Crispy Easter Chicken Salad Crescent Rolls

I’ll be honest—I used to save fancy chicken salad for summer picnics only. Then one Easter, I had leftover crescent rolls and a bunch of grapes sitting in my fridge, and I thought, why not make this a holiday thing?

Turns out, wrapping chicken salad in buttery crescent rolls is way easier than it sounds. You don’t need to poach chicken or do anything complicated. I just grab a can of chicken, mix it with some crunchy celery and almonds, add a little mayo and mustard, and you’re pretty much done. The crescent rolls do all the heavy lifting—they bake up golden and flaky while you’re setting the table. Now my kids ask for these every Easter, and honestly, I make them year-round because they’re that easy.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this recipe, you have plenty of options when it comes to chicken. A rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is probably your easiest bet – just pull off the meat and you’re ready to go. If you prefer to cook your own, poached or baked chicken breast works great and gives you control over the seasoning. Leftover chicken from last night’s dinner is also perfect for this, which makes it a great way to use up what you already have in the fridge. Whatever route you go, just make sure your chicken is fully cooked and cooled before mixing it into your salad.

Options for Substitutions

This chicken salad recipe is really forgiving and works well with a few simple swaps:

• Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver, but you can also use leftover turkey, especially after the holidays. Canned chicken works in a pinch too – just drain it well and flake it with a fork.
• Grapes: If you’re not a fan of grapes or don’t have any on hand, dried cranberries, chopped apples, or even diced pears add a nice sweet touch to the salad.
• Almonds: Pecans, walnuts, or cashews all work great here. You can also use sunflower seeds if you need a nut-free option.
• Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt makes a lighter substitute – use the same amount or mix half mayo and half yogurt for a balanced flavor. You can also try mashed avocado for a creamy, healthier option.
• Crescent rolls: Don’t skip the crescents as they’re what makes this recipe special, but you can use puff pastry sheets cut into squares if that’s what you have. Just adjust the baking time according to the package directions.
• Celery: If you’re 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 when making these crescent roll carrots is not sealing the dough properly around the foil balls, which can cause them to unravel during baking – make sure to pinch the seams tightly and overlap the two triangles well.

Another common error is overfilling the baked crescents with chicken salad, which makes them messy to eat and causes the filling to spill out, so stick to about 2-3 tablespoons per roll.

Don’t skip letting the crescents cool completely before removing the foil and adding the chicken salad, as warm dough will make your mayonnaise-based filling runny and unappetizing.

For the best texture, chop your celery, grapes, and almonds into small, uniform pieces so every bite has a good mix of flavors and the filling stays inside the crescent instead of falling out.

What to Serve With Chicken Salad Crescent Rolls?

These chicken salad crescent rolls are pretty filling on their own, but I love serving them with a simple side to round out the meal. A light fruit salad with berries, melon, and citrus is my go-to since it balances out the creamy richness of the chicken salad. You could also do a basic mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette, or even some crispy potato chips if you want something easy and crunchy. For a more complete spread, try adding some veggie sticks with ranch dip or a pasta salad on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: These crescent rolls are best enjoyed fresh, but you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just know that the crescent dough will get a bit softer as it sits, so they won’t be quite as flaky as when they’re fresh from the oven.

Make Ahead: You can prep the chicken salad filling up to a day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, just roll out the crescents, fill them, and bake. This is a great time-saver if you’re hosting an Easter brunch or party!

Warm Up: If you want to enjoy leftover crescent rolls warm, pop them in a 300°F oven for about 5-7 minutes. The microwave works too, but the oven will help crisp up the outside a bit better.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1550-1700
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 90-105 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-145 g

Ingredients

For the chicken salad:

• 14 oz chicken (I use Swanson canned chicken for easy prep)
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 tbsp onion (finely minced into 1/8-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup grapes
• 1/3 cup almonds (slivered or toasted for extra crunch)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for a creamier texture)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the crescents:

• 8 crescent rolls (I always use Pillsbury Original for better elasticity)
• 1 bunch fresh parsley

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Salad Base

• 14 oz canned chicken, drained
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1 tbsp onion, finely minced
• 1/3 cup grapes, halved
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Drain the canned chicken thoroughly and break it apart into bite-sized pieces in a large mixing bowl.

