The Best Chicken Salad Recipe
Published July 28, 2021. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
You will absolutely love this chicken salad recipe that is loaded up with celery, grapes, and almonds that comes together in no time
I don’t know about you, but we make a lot of chicken recipes in our house, and because of that I know how boring it can get to make and eat the same thing over and over. If you’re looking to try out some new recipes then definitely check out my drunken noodles or chicken piccata recipe.
Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is a bound salad consisting of cooked chicken, mayonnaise, vegetables, and herbs. It is said to be created by a meat market in the mid 19th century in Rhode Island and immediately became a hit.
There are many variations for making chicken salad and one of the best things about it, is that it can be customized to your liking. Please use my recipe as a guide and swap out or add to any ingredients you’d like.
What can I add to Chicken Salad?
Chicken salad is incredibly versatile, so please consider adding some or all of these ingredients to your recipe:
- Onions
- Celery
- Garlic
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Currants
- Pistachios
- Pecans
- Almonds
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon Mustard
- Dill
- Tarragon
- Parsley
How to Make a Chicken Salad Recipe
Follow along with these easy step-by-step instructions for making chicken Salad:
Grill the seasoned and oiled-up chicken breasts on a grill at high heat for 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of 165°. Chill immediately.
Prepare all the vegetables and medium dice the chicken and add everything to a bowl.
Add in the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, herbs, and seasonings, and mix thoroughly until combined. Serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
chef notes + tips
- If you do not want to grill the chicken as I did in this recipe, please feel free to use chilled roast chicken, pan-seared chicken breasts, or one of those rotisserie chickens from your favorite grocery store.
- It is best to add grapes into the recipe when you are ready to serve it. Keep them aside if you plan to store the chicken salad for longer than 1 day.
- In addition to salt and pepper, chicken salad is good when seasoned with Lawry’s or Old Bay seasoning.
- Feel free to substitute the fresh dill for fresh tarragon or use both.
- Chicken salad is delicious served in fresh bread or a croissant and garnished with lettuce, tomato, and onion. It is also very good when served with freshly sliced melons.
More Chicken Recipes
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Video
The Best Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cooked and cooled chicken, medium diced
- 1 peeled and small diced red onion
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 4 small diced celery stalks
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1 ½ cup red grapes, sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh dill
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken in your desired way. See notes on options.
- Next, add all of the ingredients to a large bowl.
- Using a spatula, or clean hands, mix together everything until it is completely combined.
- Serve or cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
So good for a nice summer meal – however, my husband doesn’t like the grapes! What?! That’s the best part! I pity him!
He’s missing out! Thanks for giving it a try!
Made this recipe for company and everyone loved it. A little sweet, a little crunchy! Really delicious! Thank you Chef Parisi!
Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
This was great. I have wanted to try it for a while but I thought the dill would be to strong (I am not a dill fan) but it was very good.
Thank you for giving it a shot!
Nothing better than chicken salad in summer. Absolutely delicious!! Great recipe!
Thank you so kindly!
Best recipe ever!!
Thank you!
Yummy!
So thankful for your receipes 😊
Thanks for checking it out!
This is is an amazing chicken salad recipe. I made this for my culinary school class. Everyone loved it. I especially appreciate that you can scale the the servings. It made my mise en place a breeze. Also, I made the mayonnaise to go in it. If you’ve never made mayonnaise, give it a try. Thank you Chef Parisi!!
This is the best chicken salad. Thank Chef Parisi
My favorite chicken salad recipe, using leftover chicken from your chicken soup recipe (I make a lot of chicken 😀).
The only way I make chicken salad now.
I am making chicken salad tonight. The soup will wait until I get matzo meal.
I love this chicken salad💖
So yummy. could eat everyday. I make a salad than cut an avocado in half putting in on top of the greens and fill with the chicken salad..
Thank you Chef Billy so tasty recipe created 😁😋👋🤩
Excited that I had everything on hand – except for the dijon and almonds – so I went ahead and made it anyway and substituted curry powder and candied pecans – it was absolutely amazing! Can’t wait to try it the correct way and then I will have to decide which one I like better LOL!
Best chicken salad I’ve ever made. No more store bought from now on !!!
