For a chicken salad recipe that’s guaranteed to be a total winner, look no further! This chicken salad is wonderfully creamy without being overly wet, it isn’t too sweet or too tangy, and incorporates the PERFECT balance of flavors!
Best Chicken Salad Recipe
I’m a sentimental romantic. So you’ll have to indulge me for a moment.
One of my favorite movies of all time is the Megan Follows version of Anne of Green Gables and its sequel. Would it be too dramatic to say that growing up, those movies helped shape who I am? Yes, that’s pretty dramatic. But in some small but meaningful ways I believe they did.
As I was making this chicken salad a line from the movie came to mind. (That’s what happens when you have the entire dialogue of the movie memorized.) Diana and Anne are standing on the cliffside of scenic Prince Edward Island overlooking the ocean, the wind blowing in their hair, staring off into the sunset.
Diana says to Anne, “I wish I were rich and I could spend the whole summer at a hotel, eating ice cream and chicken salad.”
Anne responds thoughtfully, “You know something, Diana? We are rich. We have sixteen years to our credit, and we both have wonderful imaginations. We should be as happy as queens.”
Nodding at the setting sun over the ocean, Anne observes, “Look at that. You couldn’t enjoy its loveliness more if you had ropes of diamonds….I am happy Diana, and nothing is going to hold me back.”
Without a doubt, one of life’s simple but greatest pleasures is good food – food that’s thoughtfully prepared and shared with those you love.
So in celebration of Diana’s desire for good food, and in appreciation of Anne’s understanding that happiness is how you interpret it, here’s a delicious chicken salad you can enjoy with your family and friends!
This salad is wonderfully creamy without being overly wet, it isn’t too sweet or too tangy, and it incorporates the perfect balance of flavors. The sour cream adds a touch of freshness to offset the heaviness of the mayonnaise. Bite into and we’re confident you’ll be very happy indeed.
Use this chicken salad recipe for sandwiches, croissants or in wraps. Or, for a low-carb option, serve it on top of a bed of salad leaves with some sliced tomatoes and avocado.
How to Make the BEST Chicken Salad
Let’s get started!
Place the diced chicken, celery, green onions and grapes in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine all remaining ingredients to make the sauce and stir to combine.
Scoop the mayo sauce over the chicken salad and stir to combine, making sure the chicken salad is thoroughly coated with the sauce.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
Enjoy!
A few other recipes we think you’ll love!
- Creamy Coleslaw
- Macaroni Salad
- Crunchy Broccoli Salad
- Potato Salad
- Freezer Slaw
- Waldorf Salad
- Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Thai Quinoa Salad
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BEST Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless ,skinless chicken breasts cooked in lightly salted water then chilled in the fridge and diced, about 4 cups (for the best texture, avoid canned chicken)
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 1/2 cups halved seedless red grapes
- 3 green onions ,chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise (for a healthier choice use Avocado Oil Mayonnaise)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the diced chicken, celery, green onions and grapes in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the remaining ingredients to make the sauce and stir to combine. Pour the mayo sauce over the chicken salad and stir to combine and thoroughly coat the salad.
- Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Serve on sandwiches, croissants or in wraps with some lettuce. For a low-carb option, serve on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomato and avocado.
Originally published on the The Daring Gourmet on Jul 13, 2017
Anonymous says
I LOVE this chicken salad!! My absolute new favorite. Thank you for the recipe.
Flora says
For a little crunch I added chopped toasted pecans… yum
Lori says
FABULOUS! This is THE BEST chicken salad recipe I’ve ever made. Thank you so much for sharing. It’s definitely a keeper 👍🏻
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Lori, thank you so much!
LB says
I made your recipe with just a little tweaking. It is THE BEST chicken salad. Thank you so much for posting your recipe. DEEEELISH!! My husband couldn’t keep out of it, and he’s never cared for chicken salad, but he loved this one. Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So awesome, LB, thank you!
Kathleen Welch says
Love this recipe. No grapes on hand so added Dried Cranberries and it worked great.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Kathleen, thanks so much!
Linda Weber-Volkel says
I love the recipe..I have been making a similar one for years…I find 2 tsp of sugar a little too sweet so I put in only 1/2 tsp and sour cream is substituted with heavy whipping Cream(which I beat to soft peaks which is gently folded into the salad..chill thoroughly and best if served within 2 days
Jennifer says
Could pasta be added for a side dish? If so, what type of pasta would you use?
Diana says
Haven’t made yet. I subscribe to your blog and I debated whether this is something I want to make. Because if it is, I click on the link and bookmark it in my Recipes folder. Otherwise, I just delete the emails I get from my recipe blogs if I don’t want to make that dish.
I debated and thought, “Maybe I do want to make this. Not sure. I’ll check it out.” So I clicked on the link and you had a story about Diana and that’s my name and I thought, “Totally supposed to make this. It’s an omen.”
I will in the next week. I’ll be back to report on the outcome.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Lol, Diana! :) I look forward to hearing you what you think!
Claudia says
After reading the reviews I have to try this, never been too good at making great chicken salad. So now it sounds like I will. And oh my goodness, the “Anne of Green Gables” series is my ultimate best, I have the dvd set and have watched them at least 15 times over the past 30 years. Just did a month ago with a friend, and did in over two weeks. She loved it. Thanks for this great recipe. Take care….. Claudia
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Claudia, I hope you enjoy it. The “Anne” movies are the best! I’ve watched them so many times I practically have the entire dialogue memorized :) My kids are 8 and 10 now and I’m looking forward to introducing them to the both the movies and the books soon.
Anonymous says
Will try look really yumm, excellent ingredients.
Hobbykoch Michael says
this is so tasty, the dressing is fabulous
Kevin says
Great lunch option! Thank you for a great recipe!
Sharron White says
Oh my goodness!! I am leery of “the best” recipes because most of them are lackluster. Without a doubt, this is the very best, most delicious chicken salad I have ever eaten. You had me at Green Gables and I am sure this is the exact chicken salad Diana was talking about!! Thank you for sharing such a fabulous recipe. If I could, I would bathe in this chicken salad!! People, if you love chicken salad, make this and get out your Ann of Green Gables video for an afternoon of sheer delight!! Sharron
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Lol, Sharron, you made my morning, thank you! :)
Toni says
I loved it! So flavorful and easy to make!
Catalina says
Deliciousness! Who can anyone resist to this delicious chicken salad?
Erin says
This Chicken Salad looks absolutely delicious! Yummy!
Amanda says
The best is correct, it is the best I have ever had!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad it was a hit, Amanda, thank you!