Best Ever Chicken Salad

This is hands-down the BEST EVER Chicken Salad recipe and it’s been around longer than I’ve been making it. Every single summer when I’d visit my stepmom she ALWAYS had a bowl of this chicken salad waiting for me in the fridge and I would happily eat it everyday of the week.

It’s a perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, sweet, savory, and just a TAD bitter. I’ve since made it countless times exactly the same way she made it.

It’s simple (only 5 ingredients!) but requires two hours chilling time.

Chicken salad is something you can easily make ahead of time and pull out when you’re in a bind for an easy lunch or light supper. It can be eaten by itself, scooped into sandwiches, served over greens, stuffed into lettuce cups, and the list goes on and on.

Why This Chicken Salad Works

Have you ever made or bought chicken salad only to find that it’s either too wet with mayo or completely dried out? What about recipes that include celery, onion, apples, herbs, pickles, hard-boiled eggs, the works?

This recipe avoids all of those pitfalls because it’s the perfect balance of just five ingredients. Here’s a quick rundown of what makes them shine in this recipe:

Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise is what binds this recipe together (pun intended!). Used in the right amount it’s not overwhelming, just enough to bring everything together.

Dijon Mustard – Now hear me out…you’re not going to TASTE Dijon mustard, but you’ll notice something is missing if you omit it. Dijon mustard adds a little acidity and subtle depth to chicken salad recipes that keeps them interesting.

Try to avoid using yellow mustard, it’s a whole different flavor and nothing like Dijon.

Grapes – Halved grapes add a welcome sweetness to this recipe to cut through the savory chicken and mayo. Not only do they add a different flavor but a different texture as well.

A bite of creamy mayo followed by a burst of cold and juicy grapes might refresh the palate. Have you ever had chicken salad made with celery?

Yuck.

Walnuts – Walnuts add a welcome crunch to every bite. Their texture and subtle bitterness compliment the grapes perfectly.

The result? One seriously GOOD chicken salad that’ll have you reaching back for seconds and thirds (and fourths).

What You Need to Know Before You Start

On the Chicken

Shredded chicken is preferable to chopped. Chopping creates clean edges which don’t hold the mayo well.

Shredded chicken’s unevenness allows it to hold onto the mayo better and has a bigger surface area for the mayo. You can:

• buy rotisserie chicken : you will need the meat from 1/2 a regular sized chicken, or 3 cups shredded chicken
• make shredded chicken in the crockpot: Place boneless skinless chicken breasts into the crockpot along with 1/2 cup water or chicken broth. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it by placing it in the crockpot empty of liquid and run a hand mixer on LOW for 20 seconds. Voila, perfectly shredded chicken all nice and uniform and small. I like it really small myself.
• poach boneless skinless chicken breasts: Cover breasts with cold water in a pot. Bring to a simmer and poach for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on thickness, until chicken is cooked all the way through. Remove from water and shred.

The chicken should be shredded and cooled to room temperature before mixing in the rest of the ingredients. If it’s warm when you add the mayo, the heat will melt the mayo making the chicken oily instead of creamy.

On the Mayo

Depending on how moist your chicken is, since rotisserie chicken is different from warm and freshly shredded, you will either need 1/3 to 1/2 cup mayo. Start with 1/3 cup and add by the Tbs. as necessary, don’t want it runny.

On the Walnuts

Feel free to substitute pecans for the walnuts if you don’t care for their bitter-ness. Pecans have a similar shape and are less bitter with a hint of sweetness.

You can use almonds if necessary but their shape is a bit different and they are harder than pecans or walnuts so the texture isn’t as interesting.

On the Grapes

Halved red seedless grapes are sweeter and cut lengthwise they look beautiful. 10 grapes = 20 grape halves = 3 cups shredded chicken. Green grapes are ok but they can get a bit soft after a couple of days in the fridge.

3 cups cooked shredded chicken (from about 1.25 lbs. raw, boneless skinless chicken breast OR 1/2 of a rotisserie chicken – see instructions below)

1/3 cup – 1/2 cup good-quality FULL- fat mayonnaise (I’ve used Hellmann’s or Duke’s – they’re equally delicious!)

