Pesto Chicken Salad

Pesto Chicken Salad with olives and peas is so delicious and this is the perfect low-carb salad to make with leftover rotisserie chicken! And basil pesto fans will swoon over this tasty chicken salad idea!

PIN the amazing Pesto Chicken Salad to make it later!

I love to buy those packs of rotisserie chicken breast from Costco and use it to make this delicious Pesto Chicken Salad that’s so delicious any time of year! And I think salads like this are extra great when it’s really hot and you don’t want to turn on the stove. 

And we loved this recipe that has leftover chicken, peas, black olives, and an easy dressing made with mayo, basil pesto, and lemon juice! You can use the Kirkland Basil Pesto from Costco too, if you don’t have fresh basil. If you like these ingredients I urge you to make this salad right away! And if you’re a basil pesto fan I bet you’ll make it over and over.

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

• diced cooked chicken
• green onions
• frozen green peas
• sliced black olives
• mayo
• basil pesto 
• fresh-squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice

How did we update the Pesto Chicken Salad?

In the updated version of this salad with pesto and chicken I switched out the edamame for green peas, and everyone agreed that the peas were a nice pop of color. I know some people may be suspicious about using peas in a low-carb salad. But we did the math, and if you make the recipe and divide it into the six servings I recommend, the peas only add 3 carbs per serving. I thought the flavor with peas was so great that for me it seemed worth the carbs; of course use less peas if you prefer.

How low in carbs is this updated Pesto Chicken Salad?

Even with the addition of peas this amazing salad recipe only has 4 net carbs per serving since all the other ingredients are very low in carbs.

Tips for making Pesto Chicken Salad salad easy to get on the table!

To make it extra quick and easy to make this salad, we used the cut-up rotisserie chicken that comes in a package at Costco. And if you buy the little cans of pre-sliced olives that will also save a bit of time.

What kind of pesto should you use for Pesto Chicken Salad?

I’d love this salad with my Basil Pesto with Lemon, and I love to make that and freeze it so I’ll always have some on hand. But when I don’t have homemade pesto I would use my favorite Kirkland Basil Pesto, which was really good in the dressing for this salad with a little lemon juice added.

Want more tasty salads with chicken?

Check out 20 Keto Chicken Salad Recipes for lots more tasty salads that you can make with leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken!

Steps for making Pesto Chicken Salad:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. While the peas thaw, cut up the chicken into pieces about 3/4 inch square and put in a large bowl.
2. Thinly slice green onions, drain olives, and measure out the peas.
3. Mix the mayo, pesto, and lemon juice to make the dressing.
4. Mix desired amount of dressing into the chicken and stir well to coat all the chicken with dressing.
5. Gently stir in the green onions, olives, and peas.
6. Season salad to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
7. Salad can be chilled a few hours or served right away. It will keep overnight in the fridge, but you might want to add a little more dressing when you serve the leftovers.

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

I’d enjoy Pesto Chicken Salad alone for a summer lunch, but if you want to make it a more substantial meal this would taste great with Spicy Mexican Slaw, Cucumber Salad with Balsamic Dressing, Al’s Famous Hungarian Cucumber Salad, Artichoke Heart Salad, or Kalyn’s Low-Carb Coleslaw.

More Recipes with Pesto and Chicken:

Weekend Food Prep:

This Pesto Chicken Salad recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
If you go easy on the peas like I did, this Pesto Chicken Salad would be approved for low-carb or Keto diets and for phase two or three of the original South Beach Diet. South Beach would prefer light mayo, and other low-carb plans would prefer full-fat; take your choice on that!

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Check out Salad Recipes for more ideas for tasty salads! Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This favorite salad with pesto and chicken was first posted in 2007! The recipe was updated to switch edamame for peas in 2019 and was last updated with more information in 2024.

Share This: