When it comes to picnic foods, chicken is one of the most versatile and crowd-pleasing choices. Here are some of the best chicken picnic recipes that are easy to prepare, transport, and enjoy outdoors.
These chicken recipes range from easy appetizers to hearty chicken sandwiches to suit every taste and season.
Picnic Tips for Chicken
- Food Safety: Food safety is always a consideration at a picnic, but especially when serving meat dishes. See my tips for keeping food cold and how to keep food warm for a picnic to ensure your chicken dishes are always at their best.
- Pack Smart: Use separate containers for different chicken dishes to keep flavors intact and avoid messes. Consider portioning out servings in individual containers or wraps for ease of handling and serving.
- Handheld Options: Opt for chicken dishes that are easy to eat without utensils. Wraps, skewers, sandwiches, and chicken finger food such as Chicken Tea Sandwiches or Chicken Kiev Balls, are perfect for picnics as they are convenient and less messy
- Prevent Soggy Chicken Sandwiches: For chicken sandwiches, see my tips on how to avoid soggy sandwiches, such as – spreading a thin layer of butter on the bread, creative layering techniques, smart bread choices, or assembling sandwiches as close to serving time as possible.
Top Chicken Recipes for a Picnic
Creamy Pesto Chicken Wrap
This Pesto Chicken Wrap takes its cue from the classic Chicken Caesar Wrap and adds some fresh pizzaz with fragrant parsley and dill pesto. Serve them warm or cold; they're so delicious and easy to manage at a picnic.
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Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
Tea sandwiches are elegant, portable, and practical for picnics. These Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches embody the best qualities of a great picnic sandwich. They are easy to prepare, filled with a creamy, lemon-zested chicken salad, can be prepared in advance, and look charming on the picnic blanket.
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Chicken Kiev Balls
I transformed the classic Chicken Kiev into bite-sized, picnic-friendly Mini Chicken Kiev Balls. These deliciously crispy balls, filled with herbed garlic butter, are easy to make and perfect for any outdoor gathering.
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Greek Chicken Salad with Tzatziki
This is one of those versatile chicken salad recipes that is equally delicious in a wrap as a stand-alone salad. This Greek Chicken Salad, loaded with healthy, homemade Tzatziki dressing, is one of my favorite summer picnic salads.
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Fig and Chicken Baguette Sandwich
If you are looking for easy chicken picnic ideas that will make an impression, look no further than a crusty French baguette. This chicken baguette picnic sandwich with sweet figs and salty cheese is all-class.
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Wild Rice Chicken Salad
This easy Wild Rice Chicken Salad uses rotisserie chicken, cranberries, almonds, and a light creamy Dijon dressing. It's bright, flavorful, and requires no oven time
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Photo credit: therusticfoodie.com
Chicken Sausage Rolls
A healthier spin on the classic sausage roll, these chicken sausage rolls have a ground chicken and veggie filling wrapped in flaky, golden puff pastry.
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Photo credit: mapleandmango.com
Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwich
In the spirit of portable food, the classic Waldorf Salad makes a very elegant picnic dish in a sandwich. Adding chicken to the original makes it a hearty picnic sandwich for any occasion.
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Chilli Chinese Chicken Wings
These oven-baked spicy Chinese chicken wings are easy to make and highly addictive. Pair them with a crisp Asian Style Coleslaw.
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Photo credit: atastykitchen.com
Classic Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich
A classic sandwich that elegantly combines grilled chicken and crispy bacon is hard to resist. This Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich Recipe offers a mouthwatering contrast of flavors and textures and is a versatile sandwich for all picnic occasions.
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Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
Buttermilk-fried chicken Tenders are crispy and flavorful, perfect for a quick and easy picnic appetizer or a sandwich with crunchy coleslaw.
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Photo credit: amycaseycooks.com
Rotisserie Chicken Salad
This easy rotisserie chicken salad, made with avocado, tomatoes, and carrots, has a drizzle of homemade green tahini dressing for a healthy and delicious chicken salad.
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Photo credit: thesidesmith.com
BBQ Pulled Chicken
This tender BBQ-pulled chicken recipe delivers big, bold, smoky flavors without breaking out the grill or heating up the oven. It’s a fantastic make-ahead dish for picnics.
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Photo credit: chewoutloud.com
Simple Chicken Soup
Few comfort foods are as universally cherished as a steaming bowl of simple chicken soup. This easy-to-prepare chicken soup is a steadfast picnic companion. I’ve got many tips for serving soup at a picnic that highlight what a convenient picnic dish soup can be.
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Baked Chicken Kabobs
Marinated in garlic, oregano, and Dijon and paired with fresh peppers and shallots, these Baked Chicken Kabobs are delicious, healthy and easy to make. Serve them hot or cold.
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Photo credit: thedizzycook.com
Chicken Kale Salad
With leafy greens, a creamy dressing, crunchy apple, celery, and seeds, this chicken kale salad is a delicious dairy-free salad for a picnic.
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Photo credit: throughthefibrofog.com
Naked Chicken Wings
Naked Chicken Wings are unbreaded, yet incredibly crispy and crunchy. Simply deep-fried with seasoning, they're a perfect base for countless chicken wing recipes.
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Photo credit: theshortordercook.com
Spicy Asian Chicken Salad
Spice up your taste buds with this Spicy Asian Chicken Salad. Packed with crunchy vegetables and tossed in a hot chili garlic soy dressing, this shredded chicken salad is a great picnic main or side salad.
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Photo credit: thesidesmith.com
Chicken Sandwich Recipes for Your Next Picnic
Want more chicken sandwich ideas? Check out my complete collection of recipes for chicken sandwiches that are suitable for any picnic season.
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Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels
These Buffalo chicken pinwheels are an easy-to-eat and easy-to-make way to indulge in spicy buffalo chicken flavor without the mess of traditional wings.
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Photo credit: recipesfromapantry.com
These chicken picnic recipes show how easily you can put together an impressive picnic with one of the most versatile and crowd-pleasing ingredients: chicken.
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