• 10 seedless red grapes, halved (about 2/3 cup)
• 2/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped, divided (see notes)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Using reduced-fat mayo and using ALL Greek yogurt skews the flavor from what’s intended. Using all-fat free products takes the flavor over a cliff. If you DO want to go the yogurt route, make sure to use full-fat plain Greek yogurt, which has a much better flavor.

** Toasted walnuts take this recipe over-the-top in a delicious way. They’re richer and take away any “raw” bite.

Plus, I find that crushing walnut halves in a zip-top bag using a rolling pin makes for nice, varied, rougher-sized chunks (instead of using a food-processor). Just toast in a dry skillet over medium heat about 3-4 minutes, stirring often.

Let cool before adding to salad. You can purchase walnuts already chopped into pieces OR chop at home.

*** Grape-wise, I’d rather have most, but not ALL, bites contain a grape. Adjust accordingly.

How to Make It

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

You can poach or use a slow-cooker, but if you’re looking for an EASY option, grab a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store. Simply shred 1/2 of the meat from the rotisserie chicken.

If making from scratch, follow these instructions for poached chicken breasts, and shred. Set aside.

Step 2: Mix the Dressing

Add mayonnaise and Dijon to a large glass bowl and stir to combine. Taste to make sure the flavor is creamy with just a bit of tang.

Step 3: Combine Everything

Add the chicken to the bowl and toss to coat with mayonnaise mixture. Add grapes and walnuts and stir gently to combine.

Don’t stir this salad like you’re trying to punish it. Stir just enough to combine ingredients well.

Stirring too much will mash the grapes and squish the chicken shreds together into a chicken pâté of sorts. If it looks a bit on the dry side, add mayo, a heaping Tbs at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Step 4: Season and Chill

Season with a total of 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper between you and your guests. You’ll be surprised how little salt you’ll need, especially if you’re using a rotisserie chicken, as those guys are seasoned to heck and back.

Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Do not stir before chilling. The longer this salad sits in the fridge before serving, the better it tastes.

Overnight is fantastic. The chicken becomes more tender, the bite from the mustard mellows, and the juices from the grapes work their way into the dressing.

Chicken salad, like many other dishes, tastes much, MUCH better on day two than day one. Trust me.

Step 5: Serve

Serve the salad chilled. Chicken salad is fantastic nestled into a buttery, flaky croissant.

You could also serve it over butter lettuce with Triscuits on the side. For a lower-carb option, serve it in butter lettuce cups.

Resist the urge to serve this salad right after mixing. It really does taste better after it’s had a chance to marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

If you’re going to serve it to guests, make it the night before to save yourself some work later and allow it to marinate longer. Two hours, minimum, if you’re planning on serving it the same day.

Use a sharp knife. This might seem like a strange thing to point out, but using a sharp knife to cut grapes will make a world of difference in terms of ease of preparation and appearance of the salad.

With a dull knife, you’re going to smash the grapes and have a cutting board full of juice instead of grapes. With a sharp chef’s knife, it’s easy and fast to cut the grapes in halves.

Cut them in half lengthwise rather than crosswise. It will make it easier for the grapes to maintain their identity in the salad.

Do Not Over-Mix

You don’t want to stir the salad too much or mash up the grapes. The pinkish juice will leak out, making the dressing runnier, and the chicken will start to turn to paste.

Mix until evenly combined and stop. You want to be able to tell what everything in the salad is.

Taste Before Serving, Not Just Before Chilling

Taste the salad before it goes into the refrigerator and adjust seasoning as needed. However, flavors will be muted when it comes out of the fridge.

Taste it again right before serving and add more salt if necessary.

Scale It Up

This recipe doubles/triples well. You can make it the night before a party or potluck and leave it refrigerated in a large lidded container.

It will keep well and the flavor actually improves with time, but, like any mayonnaise-based salad, shouldn’t stay out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours.

Serving Ideas

Here are a few ideas for serving chicken salad.