Thank you Chef Billy 😘
So yummy! You suggested ingredients I never thought of and it was the best! Thank you!
No almonds but the addition of Lawrys and tarragon is irreplaceable. Amazing on a romaine leaf or soft bread! Another winner from this amazing chef
Oh I have made this many many times .It is truly the best I have ever tried . I won’t make any other now !!!
Just amazing!!
appreciate you trying it
“Best” is not editorial license. Made this recipe today. It is indeed the best chicken salad I’ve had.
I appreciate that!
I made this for lunch and it was super and I normally do not love fresh dill. But I am converted! Wonderfully balanced. Serving suggestions were great also.
Thank you
so good!!
Great flavor. This was my first time making a cream based chicken salad and the recipe would rival any restaurant. I can’t wait to try it with your recipe for mayo.
Excellent!
As I looked through the ingredients I was a little nervous about this recipe. Well it has been hot in California and a craved a chicken salad so I made this. I cannot stop eating this!!! Absolutely the best!!
Nice!
We had company coming for lunch, and I decided to make this…it was a hit…and everyone wanted seconds! Thanks for another easy, and delicious, recipe…I will definitely be making it again!
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Just to be clear, are you referring to Lawry’s seasoned salt? There are a few different kinds of Lawry’s seasoning. Also, it is added in addition to salt & pepper and I don’t want it to be too salty. Thanks for the many recipes and video’s!!
yes seasoning salt. No just use it in place of s and p.
I make mine similar but I put pecans and I don’t put mustard in it. I also use softened cream cheese to make it thicker. Sometimes I use red and green grapes but I don’t cut them in half.
nice!
I add apples also for a nice sweet crunch
nice
I made this and we ate it over a couple of days. It was fresh tasting and delicious especially since I used my herbs like dill, tarragon and chives.
Love it!
Something I have discovered is that a few sprinkles of ground roasted cinnamon (or just regular cinnamon) in a chicken salad (or tuna) is AMAZING! Try it chef I think you will enjoy ❤️
Not really my thing, but please keep on doing what works for you.
I had some extra chicken defrosted that I didn’t want to cook for dinner, so I made your chicken salad….even went to the store for the grapes and almonds! I was really looking forward to this, and it was absolutely delicious!
My ladies group at church raved about this recipe. Another lady brought chicken salad but had to take most of hers home. Not a single bite left of mine. (Ok, yours). I am planning something special for Mother’s Day.
Love it!
I have made this recipe many times and it is the very best chicken salad! I didn’t change a thing!
Thank you for trying it!
I have searched for the best Chicken Salad and came across this one and I must say it really is the BEST. My husband is very picky about chicken salad and loves this one. Give it a try, I am sure you will agree.
Made this yesterday and it’s fantastic. Protect this man at all costs. <3
Billy…I made your divine Chicken Salad last week.
I used the Costco rotisserie chicken breast in a package.
The prep wasn’t 15 minutes it took me basically an hour of cutting & chopping🥺
I had the ingredients out on the counter first… but I guess I need prep shortcuts from YOU!
I’m trilled with the was you season things.
Thanks…I’m glad that I discovered you.
I’m going to make your Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving now. I’ll study your other suggestions.
Thanks…Jackie Howard
JackieGHoward@gmail.com
I have made this recipe and deleted the grapes and added pineapple tidbits…Sometimes I change the almonds(which I toast) for pecans(toasted)…and use dried craisins or cherries and apple. Everyone always loves it…last week I changed it up by eliminating the grapes and adding chopped red and yellow peppers and pecans and pineapple crushed and drained from a can in juice..I put it in wraps…it was sooo good. And different…my pinocle club loved it!!
So good!
Great recipes
Billy, your mayo recipe is great, but how about working on a lower calorie one that can be prepared at home? I currently use one that lists ingredients as: water, soybean and olive oil, whole eggs and egg yolks, modified potato starch, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, lemon juice. It’s really quite good, a little thinner than regular mayo, but quite acceptable.
Let me add, that I think your recipe for banana bread is the best I’ve ever eaten,and it makes great muffins too! Your zucchini bread in on tap for this weekend. Thank you for providing these recipes!
Oh yes!!! Looking forward to definitely making this recipe 😋