Finely mince the onion into small 1/8-inch pieces to distribute its flavor evenly throughout the salad.

Dice the celery into similar small pieces, then halve the grapes lengthwise.

Add the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to the chicken, then fold in the celery, onion, grapes, and slivered almonds until everything is evenly combined.

I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise here because it creates a creamier, richer texture that holds everything together beautifully.

Set the chicken salad aside while you prepare the crescent roll shells.

Step 2: Shape and Bake the Crescent Roll Shells

• 8 crescent rolls
• Foil for shaping

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Crumple foil into balls roughly the size of a golf ball—these will create the hollow centers for your carrot-shaped rolls.

Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into individual triangles.

Wrap 2 crescent triangles around each foil ball, stretching and overlapping them slightly to form a carrot or egg shape, then place them seam-side down on a baking sheet.

I always use Pillsbury Original crescent rolls because they have better elasticity and hold their shape beautifully during baking.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and crispy.

Step 3: Cool and Fill the Rolls

• Baked crescent roll shells from Step 2
• Chicken salad mixture from Step 1

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the rolls cool for a few minutes until they’re safe to handle.

Carefully remove the foil balls from the center of each roll—they should slide out easily.

Once the rolls have cooled to room temperature, spoon the chicken salad mixture from Step 1 generously into the hollow centers of each crescent roll.

Step 4: Garnish and Serve

• Filled crescent rolls from Step 3
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Finely chop the fresh parsley and sprinkle it over the top of each filled roll as a fresh, festive garnish.

Arrange the chicken salad crescent rolls on a serving platter and serve immediately while the rolls are still slightly warm and crispy.

The contrast between the warm, buttery crescent shell and the cool, creamy chicken salad is perfect for Easter gatherings.

Crispy Easter Chicken Salad Crescent Rolls

Delicious Crispy Easter Chicken Salad Crescent Rolls recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 8 crescent rolls

Calories 1625 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken salad::

• 14 oz chicken (I use Swanson canned chicken for easy prep)
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 tbsp onion (finely minced into 1/8-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup grapes
• 1/3 cup almonds (slivered or toasted for extra crunch)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for a creamier texture)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the crescents::

• 8 crescent rolls (I always use Pillsbury Original for better elasticity)
• 1 bunch fresh parsley

Instructions

 

• Drain the canned chicken thoroughly and break it apart into bite-sized pieces in a large mixing bowl. Finely mince the onion into small 1/8-inch pieces to distribute its flavor evenly throughout the salad. Dice the celery into similar small pieces, then halve the grapes lengthwise. Add the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to the chicken, then fold in the celery, onion, grapes, and slivered almonds until everything is evenly combined. I prefer Hellmann's mayonnaise here because it creates a creamier, richer texture that holds everything together beautifully. Set the chicken salad aside while you prepare the crescent roll shells.
• Preheat your oven to 375°F. Crumple foil into balls roughly the size of a golf ball—these will create the hollow centers for your carrot-shaped rolls. Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into individual triangles. Wrap 2 crescent triangles around each foil ball, stretching and overlapping them slightly to form a carrot or egg shape, then place them seam-side down on a baking sheet. I always use Pillsbury Original crescent rolls because they have better elasticity and hold their shape beautifully during baking. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and crispy.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the rolls cool for a few minutes until they're safe to handle. Carefully remove the foil balls from the center of each roll—they should slide out easily. Once the rolls have cooled to room temperature, spoon the chicken salad mixture from Step 1 generously into the hollow centers of each crescent roll.
• Finely chop the fresh parsley and sprinkle it over the top of each filled roll as a fresh, festive garnish. Arrange the chicken salad crescent rolls on a serving platter and serve immediately while the rolls are still slightly warm and crispy. The contrast between the warm, buttery crescent shell and the cool, creamy chicken salad is perfect for Easter gatherings.