Dump-and-Bake Southern Chicken Salad Casserole

Take the traditional flavors and ingredients from your favorite summer sandwich and combine them in a comforting Dump-and-Bake Southern Chicken Salad Casserole -- complete with crushed potato chips and melted cheese on top!

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Thirty minute meal to the rescue! This cozy Dump-and-Bake Southern Chicken Salad Casserole is the perfect easy dinner recipe for busy fall nights!

When the weather is warm, one of my favorite lunches to order in restaurants is a classic chicken salad sandwich. But when the temperatures drop, I gravitate to warmer soups, chili, and toasted sandwiches. Fortunately, I can also enjoy the texture and flavor that I love in my classic chicken salad sandwich in a cool-weather comfort dish for dinner!

This hot chicken salad casserole is the answer to your chilliest evenings…

What goes into Chicken Salad Casserole?

We’re keeping this dump-and-bake dinner really simple with just a handful of basic ingredients:

• cooked, diced chicken (white or dark meat is fine); use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a shortcut or even canned chicken if you prefer;
• celery;
• lemon juice;
• mayonnaise;
• slivered almonds;
• onions;
• chicken broth; and
• cream of chicken soup (because this is a southern casserole, after all)!

Just stir it all together and “dump-and-bake”!

But before it goes into the oven, don’t forget the topping!

You can’t have a southern chicken salad casserole without some potato chips and cheese on top. OH.MY.GOODNESS. This classic addition is so darn good!

Just sprinkle a combination of the chips and grated cheddar over top of the dish and pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes (or until it’s heated through).

How Can I prepare Chicken Salad Casserole in Advance?

Not only is this time-saving dump-and-bake dinner convenient for last-minute meals, but you can also prep it ahead to take the stress out of entertaining or family mealtime.

Just assemble the casserole as instructed, cover, and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it! The assembled casserole should be fine in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

Whether you’re just trying to get a family-friendly dinner on the table for your picky kids during the school week, or whether you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing option for the next church potluck, this hot chicken salad casserole is a guaranteed winner every time!

Serving Suggestions for Southern Chicken Salad Casserole:

Keep it simple and steam some green veggies in the microwave to round out your meal, throw together a tossed salad, or prepare a batch of our favorite Southern Green Beans in the slow cooker!

All of my boys love this easy dinner, but my older guys (including Keith) prefer the hot casserole sandwiched in between pieces of thick, crusty bread. Warm or cold, you can never go wrong with a classic southern chicken salad sandwich, right?! Either way, this delicious lunch or dinner is a true delight!

More easy chicken casserole recipes that you might enjoy:

• 5-Ingredient Crescent Roll Chicken Casserole
• Dump-and-Bake Southern Chicken Casserole
• Dump-and-Bake Cool Ranch Chicken Casserole
• King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Did you try this recipe? Don’t forget to rate it and leave me a comment below! You can follow me on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and on Twitter!

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Dump-and-Bake Southern Chicken Salad Casserole

Take the traditional flavors and ingredients from your favorite summer sandwich and combine them in a comforting Dump-and-Bake Southern Chicken Salad Casserole -- complete with crushed potato chips and melted cheese on top!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Southern

Keyword chicken casserole, Chicken Salad, hot chicken salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 297 kcal

Author Blair

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced, cooked chicken
• 1 cup diced celery
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons finely diced onion
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup mayonnaise I used light mayonnaise
• 1 cup condensed cream of chicken soup (NOT diluted) I used Campbell's Healthy Request
• 6 tablespoons chicken broth
• ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2/3 cup crushed potato chips I used about 30 chips total

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients except for cheese and chips.
3. Place chicken mixture into prepared casserole dish.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together cheese and chips. Spread cheese mixture on top of casserole.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Recipe Notes

Cooking Just for Two? Cut the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in a 1-quart dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same.

Cooking for a Crowd? Double the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same.

Nutrition Facts

Dump-and-Bake Southern Chicken Salad Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 /6 of the casserole)

Calories 297 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 49mg16%

Sodium 848mg37%

Potassium 610mg17%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 345IU7%

Vitamin C 5.4mg7%

Calcium 103mg10%

Iron 0.8mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe was originally published in November, 2014. The photos were updated in September, 2018.