Eggplant Chicken Salad with Bell Peppers

Eggplant chicken salad with bell peppers, onion, and poached chicken, finished with a light garlic mayo dressing. It’s colorful, filling, and great made ahead. The eggplant comes out soft and silky, never greasy, thanks to one small move right after it browns.

Back when layered salads were the thing to do, my family made this one all the time, usually drowned in dressing. So I made it my way: the vegetables set out by color, with just a light drizzle of the garlicky dressing.

More eggplant to try: my ikra eggplant caviar, this roasted eggplant salad with sweet chili sauce and grilled eggplant in sweet chili garlic sauce.

What Is Eggplant Chicken Salad?

It’s a warm-or-cold salad of sautéed eggplant, red and yellow bell peppers, golden onion, and poached chicken, with fresh parsley and a three-ingredient garlic mayo dressing. I used to call it Harvest Chicken Salad, because it’s built from the vegetables that pile up at the end of summer.

Because it’s mostly vegetables, this is a healthy chicken salad that still feels like a meal. And you choose the look: arrange it in rows of color, or toss everything in one bowl.

Eggplant Chicken Salad Ingredients

The salad has three parts: poached chicken, sautéed vegetables, and a quick garlic dressing. Amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom.

Poached Chicken

Drumsticks simmered with a few whole spices, which also gives you a flavorful broth.

• Chicken drumsticks: dark meat stays juicy through a long simmer, and the bones flavor the broth. Thighs work the same way; breast turns out drier.
• Bay leaf and black peppercorns: they season the broth, and a splash of that broth later seasons the eggplant.
• kosher salt: I use Morton, and the amounts in the card are measured for it.

Sautéed Eggplant and Bell Peppers

Each vegetable cooks in its own batch, so the colors stay clean.

• Chinese eggplants: long, thin, and mild, with small seeds and no bitterness, so they don’t need salting. A regular globe eggplant works too.
• Bell peppers: large ones in different colors. I use red and yellow, and orange works just as well.
• Onion: sautéed until golden, it turns sweet and mellow. Yellow or white both work.
• Olive oil: regular or light olive oil handles the high heat better than extra virgin.
• kosher salt and black pepper: for seasoning each batch as it comes out of the pan.
• Fresh parsley: a green stripe on the platter and a fresh bite next to the cooked vegetables. Flat-leaf or curly both work.

Garlic Mayo Dressing

Three ingredients, whisked together in a minute.

• Mayonnaise: store-bought or my homemade mayonnaise. It holds the garlic and makes a creamy drizzle.
• Vinegar: a little acid thins the mayo so it drizzles in a thin line and cuts the richness. White or apple cider vinegar both work.
• Garlic: fresh cloves give the dressing its bite, and garlic tastes great with mild eggplant.

How to Make Eggplant Chicken Salad

Start the chicken first. While it simmers, prep and sauté the vegetables, then whisk the dressing and put it all together.

How to Poach the Chicken

A low simmer keeps the drumsticks tender and the broth clear.

1. Simmer the chicken drumsticks in a large pot of water over low heat once it boils, skimming off the foam as it rises.
   
   What is the gray foam?

   Proteins from the chicken float up as the water heats. Skim them off and the broth stays clear and clean tasting, which matters because you’ll use some of it on the eggplant.

   

2. Season the broth after 20 minutes with kosher salt, peppercorns, and a bay leaf, and simmer until the meat pulls off the bone with a fork.
   
   How do I know the chicken is done?

   The meat slides off the bone easily when you pull it with a fork. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the thickest part should read at least 165°F.
   What do I do with the leftover broth?

   Add a handful of noodles and simmer until al dente for a light noodle soup. Or save it for my chicken noodle soup.
3. Shred the chicken with two forks once it’s cool enough to handle, and discard the skin and bones.
   

   

How to Sauté the Eggplant and Bell Peppers

While the chicken simmers, cook each vegetable in its own batch in the same skillet, wiping it out between batches.

1. Dice the vegetables into bite-size cubes: peeled eggplant, bell peppers, and onion, plus chopped parsley.
   
   Do I have to peel the eggplant?

   I peel it so the cubes cook soft and look light next to the bright peppers. Chinese eggplant skin is thin, so you can leave it on if you prefer.

   

2. Brown the eggplant over high heat in a little olive oil, then add a splash of the chicken broth and cover until tender.
   
   My eggplant is soaking up all the oil.

   That’s normal in the first minute, because raw eggplant drinks oil fast. Don’t add more. Keep the heat high and keep stirring, and let the broth and the lid finish the cooking.

   

3. Brown the red bell pepper in fresh oil, then cover and cook on lower heat until semi-soft.
   
   How soft should the peppers be?

   Soft enough to bite through easily, but still holding their shape. They soften a little more as they cool, and firm cubes look neater on the platter.

   

4. Repeat with the yellow bell pepper the same way, in its own bowl.
   

   

5. Sauté the onion until golden brown, then let all the vegetables cool.
   

   

How to Make the Garlic Mayo Dressing

This takes a minute, so make it while the vegetables cool.

1. Whisk the mayonnaise, garlic, and vinegar until smooth.
   
   Can I make the dressing ahead?

   Yes. Cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The garlic gets stronger as it sits.

   

How to Assemble the Eggplant Chicken Salad

Rows of color look best on a platter, but a bowl works just as well.

1. Arrange the salad by color in rows on a platter: eggplant, red pepper, yellow pepper, onion, chicken, and parsley.
2. Drizzle the dressing from a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off, in a zig-zag over the top, and toss right before serving.
   
   Can I just mix it all in one bowl?

   Absolutely. If the look doesn’t matter, toss everything together with the dressing. It tastes the same, and it gets even better as the flavors sit together.

