Makes: 2 heaping cups (2 large or 4 smaller servings) | Total Time: 15 minutes
I’m REALLY into making chicken salad more fun lately, and this is seriously my favorite one so far! We’re basically turning an Italian sub into chicken salad, with crispy pepperoni, crunchy pepperoncini, Parmesan, red onion, and a creamy, tangy “dressing” all tossed with shredded chicken. (I had all of these ingredients leftover from a recent client photoshoot, and it just felt necessary to make a chicken salad recipe out of them tbh.)
It’s a small batch*(ish)* chicken salad recipe that makes about 2 cups, but you can absolutely double or triple it if needed. It takes just 15 total minutes to make, and while I usually recommend letting chicken salad chill in the refrigerator so the flavors have a chance to blend together, this one is actually SO good immediately!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Pepperoni
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise (I love Duke’s)
- 1/4 cup full-fat, Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded Chicken (you can use rotisserie chicken or lightly seasoned leftover chicken breast or chicken thighs)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Red Onion (or white onion)
- 1/3 cup finely chopped Pepperoncini
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/3 cup Shaved Parmesan, crumble with your fingers as you add it
Quick Ingredient Notes:
- Pepperoncini peppers are found in a jar near the olives / pickled jalapeños / etc. They are NOT hot, but they are acidic! Reduce the amount to about 1/4 cup if you’re unsure of them to start. You can always add more!
- Pepperoni: I get like 5-6 slices from the deli department at the store. Unless you have a plan to use more pepperoni in the near future, it’s easy to just grab what you need from the deli, spend very little money on it, and use it for this recipe. 🧡
- Shaved Parmesan is what I used because I had a ton of it leftover from a client photoshoot. I REALLY like it because as you crumble it into the chicken salad, you get various sizes that scatter all around. You can use shredded Parmesan instead. If you only have grated Parm, reduce the amount to 1/4 cup. You can also use a microplane to grate a good block of Parm into this chicken salad.
- Salt & pepper are not included here because I actually thought the chicken, pepperoni, and Parmesan added plenty of flavor. Feel free to add a few cracks of black pepper if you’re feeling it, and use the salt sparingly if you think it needs it (and I honestly salt eeeeeverything, so I mean it when I say sparingly 😅)
How to Make It
Step One: Crisp the Pepperoni. Chop the pepperoni into 1/2″ pieces. Heat a small non-stick pan over medium heat, then cook the pepperoni, tossing it occasionally so it cooks evenly, for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. (I use about 5-6 slices of pepperoni from the deli for this, which makes about 1/4 cup once chopped.)
Step Two: Combine the Creamy Ingredients. In a large(ish) mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup Mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain, full-fat Greek Yogurt, and 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard. Use a spoon to stir them together until evenly mixed.
Add the Fun Stuff. Add 1 1/2 cup Shredded Chicken, 2 tablespoons finely chopped Red Onion (or white onion), 1/3 cup finely chopped Pepperoncini, 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano, and 1/3 cup Shaved Parmesan (crumble with your fingers as you add it). Stir to combine everything well.
Taste and Adjust. Taste a spoonful, then add more of anything if you want to! For more flavor, add a pinch of salt and pepper to start. For more kick, add a splash of pepperoncini brine.
A Flavor Journal Notes
My notes for making this as amazing as possible!
- Let it sit if you can!
This chicken salad is DELICIOUS straight out of the bowl, so you don’t need to let it chill. However, if you have 30 minutes (or so), cover it and let it hang out in the refrigerator. The flavors really settle into the chicken and it gets even better. - Crispy pepperoni is the move.
Don’t skip this step! (I mean, you can … but you shouldn’t ☺️). It adds a little crunch to the chicken salad, really brings out the pepperoni flavor, and helps the pepperoni not get lost with the other soft textures. Small Batch Hack: use the deli department at the store and ask for 6 slices if you don’t want leftovers! - Add some kick!
You can add more pepperoncini for extra crunch and flavor, or a splash of pepperoncini brine if you want a thinner chicken salad. You could also add giardiniera, chopped pickled jalapeños, or whatever other toppings you love on an Italian sub. - Adjust the creaminess.
I tested this recipe first with rotisserie chicken, which I loved. The second time, I used leftover shredded chicken that was a little drier, so it totally absorbed the “dressing” and changed the texture of the whole recipe. SO, if you want a creamier chicken salad, add another 2 tablespoons each of the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt, and another teaspoon of Dijon mustard to start. Mix everything together and then add more as needed!
This was actually inspired by a recent recipe and photoshoot I did for a local grocery store, where I made Italian-sub-loaded-potato-chips (I guess it’s like a viral recipe trend to but a bunch of stuff on chips? It was kind of a dream shoot tbh). But I had leftover pepperoni, pepperoncini, etc., and I was like … how is this NOT going into a chicken salad!? So I played around with a couple of variations and landed on this one as my favorite! You can actually see that shoot on their Instagram if you’re interested!
What to Serve With It
- If you’re making this into a sandwich, it’s perfect alongside crunchy kettle chips (literally any flavor) and a fat dill pickle, or a super simple mixed green salad with this Maple Balsamic Dressing.
- You can also eat it on crackers, toasted pita, pita chips, in a warm pita … you get the idea. 🙂
- If you want to turn this into a Tuesday evening treat with a drink, I highly recommend a crispy boi lager, like a Peroni. 🍺
More Chicken Salad Recipes
These are all small batch(ish) chicken salad recipes that make between 1 1/2 – 2 cups of chicken salad.
- Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwiches for Two
- The OG Fall-Inspired Chicken Salad Croissants
- Avocado Pesto Chicken Salad
- Bacon, Pickle, and Cheddar Chicken Salad (coming soon!)
- Apple Cheddar Chicken Salad (coming soon!)
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“Italian Sub” Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Pepperoni
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise I love Duke’s
- 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt full-fat
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded Chicken
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Red Onion or white onion
- 1/3 cup finely chopped Pepperoncini
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/3 cup Shaved Parmesan
Instructions
- Crisp the Pepperoni. Chop 5-6 pepperoni slices into 1/2″ pieces. (You'll have about 1/4 cup finely chopped Pepperoni). Heat a small non-stick pan over medium heat, then cook the pepperoni, tossing it occasionally so it cooks evenly, for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. (I use about 5-6 slices of pepperoni from the deli department for this).
- Combine the Creamy Ingredients. In a large(ish) mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup Mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (full fat for the most flavor), and 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard. Use a spoon to stir them together until evenly mixed.
- Add the Fun Stuff. Add 1 1/2 cups Shredded Chicken, 2 tablespoons finely chopped Red Onion (or white onion), 1/3 cup finely chopped Pepperoncini, 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano, and 1/3 cup Shaved Parmesan (crumble the Parm with your fingers as you add it). Stir to combine everything well.
- Taste and Adjust. Taste a spoonful, then add more of anything if you want to! For more flavor, add a pinch of salt and pepper to start. For more kick, add a splash of pepperoncini brine.
Notes
Nutrition
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