Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR DETAILS.
By Jackie Newgent, RDN, CDN
Chicken salad is one of those anytime salads that seems to put a smile on anyone’s face. It’s also one of those recipes that you can make any way you want …
as long as it has chicken in it, of course! Traditional chicken salad usually includes mayonnaise as the creamy base—but the rest is up to you.
This recipe is a delightful take on a creamy chicken salad that lets you add your own twist to it, if you like.
But it’s so tasty with its distinctive tarragon as the herb of choice, you may just want to keep it as is!
To make this recipe super easy and quick to fix, simply pick up rotisserie chicken from your local market—or use leftover roasted or grilled chicken breast.
The extra seasoning on it can make this chicken salad extra tasty, too.
Alternatively, you can make the chicken for this chicken salad recipe from scratch.
Here’s how: Cut 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1/2-inch cubes.
Bring a small saucepan filled with 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth to a boil. Add the chicken cubes and return just to a boil.
Immediately reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is well done, about 5 minutes.
Drain the poached chicken cubes, reserving the broth for other use. Transfer the chicken cubes to a medium bowl and chill for use in this recipe.
Want to add your own personal touch to this chicken salad?
Pan-toast sliced almonds or choose roasted rather than raw pistachios, walnuts or pecans.
For extra crunch, consider including finely diced red onion, celery, fennel, or bell pepper.
For fruity flair, add sliced grapes, finely diced apples, or dried fruit bits. For more of a savory take, stir in sliced scallions, pickles, or a small dollop of Dijon mustard.
Or for an extra punch of protein, add diced hard-boiled egg.
By the way, if you do choose to personalize this recipe, please don’t try all of these additions at once, or you’ll likely end up with a very odd chicken salad concoction!
You don’t always have to serve this chicken salad the same way either. You can enjoy it as is along with some whole grain crackers. For fun, serve in a lettuce or bell pepper cup. Enjoy as a sandwich with rye or pumpernickel bread or a croissant. Or go open-face and serve on whole grain toast.
If you go with the classic croissant for this sandwich, you can use the leftover bread to make croissant french toast with strawberries.
Hint: You can make the chicken salad in advance and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Stir in the nuts just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
SERVINGS
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed pre-cooked, boneless skinless chicken breast, chilled
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- 1/4 cup sliced or chopped almonds pistachios, walnuts, or pecans
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken, mayonnaise, tarragon, vinegar, and salt until evenly combined.
- When ready to serve, stir in the nuts. Adjust seasoning.
