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 and textures! This recipe consistently gets rave reviews and has been a reader favorite for years!
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!
The Ultimate Chicken Salad
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 it and I’m 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 I 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!
How far ahead can the sauce be made?
Hi Connie, I wouldn’t make it more than one day in advance.
This is by far the best chicken salad recipe ever.
Thanks so much, KB!
This is hands down the best Chicken Salad I have ever had!!! I make it once every 2 weeks for my husband’s lunch! He LOVES it!!! I Love it too!!!
I’m so glad, Shelly, thank you so much! :)
This looks delicious, Kimberly. I can’t wait to make this. Your story about Anne of Green Gables is interesting, because my great-niece told me that she will be watching one of the episodes this week. I told her to take note of the scene with Anne & Gilbert, in front of the glass greenhouse, because I live around the corner from there. That scene was filmed at Allan Gardens Conservatory, Toronto. The greenhouse is always full of beautiful flowers. Anyway, your chicken salad looks like a winner. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
How wonderful, Brian, thank you for sharing! I’m drawing a blank on that scene, which is crazy because I have those films practically memorized! I’ll have to look it up and refresh my memory.
This sounds like what is served at one of the restaurants close by. I love it. I’ll try this recipe soon. Maybe for the 4th of July and double the recipe as well be having company.
I have never seen the movies of Anne of Green Gables, but I have read all the books. They are still some of my favorites.
I have made your best chicken salad! I agree! It’s delicious!
Wonderful, Linda, thank you so much!
I went straight to the recipe after looking at the photos…… but there was a moment of disappointment.
Your photos appeared misleading to me. It was not a new chicken salad for me. I’ve made it with grapes & nuts & do love it.
So where did I feel mislead…… ? I thought the chicken salad had my beloved blueberries in it; Didn’t find blueberries as an ingredients & went back to kook at your photos. Maybe you used black grapes.
It doesn’t matter, I am going to try it made with blueberries, but thought you might wish to know some input to the photos,
Wow, I didn’t follow the recipe to a t, but it was delicious, seriously delicious!
I made it with 2 cups of chicken
cut the mayo and sour cream in 1/2
used 1 cup of grapes and 1 cup of celery
didn’t use onion powder
used fresh dill (about 2 tablespoons)
Plus I only chilled it for one hour because we needed to eat. I put it over butter lettuce, a little avacado and tomatoe. Sided it with a small round of Naan bread with butter. It was sooooo good. Will make it again.