   

Marina’s Pro Tips for the Best Eggplant Chicken Salad

Five small moves that keep the eggplant silky and the salad light.

1. Poach the drumsticks low, not hard. A bare simmer keeps the chicken tender and the broth clear; a rolling boil toughens the meat and clouds the pot.
2. Sear the eggplant in a hot pan first. High heat browns the outside fast, so the cubes take in less oil than they would in a cooler pan.
3. Finish the eggplant with chicken broth, not more oil. A splash of broth under the lid steams the cubes soft and seasons them, without the greasy taste that extra oil leaves.
4. Cook each bell pepper color on its own. A crowded pan steams instead of browns, and separate batches keep the colors clean for the platter.
5. Drizzle the garlic mayo thin. Pipe it from a bag in a zig-zag and toss right before serving, so every piece gets a light coat and nothing sits in a puddle.

How to Serve Eggplant Chicken Salad

Serve it cold or gently warmed; it’s good both ways. On its own it’s lunch or a light dinner, and on a party table it sits nicely next to my Olivier salad, beet and goat cheese salad, and spicy Korean carrots.

Arranged in rows, it’s the most colorful plate on the table, so bring it out before you toss it.

How to Make Eggplant Chicken Salad Ahead

Cook everything, arrange it on the platter and drizzle on the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve, then toss at the table. The cooked chicken and vegetables also keep separately for up to 3 days if you’d rather dress it the day you serve it.

Questions I get about this salad, with the eggplant ones first.

More Recipes You’ll Love

More colorful salads and vegetable recipes, and you’ll find the rest in my salad recipes.

• Eggplant Spread – roasted eggplant blended into a garlicky spread for bread.
• Broccoli Chicken Salad – another filling chicken salad for lunch.
• Roasted Bell Peppers in Sweet Onion Marinade – sweet peppers that keep in the fridge.
• Cucumber Tomato Goat Cheese Salad – a fresh, no-cook side.

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Eggplant Chicken Salad with Bell Peppers

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Eggplant chicken salad with bell peppers, onion, and poached chicken, finished with a light garlic mayo dressing. Colorful, filling, and great made ahead.

Author: Marina | Let the Baking Begin

Course: Main Course, Salad

Calories: 414 kcal

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Poached Chicken

• 4 chicken drumsticks about 1 1/2 lb
• 3 quarts (2840 ml) water or enough to cover the chicken
• 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt Morton, for the broth
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf

Sautéed Eggplant and Bell Peppers

• 2 Chinese eggplants about 1 lb
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 large yellow bell pepper or orange
• 1 medium onion
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil regular or light, divided
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken broth from the poaching pot
• 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt to taste, for the vegetables
• 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup (15 g) fresh parsley chopped

Garlic Mayo Dressing

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vinegar white or apple cider

Equipment: The pans and tools I use are in my Amazon shop.

Instructions

How to Poach the Chicken

1. Simmer the chicken: Place 4 chicken drumsticks in a large pot with 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drop to a low simmer and skim off the foam as it rises.

2. Season the broth: After 20 minutes of simmering, add 2 tsp kosher salt, 6 whole black peppercorns, and 1 bay leaf. Keep simmering until the meat pulls easily off the bone with a fork (at least 165°F / 74°C in the thickest part).

3. Shred the chicken: When it is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones, then shred the meat with two forks. Save the broth (Note 2).

How to Sauté the Eggplant and Bell Peppers

1. Dice the vegetables: While the chicken simmers, peel 2 Chinese eggplants and cut them into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Seed 1 large red bell pepper and 1 large yellow bell pepper and dice them 1/2 to 1 inch (1.5 to 2.5 cm). Dice 1 medium onion into 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) pieces and chop 1/2 cup fresh parsley.

2. Sauté the eggplant: Heat about 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and brown the eggplant on all sides. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, cover and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper, then move to a bowl to cool (Note 3).

3. Brown the red pepper: Wipe the skillet, add another 1 Tbsp of oil and brown the red bell pepper on all sides. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on lower heat until semi-soft. Move to its own bowl to cool.

4. Repeat with yellow: Cook the yellow bell pepper the same way and let it cool in its own bowl.

5. Sauté the onion: Wipe the skillet, add the last of the oil and cook the onion until golden brown. Let it cool.

How to Make the Garlic Mayo Dressing

1. Whisk the dressing: Whisk 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 tsp vinegar until smooth.

How to Assemble the Eggplant Chicken Salad

1. Arrange by color: Lay the eggplant, red pepper, yellow pepper, onion, chicken, and parsley in rows on a platter (Note 5).

2. Drizzle and toss: Spoon the dressing into a zip-top bag, snip off a corner and drizzle it over the salad in a zig-zag. Toss right before serving, cold or gently warmed (Note 6).

Recipe Notes

1. Chicken: thighs poach the same way. Breast works too, but pull it at 165°F (74°C), because it dries out quickly past that.

2. Leftover broth: add a handful of noodles and simmer until al dente for a light noodle soup.

3. Eggplant: Chinese eggplants are mild, so there is no need to salt them first. A regular globe eggplant works too, peeled, and may need a few extra minutes under the lid.

4. Oil: regular or light olive oil handles high heat better than extra virgin.

5. Mix instead: no time to arrange? Toss everything in one bowl. It tastes the same and gets better as it sits.

6. Make ahead: arrange, drizzle, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving, up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts

Eggplant Chicken Salad with Bell Peppers

Amount Per Serving

Calories 414 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 110mg37%

Sodium 675mg29%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 24g48%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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I first shared this salad in 2014 as Harvest Chicken Salad, my lighter take on the layered salads my family used to make. In September 2026 I gave it a new name, a full recipe card with metric amounts, new tips for keeping the eggplant from turning oily, and a make-ahead guide with an FAQ.