If you’ve ever picked up that famous chopped chicken salad from Trader Joe’s, you already know how addictive it is — creamy basil dressing, crisp romaine, sweet corn, chewy couscous, dried currants, and crunchy pecans. I love it so much that I decided to make my own version at home — and honestly? It might be even better. This Trader Joe’s–inspired Chopped Chicken Couscous Salad has all the same flavors you love, but fresher, heartier, and easy to customize. I published this recipe in my cookbook in 2013, and it’s still a big-time favorite.
And the best part? You can easily swap ingredients to fit the time of year.
Use turkey instead of chicken, wild rice in place of couscous, and dried cranberries instead of currants to create a beautiful fall version to use up Thanksgiving leftovers!
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Hearty and fresh: Chicken (or turkey) adds protein and substance, while the veggies and grains bring crunch and chew.
- Creamy basil dressing: The combination of pesto, lemon, and honey gives it restaurant-level flavor.
- Make-ahead friendly: Perfect for prepping in advance — the flavors get better as it chills.
- Seasonal flexibility: Light and crisp for spring or summer, but easily adaptable for fall and holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Dressing
- mayonnaise
- fresh basil
- prepared pesto sauce
- water
- lemon juice
- honey
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- romaine lettuce
- roasted chicken (or leftover turkey)
- corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)
- red cabbage
- dry Israeli couscous (or use wild rice for a fall version)
- red bell pepper
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- dried currants (or dried cranberries for a fall twist)
- chopped pecans
How to Make Chopped Chicken Couscous Salad:
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, basil, pesto, water, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth. If it’s too thick, whisk in a little extra water (1 teaspoon at a time) until it’s creamy and pourable.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the romaine, chicken (or turkey), corn, red cabbage, couscous (or wild rice), bell pepper, Parmesan, currants (or cranberries), and pecans.
- Toss and serve: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately — or cover and chill for up to an hour before serving to let the flavors blend.
Recipe Tips:
- Use fresh herbs: Fresh basil gives the dressing its signature flavor — don’t skip it!
- Customize it: Swap grains, proteins, or dried fruit based on what’s in season.
- Make it ahead: Assemble the salad (without dressing) up to 24 hours before serving. Add dressing just before tossing.
- Leftovers tip: It keeps well for up to 2 days and makes a great next-day lunch.
Serving Ideas
Serve it as a light main course or a beautiful side with Butternut Squash Soup or Clam Chowder. Consider lemon bars or chocolate mousse for dessert!
Storage
- Refrigerate: Up to 2 days, tightly covered.
- Make-ahead: Store dressing separately and toss right before serving.
Author’s Note:
“This is one of those recipes that lives happily in every season — light enough for lunch, hearty enough for dinner, and endlessly adaptable. The sweet basil dressing brings everything together in the most delicious way, and the fall variation (turkey, cranberries, and wild rice) makes it perfect for using Thanksgiving leftovers. It’s colorful, satisfying, and always a hit.” – RecipeGirl
Chopped Chicken Couscous Salad
Ingredients
DRESSING:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon prepared pesto sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
SALAD:
- 4 cups finely chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups finely chopped roasted chicken
- 2 cups corn kernels (see tips below)
- 2 cups finely chopped red cabbage
- 1 cup dry Israeli couscous, cooked according to package instructions (then cooled)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup dried currants
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
PREPARE THE DRESSING:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. If the dressing seems too thick, whisk in more water 1 teaspoon at a time, until you get a consistency that you're happy with. It should be creamy and thick but pourable.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
- In a large bowl, toss together all of the salad ingredients. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 bowls and serve.
Notes
- Fresh corn is fabulous in this salad. Just cut it right off the cob and add raw corn kernels into the salad. Two good-sized cobs should be enough to make 2 cups of corn kernels.
- Turn this into a Thanksgiving salad by using chopped turkey in place of the chicken, wild rice in place of the couscous and dried cranberries in place of the currants.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
