Crispy Hot Chicken Salad Casserole with Potato Chips

Here is my favorite hot chicken salad casserole recipe, with tender chicken, crunchy celery, toasted almonds, and a creamy mayo dressing, all topped with crushed BBQ potato chips and melted Monterey Jack cheese.

This casserole is a huge hit at potlucks and family dinners. I love that it comes together quickly on busy weeknights, and those crispy potato chips on top make it feel a little indulgent. Plus, leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day!

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this casserole, you’ve got plenty of options when it comes to chicken. A rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is probably your easiest bet – just shred the meat and you’re good to go. Leftover cooked chicken works great too, whether it’s from last night’s dinner or meal prep you did earlier in the week. If you’re starting from scratch, you can poach or bake some chicken breasts, but honestly, the rotisserie route saves you so much time and adds nice flavor. Just make sure whatever chicken you use is already cooked and cooled before mixing it into your casserole.

Options for Substitutions

This casserole is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a time-saver, but you can use leftover cooked chicken, turkey, or even canned chicken in a pinch. Just make sure it’s shredded or diced into bite-sized pieces.
• Mayonnaise: If you’re looking for a lighter option, try Greek yogurt or sour cream. You can also do half mayo and half Greek yogurt for a middle ground.
• Almonds: Pecans, walnuts, or cashews all work great here. If you have a nut allergy, sunflower seeds give you that same crunch.
• Monterey Jack cheese: Cheddar, Swiss, or a Mexican blend all melt nicely in this dish. Use whatever you have on hand or prefer.
• BBQ potato chips: Regular potato chips, crushed crackers, or even panko breadcrumbs work for the topping. The BBQ flavor adds something special, but plain chips are totally fine too.
• Celery: Not a celery fan? Try diced bell peppers or water chestnuts for that satisfying crunch.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with this casserole is adding the potato chips too early – they’ll turn soggy and lose their crunch, so always wait until the last 5-10 minutes of baking to add them on top.

Another common error is using chicken that’s too moist or not properly drained, which can make your casserole watery and prevent it from setting correctly – pat your cooked chicken dry with paper towels before mixing.

Don’t skip chopping your celery into small, uniform pieces, as large chunks won’t cook through in the short baking time and can throw off the texture of the whole dish.

Finally, resist the urge to overbake this casserole thinking it needs more time – once the cheese is melted and bubbly at 20 minutes, it’s done, and any longer will dry out the chicken and turn the mayo mixture greasy.

What to Serve With Hot Chicken Salad Casserole?

This casserole is pretty hearty on its own, so I like to keep the sides simple and fresh to balance out all that creamy goodness. A crisp green salad with a light vinaigrette is perfect alongside it, or you could go with some steamed green beans or roasted broccoli. If you want something a bit more filling, dinner rolls or buttermilk biscuits are great for rounding out the meal. Since the casserole already has potato chips baked right in, you don’t really need any extra starch, but a simple fruit salad with berries and melon makes a nice refreshing side too.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The potato chips on top will get a bit softer after storing, but the casserole still tastes great. If you want to keep the chips crunchy, store them separately and add them right before reheating.

Make Ahead: You can assemble this casserole up to a day before baking. Just mix everything together, put it in your baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Wait to add the potato chip topping until right before you pop it in the oven so they stay nice and crispy.

Reheat: Warm up individual portions in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes, or reheat the whole dish in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. For extra crunch, sprinkle some fresh crushed chips on top after reheating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2300
• Protein: 110-130 g
• Fat: 150-170 g
• Carbohydrates: 80-100 g

Ingredients

For the chicken mixture:

• 3.5 cups chicken (diced into 1/2-inch cubes for even distribution)
• 2 cups celery
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise for the creamiest texture)
• 1/3 cup almonds (slivered and toasted for a deeper nutty flavor)
• 1/4 cup onion
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for better acidity)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese

For the topping:

• 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese (I use Tillamook for a superior melt)
• 2.5 cups bbq potato chips (crushed into small pieces to create a crunchy crust)
• green onions

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Toast Almonds

• 3.5 cups chicken
• 2 cups celery
• 1/4 cup onion
• 1/3 cup almonds
• green onions

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

While the oven heats, dice the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes, chop the celery into small pieces, mince the onion, and slice the green onions for garnish.

Toast the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden—this brings out their deep nutty flavor and prevents them from becoming soft in the casserole.

Step 2: Build the Casserole Base

• 3.5 cups chicken
• 2 cups celery
• 1/4 cup onion
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• almonds from Step 1
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

In a large bowl, combine the diced chicken, celery, minced onion, mayonnaise, toasted almonds from Step 1, lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder.

Mix until everything is evenly coated and well combined.

The mayonnaise will act as the creamy binder that holds everything together.

Reserve 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese and set the crushed potato chips aside—these will be your crispy topping.

Step 3: Assemble and Top the Casserole

• casserole mixture from Step 2
• 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese
• 2.5 cups bbq potato chips

Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with butter or cooking spray.

Pour the chicken salad mixture from Step 2 into the prepared dish and spread it into an even layer.

I like to use the reserved cheese and chips as your toppings—sprinkle the 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the casserole, then top with the crushed potato chips.

The chips will create a delightfully crunchy crust as they toast, so crush them into small pieces rather than fine crumbs for maximum texture.

Step 4: Bake Until Golden and Bubbly

Bake the casserole in the preheated 425°F oven for 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.

The cheese will melt into the chicken salad while the potato chips toast on top, creating a wonderful contrast of creamy and crunchy textures.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

• green onions

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 2-3 minutes.

Garnish generously with the sliced green onions from Step 1, which adds a fresh, bright note to balance the richness of the mayonnaise and cheese.

Serve warm and enjoy the combination of creamy chicken salad, melted cheese, and crispy potato chip topping.

Crispy Hot Chicken Salad Casserole with Potato Chips

Delicious Crispy Hot Chicken Salad Casserole with Potato Chips recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 2200

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the chicken mixture::

• 3.5 cups chicken (diced into 1/2-inch cubes for even distribution)
• 2 cups celery
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's mayonnaise for the creamiest texture)
• 1/3 cup almonds (slivered and toasted for a deeper nutty flavor)
• 1/4 cup onion
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for better acidity)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese

For the topping::

• 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese (I use Tillamook for a superior melt)
• 2.5 cups bbq potato chips (crushed into small pieces to create a crunchy crust)
• green onions

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. While the oven heats, dice the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes, chop the celery into small pieces, mince the onion, and slice the green onions for garnish. Toast the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden—this brings out their deep nutty flavor and prevents them from becoming soft in the casserole.
2. In a large bowl, combine the diced chicken, celery, minced onion, mayonnaise, toasted almonds from Step 1, lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder. Mix until everything is evenly coated and well combined. The mayonnaise will act as the creamy binder that holds everything together. Reserve 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese and set the crushed potato chips aside—these will be your crispy topping.
3. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with butter or cooking spray. Pour the chicken salad mixture from Step 2 into the prepared dish and spread it into an even layer. I like to use the reserved cheese and chips as your toppings—sprinkle the 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the casserole, then top with the crushed potato chips. The chips will create a delightfully crunchy crust as they toast, so crush them into small pieces rather than fine crumbs for maximum texture.
4. Bake the casserole in the preheated 425°F oven for 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. The cheese will melt into the chicken salad while the potato chips toast on top, creating a wonderful contrast of creamy and crunchy textures.
5. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. Garnish generously with the sliced green onions from Step 1, which adds a fresh, bright note to balance the richness of the mayonnaise and cheese. Serve warm and enjoy the combination of creamy chicken salad, melted cheese, and crispy potato chip topping.