My Favorite Summer Chicken Salad Recipe
This Hot Honey Peach Chicken Salad is the ultimate summer lunch recipe! Made with juicy peaches, crispy bacon, basil, and hot honey, then served on flaky croissants for an elevated twist on classic chicken salad.
Creator: Leslie Stokes
If there’s one thing I love during summer, it’s finding fun ways to use all the fresh peaches—and this Hot Honey Peach Chicken Salad might honestly be my favorite one yet.
I know chicken salad can get a bad reputation for being kind of… boring. But this? This tastes like summer in every bite. Sweet juicy peaches, salty crispy bacon, fresh basil, crunchy pecans, and just enough hot honey to make it feel a little elevated and unexpected.
And served on a flaky croissant? SO good.
I originally made this because I had peaches sitting on the counter and wanted something easy for lunches that still felt fun. We’ve done the classic chicken salad a million times, but I wanted something that felt fresh, summery, and honestly a little prettier too (because we all know if it looks cute, it somehow tastes better).
The combination ended up being so good that I immediately knew this needed to go on the blog.
The hot honey gives it a tiny bit of heat and sweetness without overpowering the peaches, and the basil completely makes the recipe. Trust me on that one. Don’t skip it.
I personally used mayo because I love the flavor and creaminess here, but if you want to lighten it up a little, Greek yogurt works great too. You could even do half mayo and half Greek yogurt if you want the best of both worlds.
And let’s talk texture for a second because this recipe has all of it:
• Juicy peaches
• Crispy salty bacon
• Crunch from pecans
• Soft buttery croissants
• Fresh basil throughout
It just works.
I served mine on croissants because I wanted it to feel a little elevated (and honestly croissant sandwiches just feel fancy without any extra effort), but this would also be so good served in butter lettuce cups for a lighter lunch, over arugula for meal prep, or even stuffed into avocado halves.
This is also one of those recipes that gets even better after sitting in the fridge for a bit, which makes it amazing for meal prep. I would just wait to assemble the croissants until serving so they don’t get soggy.
Variations
- Add goat cheese for a creamy tangy bite.
- Swap bacon for prosciutto for an even more elevated feel.
- Add jalapeño if you love sweet heat.
- Use rotisserie chicken if you need something quick, but your oven-baked chicken is honestly perfect here.
This is one of those recipes that feels fancy enough for summer hosting, bridal showers, or pool lunches but is also simple enough to throw together on a random weekday. And if you’re anything like me and love peaches this time of year, this is such a fun and delicious way to use them.
Honestly… stop making boring chicken salad this summer
Tips for the Best Peach Chicken Salad
- Use ripe but slightly firm peaches so they hold their shape.
- Add the peaches right before serving if making ahead.
- Toast the pecans—it makes such a difference in flavor.
- Don’t skip the fresh basil. It takes this from basic chicken salad to something that tastes restaurant-worthy.
- Finish with flaky salt and an extra drizzle of hot honey before serving for the prettiest presentation.
I hope this meal prep helps you! Don’t forget to follow along on social media for more Meal Prep + healthy recipes!
Hot Honey Peach Chicken Salad (The Summer Sandwich You Need)
Ingredients
Chicken Salad
- 3-4 cups cooked chicken chopped (oven-baked chicken works perfectly here)
- ⅓ cup mayo OR substitute plain Greek yogurt for a lighter option
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tbsp hot honey depending on spice preference
- 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt + pepper to taste
Mix-Ins
- 2 ripe peaches diced small
- 4-5 slices crispy bacon chopped
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion or shallots
- ⅓ cup toasted pecans or candied pecans
- 2-3 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- Optional: crumbled goat cheese
- Optional: finely diced jalapeño for extra heat
For Serving
- Croissants highly recommend
- Butter lettuce cups
- Toasted sourdough
- Over arugula for meal prep lunches
- Stuffed into avocado halves
Let's Make It
- In a large bowl, mix together mayo (or Greek yogurt), Dijon, hot honey, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add chopped chicken and stir until coated.
- Fold in peaches, crispy bacon, red onion, pecans, and fresh basil.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more hot honey if you like it sweeter or spicier.
- Chill for 15–20 minutes if you have time—it gets even better after sitting.
- Serve piled onto buttery croissants with an extra drizzle of hot honey and fresh basil on top.
Nutrition Facts
(Approximate, based on 5 servings without croissant)
Calories: 330
Protein: 30g
Carbs: 10g
Fat: 18g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 8g
Meal Prep in 1 Hour
You can use any two of the meals in this series to get your meal prep done in just about and hour, give or take!
Having your breakfast and lunch ready for the week helps you stay on track with your nutriton, saves you time and money! I truly beleive that meal prep does not need to be over complicated, take too much time or be boring!
I always get asked- “do you ever get tired of eating the same thing all week?” and the answer is, no! Not when the food taste good! I give plenty of variety in these preps and keep it simple!
As always, thanks for being here and remember, don’t over complicate the process! Take a deep breath, you got this!