• Chicken salad croissant sandwich: Split a big, beautiful croissant from the bakery and pile on a big scoop of chicken salad, and top with some butter lettuce.
• Serve on Triscuits or other sturdy wheat crackers as an appetizer. Triscuits have the advantage of holding up to the dressing without immediately going soggy.
• Serve in lettuce cups if you want to skip the bread and go for a lighter option. Butter lettuce cups are good. Eat them like tacos.
• Serve it open-faced on sturdy, well-toasted bread. Sourdough is great since it stands up to moisture well.

Serve in a hollowed-out beefsteak tomato. This is my favorite presentation for chicken salad as a summer lunch.

Make a chicken salad salad. Okay, I know how silly that sounds.

But if you scoop some of the chicken salad over a bed of mixed greens and top with a light vinaigrette you have a complete meal.

How to Store It

Transfer the chicken salad to an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. I recommend glass.

Not only will you be able to see what’s inside, it won’t absorb the smells of other foods in the refrigerator like plastic does. Covering the bowl you mixed it in won’t seal tightly and will absorb other smells.

It will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator, but I’ve found that on day 4 the texture becomes somewhat watery as the grapes begin to break down. It will not freeze because the emulsions in the mayo will separate and the grapes will be a total mush when thawed.

Variations Worth Trying

Substitute pecans for walnuts if you find walnuts a little bitter. Pecans have a very similar texture and are on the sweeter side.

Or try toasted, slivered almonds for an even crunchier, more uniform texture. Cashews do not hold up as well and get soft quickly.

You need that crunch factor.

Add Fresh Herbs

Try adding 1 Tbs. finely-chopped fresh tarragon for a wonderful anise flavor which compliments the Dijon mustard. Or add chives for a milder effect.

Add them just before serving for best color and flavor.

Make It Lighter

You can substitute half of the mayonnaise with an equal amount of plain, full-fat Greek yogurt for a tangy flavor that goes well with the Dijon mustard. The consistency will be a tad thinner but still quite good.

Non-fat yogurt will result in a runnier dressing.

Add Dried Cranberries

Substitute 1/4 cup dried cranberries for an equal amount of the grapes. It adds an element of chewy texture and an assertive sweet flavor that’s very popular at holiday time.

Other substitutions to consider would be other kinds of nuts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use canned chicken?

Yes, you can. It will have a more fine, uniform texture and will have a more mild flavor.

This is a recipe where the end result will be good, but will taste and feel noticeably different than the original. Make sure to drain the canned chicken well and pat it with a few paper towels so it’s as dry as possible.

Otherwise, your chicken salad will be watery.

Should I make this recipe ahead of time?

You can if you’d like. Like many other chicken salads, this one tastes even better the next day.

Just make sure you don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you’re taking it to a party or picnic, take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve it.

It will be plenty of time to warm up, but should still be nice and cold.

How long will this recipe last?

In an air-tight container in the fridge, it’ll last about three days. After that, the grapes will start to break down and it’ll get a little runny/watery.

Of course, always throw food out if it smells funky or the texture is way different than you remember.

My chicken salad seems a little dry. What am I doing wrong?

When you’re making this recipe, it looks like it has plenty of mayo, but once it sits in the fridge, the chicken absorbs a lot of it. If this happens, stir in another tablespoon of mayo and enjoy.

Some people like to leave some of the mayo out when they’re mixing everything together so they can add it back in after chilling, if necessary.

Can I use celery instead of walnuts and grapes?

I don’t recommend it because this recipe is trying to give you the same elements as celery, like crunch and freshness, but from different foods. If you’re craving celery, though, dice up a stalk and mix it into your chicken salad.

You might want to use a little less walnuts to compensate. Keep in mind, though, celery has a strong vegetal flavor which can compete with the fruit-and-nut flavors in this recipe.

Can I use yellow mustard instead of Dijon?

I don’t recommend it. Yellow mustard has a sharp acidic flavor which will come through really strong in this recipe.

Dijon is more subtle and adds just the right amount of tang.