BEST Chicken Salad
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For a chicken salad recipe that’s guaranteed to be a total winner, look no further! This homemade chicken salad is wonderfully creamy without being overly wet, it isn’t too sweet or too tangy, and incorporates the PERFECT balance of flavors! But don’t take my word for it or the hundreds of rave reviews below, give it a try and experience it for yourself!
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.
BEST Chicken Salad Recipe
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.
Serve as a salad on a bed of lettuce or as a sandwich filling. We love it on croissants.
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
- 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds or toasted chopped pecans , optional for some crunch
- 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.
Nutrition
Originally published on the The Daring Gourmet on Jul 13, 2017
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This was so yummy and honestly the best chicken salad I’ve had.
FINALLY! For years I have been looking for a recipe that replicates a chicken salad made by a local/independent grocery store in our region (Dot’s Market, Dayton, Ohio metro). This is the closest-tasting I’ve discovered. This is absolutely delicious. I actually eat it with a fork right out of a bowl! Of course, it’s also great on the usual crackers, bread, croissant, etc. The grapes add a sweet “pop”.
With regard to the recipe itself, I use shredded rotisserie chicken breast (sans skin, of course) and follow the ingredient list and measurements exactly. Since the exact quantity of said chicken breast isn’t specified, my first attempt turned out a bit on the “creamy” side. Now I have a bit of extra shredded chicken on standby to adjust accordingly.
Oh that’s wonderful, Bob, I’m so glad this replicates what you’ve been searching for, thank you so much for your feedback!
I make this all the time and I make it gluten free by using avocado mayo. My family loves it.
I’m so glad this has become a family favorite, thank you very much Lynnette!
This sounds delicious!
Do you have any more details on how to cook the chicken in the salted water?
Hi Melissa, place chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover it with water, add a little salt, and simmer it until cooked through. Then let it cool and dice it.
Sounds delicious but I have family members who are dairy intolerant. Do you have any suggestions what to add or substitute for the sour cream. Part of my attraction to this recipe IS the sour cream.
Hi Elizabeth, there are non-dairy sour creams as well as non-dairy yogurts you can substitute. Short of that it would just mean using all mayonnaise.
Lovely recipe.
It’s amazing how good the combination of chicken breast, grapes, and celery is! The only thing missing from this recipe is chopped toasted pecans for a fourth dimension of flavor. I have been making a similar recipe for years which only differs by having pecans stirred in as well. I am looking forward to trying this recipe (with pecans added, of course!) as the dressing sounds wonderful.
Indeed, Lynne! I agree, the nuts add a nice touch and they are in the recipe as optional for some crunch (sliced almonds or pecans). Another chicken salad that I love that you may be interested in is Coronation Chicken and it also has some fun history behind it: https://www.daringgourmet.com/coronation-chicken/
I actually made Coronation Chicken to celebrate Charles III’s coronation!
That’s perfect, Lynne! :)
Love chicken salad sandwiches and this is a winner
Thank you, Stony, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Super! The sour cream and lemon juice really add a nice freshness.
Thanks so much, Joe, I’m happy you enjoyed it!
This IS the best chicken salad bar none. I’ve been using this recipe for about a year now and have passed it on to many grateful fans.
Thank you so much, Pamela, I’m so glad! <3
I made the chicken salad on croissants today for my company. It was delicious and would make again. Wish I had read some of the responses. Sliced almonds would be a great addition
Thanks so much, S Carpenter, I’m happy you enjoyed it!