smooth and combined, about 30 seconds. The dressing should look pale and creamy with no visible streaks of mustard.

Step 3: Fold in the Vegetables

Add the 2 stalks of finely diced celery, 2 tbsp finely diced red onion, and 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish directly to the bowl with the chicken. Pour the dressing over everything and fold with a spatula or large spoon until the chicken is evenly coated. Season with 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper, then taste and adjust the salt before going further.

Use a folding motion rather than stirring hard. Aggressive stirring will break the chicken down into fine shreds and kill the texture you worked to keep in step 1.

Step 4: Chill and Plate the Salad

Refrigerate the salad for at least 20 minutes so the flavors settle and the dressing firms up slightly. Spoon it into a serving bowl, smooth the top lightly, and finish with a few grinds of black pepper and a small handful of sliced celery or chopped chives laid across the top.

Recipe Tips

• Dice the celery very fine so every bite has crunch without a single piece overpowering a spoonful of chicken.
• Taste for salt after chilling, not before. Canned chicken already carries sodium, and the level you need shifts once the dressing has had time to settle into the meat.
• Kirkland canned chicken is sold in packs of 6 or 12 at Costco, which makes this a good recipe to scale up for a week of lunches; the salad holds for 4 days refrigerated.
• If the salad looks dry after chilling, stir in 1 extra tbsp of mayo. Canned chicken absorbs dressing as it sits, so a small top-up is normal and not a mistake.

Bake times do not apply here, but if you are scaling for a crowd, this table shows the ingredient amounts by batch size:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep it cold and do not leave it out longer than 2 hours.
• Serve Cold – This salad is meant to be eaten cold straight from the fridge; there is no need to reheat it.

What To Serve With Canned Chicken Salad

Thick slices of toasted sourdough hold up to the creamy dressing without going soggy the way soft white bread does. Butter lettuce cups are a good lower-carb option, and the mild leaf lets the seasoning in the salad stand on its own without competing. For something crunchy alongside, sturdy crackers like a Ritz or a water cracker give you the textural contrast that makes the soft, creamy filling feel more interesting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use canned chicken packed in broth instead of water?

Yes, but drain it very well and pat it dry with a paper towel, because the broth adds extra sodium and residual liquid that can thin out the dressing.

Can I make this the night before?

Yes. It actually tastes better after a night in the fridge because the dressing has more time to absorb into the chicken. Just stir it once before serving.

How do I keep the salad from tasting flat?

Check the lemon juice first. A flat chicken salad usually needs acid, not more salt. Add a small squeeze more and taste again before reaching for the salt.

Can I freeze chicken salad?

No. Mayonnaise breaks when frozen and thawed, leaving the texture grainy and separated. Make only what you plan to eat within 4 days.

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Costco Canned Chicken Salad Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cans (12.5 oz each) canned chicken breast, drained
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 tbsp red onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method

 

1. Drain the canned chicken thoroughly, transfer to a medium bowl, and flake into chunky pieces with a fork.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice until smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the celery, red onion, and sweet pickle relish to the chicken. Pour the dressing over and fold to combine. Season with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, then taste and adjust salt.
4. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, then spoon into a serving bowl and finish with a few grinds of black pepper and sliced celery or chives on top.

Notes

The 20-minute chill is worth it. The dressing tightens up and the flavors even out in a way that just does not happen if you serve it straight away. If you are making this ahead for the week, hold off on adding the celery until the day you plan to eat it so it stays crisp.