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!
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 itās some of the best chicken salad we have had. This recipe will definitely be my go to. Thanks for sharing!
Fantastic, Ami, thanks so much for the feedback!
Made it exactly as the recipe is written and it is delicious. I wouldnāt change a thing!
Wonderful, Lee, thank you so much!
Delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Can I omit the sour cream and it still be āokā
Hi Annie, it will be dry without replacing it with something – you can substitute plain yogurt if you prefer.
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!
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! :)
Used this for a baby shower and it tasted great! Definitely keeping this recipe on hand.
Awesome, Tara, thank you!
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.
Fantastic, Mary, I’m so glad it was a hit – thank you!
I add onions and hardboiled eggs but recipe is basically the same ā I like it š
Can you substitute Greek yogurt in place of sour cream? This looks so yummy!!
Yes you can, Tammye!
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.