Chicken Salad Open Faced Sandwiches (Hønsesalat Smørrebrød)

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Chicken Salad (Hønsesalat in Danish) is one of the most popular smørrebrød (open faced sandwich) toppings you'll find in Denmark and for good reason. A delicious, creamy chicken salad is the perfect pairing for hearty rye bread. The two together along with a few well chosen additional toppings make for a satisfying and tasty lunch option.

Interested in making Chicken Salad (Hønsesalat) Smørrebrød at home? Keep reading for step-by-step instructions and links to recipes for the salad itself along with a variety of rye bread recipe options and some suggestions for additional toppings to take your open face sandwiches to the next level!

Chicken salad smørrebrød on a white plate next to a knife and fork.

Why This Recipe Works

The chicken salad recipe is perfectly creamy and flavored with aromatic tarragon. Have a chicken salad recipe you love? Feel free to swap in yours!

A hearty rye bread is the traditional Danish choice for the base of this smørrebrød and it works perfectly alongside the chicken salad.

You can keep things simple and just add some greens to finish things off or add additional toppings to jazz things up a little!

Ingredients

Rye bread serves as the base of this sandwich. You can either buy your own or choose from one of the rye bread recipes I have on my site. Or you can use a different type of bread entirely! Toasted sourdough bread would be really delicious here in place of the rye.
Chicken salad is the star of the show in this smørrebrød recipe. Try my recipe or use your own. Or simply buy some from the local deli if you would rather!
The bread used to make smørrebrød is traditionally buttered (usually with salted butter) and this not only adds flavor but also creates a little barrier between the bread and the creamy salald and prevents the bread from becoming soggy.
Microgreens and/or some other small greens are a welcome and lovely way to finish topping this open faced sandwich if you are keeping things simple. You can also jazz things up with additional toppings such as chopped fresh chives or green onions, sliced tomato, quick pickled mushrooms or a couple of bacon slices.

How to Make This Recipe

Begin by slicing 4 slices of rye bread or another bread of your choosing. Butter the bread.

Slice of buttered rye bread on a white plate.

Top with a generous spoonful of chicken salad.
Finish adding a handful of greens to the top of each sandwich and/or additional ingredients such as chopped chives, green onions, tomato slices, quick pickled mushrooms or a criss-cross of cooked bacon slices. Serve!

Overhead view of Chicken Salad Smørrebrød on a white plate topped with microgreens.

Expert Tips

Don't skimp on the chicken salad! A nice generous spoonful is what you are looking for.
If you are using a different type of bread other than a hearty rye, consider toasting it prior to making your sandwiches.
You can always make a smaller version of these smørrebrød and serve them as appetizers or canapés.

FAQs

What is smørrebrød?

Smørrebrød are Danish open faced sandwiches. Thinly sliced rye bread serves a base for a generous slather of butter or other creamy spread. The sandwich is then topped with an eye-catching arrangement of greens, vegetables, meat, salads, hard-boiled eggs, fish or cheese and thoughtful selection of garnishes. Well made smørrebrød is truly a work of art. Want to learn? Check out this post here for everything you need to know about the basics of smørrebrød.

Can I make chicken salad smørrebrød ahead of time?

You can certainly make all of the components ahead of time and then assemble the sandwiches close to when you plan to serve them.

What else can I put on top of this open faced sandwich?

Skip down to the next section for some ideas for topping your chicken salad smørrebrød with Nordic style!

How to Top Chicken Salad Smørrebrød

There are so many ways to top this open faced sandwich and really beyond the chicken salad itself, the sky is the limit! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Greens or microgreens
Chopped fresh chives or green onions
Thinly sliced radishes
A slice or two of tomato
A small spoonful of pickled mushrooms
A couple slices of cooked bacon

Chicken salad smørrebrød topped with bacon and microgreens.

Looking for more delicious smørrebrød recipes? Give these a try:

Recipe