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
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!
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.
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 😋