The Cold Deli Salad You Can Heat Up For A New Experience

The king of the prepared food section at the grocery store has to be the deli chicken salad. Stuff it in a sammie, dollop it over some leafy greens, or scoop it up with pita chips to turn it into an effortless snack. Better yet, this high-protein tub of goodness, which tends to be eaten cold, can actually be heated up to create several more new and interesting meals with a little culinary creativity.

Heating store-bought or homemade chicken salad sounds unusual, but it's a common move in the south, where chopped celery, toasted almond flakes, and Parmesan are mixed into the shredded chicken along with mayo and lemon juice before it's topped with more shredded cheese and crunchy potato chips. Once baked, the mayo in the mixture loosens, creating a dreamy dish with a creamy quality and textured character. However, even a basic chicken salad is elevated when heated and paired simply with shredded cheddar and packed into a pita pocket or tortilla wrap. You can also warm it in a hot skillet with a pat of butter to make a filling topping for a steaming bowl of white rice, an accompaniment to flaky biscuits, or a stuffing for a slider roll.

The best way to heat your deli chicken salad is to place it in an ovenproof dish and bake. But you can also give it a quick zap in the microwave or fry it in a pan with a slick of butter or oil.

There are plenty of ways to make the best chicken salad from scratch, such as adding a pinch of brown sugar to the dressing or substituting the mayo for avocado. Having said that, you can doll up your store-bought salad just as easily with fridge and pantry ingredients. For instance, adding curry powder is a surefire way to heat up a mellow chicken salad and lend it a vibrant sunshine-yellow appearance. Dairy ingredients, like crème fraîche and sour cream, provide a tangy note that cuts through the cloying nature of a mayo-based dressing, freshly chopped veggies bring color and crunch, and green herbs imbue the protein with a fresh aroma. 

If baking your gussied-up chicken salad, consider incorporating some crispy elements on top to create a Southern-style dish with textual complexity and crunch. A sprinkle of panko breadcrumbs, crackers, or chopped nuts is ideal if you don't have any chips on hand, but crispy fried onions are equally as good. If microwaving your chicken salad, add them to the top once it's heated to prevent them from turning moist and soggy. Frying your chicken salad on the stovetop is an awesome move if you like crispy edges and satisfying texture.