BEST Chicken Salad
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For a chicken salad recipe that’s guaranteed to be a total winner, look no further!Ā This homemade chicken salad is wonderfully creamy without being overly wet, it isnāt too sweet or too tangy, and incorporates the PERFECT balance of flavors and textures!Ā 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, Iām 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!
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!
Fantastic, Lufi, thanks so much!
Delicious š so easy and tastes great. Thank you for the recipe. We all enjoyed.
Thanks so much, Durga!
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.
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.
I’ve made this recipe several times now and it’s always a huge hit! Everyone just raves about it. I serve it with King’s Hawaiian rolls. This is one of those recipes I will continue to make for years to come. Thank you!
Wonderful, Cindy, thank you so much!
This looks delicious! I would like to prepare it ahead for an event, how many days in advance have you made it? Thanks so much! (I love Anne of Green Gables, too!)
Thanks, Deb! I’ve eaten this over the course of two days but probably wouldn’t go longer than that because of the texture of the grapes.
Great! Thank you!
This was delicious! I made one substitution because I didnāt have celery on hand. I used some celery seed and chopped, raw green cabbage. It was fantastic! I read that cabbage could be substituted for celery, and it did not disappoint. This recipe is perfectly balanced. Thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jamie, thanks so much for the feedback!
I made this chicken salad for my daughterās baby shower. I had to quadruple the recipe, but it was a hit! Everyone raves over how delicious it was. It has a Mediterranean taste. It truly is the best chicken salad.
Hi Kim, was wondering if it was be okay to add a couple of chopped boiled eggs to this recipe. I never had chicken salad without it but if it would alter the flavor that everyone is raving about, then I won’t add them.
Bob, Lake Charles, LA
Hi Bob, absolutely, feel free to adapt to your preferences and add the eggs.