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
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.
Nutrition
Originally published on the The Daring Gourmet on Jul 13, 2017
Beth Pierce says
Yummy! My mouth is watering! I’m making this for lunch.
Bonnie Reinke says
I like my chicken salad fruitier so I made this and added dried cranberries, 1 chopped apple and used avocado oil mayonnaise and dijon mustard. It is very delicious and thick and creamy. This is the best recipe for dressing that I have found and it just makes this salad simply scrumptious. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds like a yummy twist, Bonnie, thanks for sharing and thank you for the compliment!
Clydis Young says
I used cranberries instead of grapes, but it was wonderful. Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Clydis, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
I made this. One teaspoon of salt is way to much in my opinion. Next time I’ll reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon or less. I ended up adding more sugar to cover the saltiness. Turned out ok.
Ami says
I made this for the first time yesterday. I was out of lemon juice and celery and I added pecans to it. It was so so good. My husband and I think it’s some of the best chicken salad we have had. This recipe will definitely be my go to. Thanks for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Ami, thanks so much for the feedback!
Lee Blake says
Made it exactly as the recipe is written and it is delicious. I wouldn’t change a thing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Lee, thank you so much!
Angie says
Delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Annie says
Can I omit the sour cream and it still be “ok”
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Annie, it will be dry without replacing it with something – you can substitute plain yogurt if you prefer.
Glen Raines says
I added 1/4 cup of chopped pecans to this already wonderful recipe. My wife shared it at work and called me to make her more. I’ve made it 3 times in one week. That’s how good it is!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Glen, I’m so glad it’s been a hit at your wife’s work and you’re a star for keeping them so generously stocked with food! :)
Tara Hickenlooper says
Used this for a baby shower and it tasted great! Definitely keeping this recipe on hand.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Tara, thank you!
Mary T says
I gathered several chicken salad recipes to decide which I would like the best. This was the first one I tried. I need to look no more.
I substituted dried cranberries for the grapes, otherwise the same. Delicious! Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Mary, I’m so glad it was a hit – thank you!
December says
I add onions and hardboiled eggs but recipe is basically the same – I like it 🙂
Tammye S says
Can you substitute Greek yogurt in place of sour cream? This looks so yummy!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes you can, Tammye!
Leddy says
I didn’t use mustard, or dill, used red grapes & dried roasted cherries/pecans/almonds, substituted honey for sugar, used pumpernickel bread for my bf and put mine on lettuce. Super yummy!! Found a tip to break up chicken by hand and shred with hand mixer, worked great! They sell this $8/lb at local store just made this 3lb for $5? My boys & parents will love this too! Great recipe.
Lufi says
Thank you for sharing such an awesome recipe! I’ve made this twice in one week. Didn’t use sour cream or lemon juice, but it’s still great!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Lufi, thanks so much!
Durga says
Delicious 👌 so easy and tastes great. Thank you for the recipe. We all enjoyed.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Durga!
Gayle says
I just have a question on how to cook the chicken. Do I boil it in water,and for how long? I’ve never done it before.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gayle, yes, you just boil chicken breasts until they’re done (how long depends on their size). Alternatively you can also get a rotisserie chicken from the store, remove the meat and chop it up.