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Home » Salads

Classic Chicken Salad Your Way

Published: Jun 15, 2019 · Modified: Nov 6, 2023 by Louisiana Woman · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

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This Classic Chicken Salad Your Way recipe is basic but not bland, with many optional ingredients to suit your taste. Mixing and combining fruits, nuts, herbs, and cheese makes the basic chicken salad your way!

Five small white bowls on a wooden board of Chicken Salad Your Way.

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It's chicken salad season! . . . well, not officially, but summer is the time for craving something cold and light with protein to satisfy on-the-go appetites. But this salad is fitting for any season.

Jump to:
  • What Do You Need To Make Chicken Salad?
  • How To Make Classic Chicken Salad
  • What To Serve With Chicken Salad?
  • More Salad Recipes
  • The Recipe
  • Chicken Salad Your Way
  • Comments

What Do You Need To Make Chicken Salad?

The chicken salad starts with one thing. Chicken.

Four roasted bone-in chicken breasts laying on a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

I give many thanks to Ina Garten for teaching me how to roast bone-in chicken breasts. This process makes easy preparation when needing cooked chicken. No more boiling water in a large pot on the stove. All you do is put the breasts on a baking sheet, rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake skin side up at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

I go a few steps further lining the pan with parchment paper and salting before and after rubbing on the olive oil. Right after it's cooked I place foil over it and let it cool. This keeps the meat nice and juicy.

Ingredients for this delicious Chicken Salad Your Way.

  • chicken - cooked and cubed protein
  • celery - chopped into small crunchy bites
  • mayonnaise - adds needed creaminess and taste
  • heavy whipping cream - sweet cream thickens the sauce
  • lemon juice - to brighten the taste
  • lemon zest - gives more concentrated lemon flavor
  • onion - grated fresh oniony flavor permeates the whole salad
  • sweet pickle relish - add sweet pickle flavor
  • salt - for flavor
  • white pepper - white pepper has a smoother peppery flavor

Other Optional Ingredients

  • nuts - your favorite nut, chopped
  • pepper jack cheese - shredded or cut into small cubes
  • fruit - any single or combination of sliced grapes, mandarin orange segments, blueberries, pineapple chunks, diced apple, avocado, and/or dried cranberries

The specific amounts of ingredients are listed in the recipe card below.

How To Make Classic Chicken Salad

After the chicken breasts are cooked, cooled, and deboned it's time to chop the celery and combine the two. Next, make the dressing with mayonnaise, cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, onion, relish, and seasonings.

For an added zip, use Simple Cajun Aioli : The Spicy Garlic Mayo Sauce instead of the mayonnaise. It's a treat!

A yellow bowl of chicken and celery with a wooden spoon stirring in a creamy white dressing.
A yellow bowl of Classic Chicken Salad Your Way on a blue and whit cloth.

Then pour it over the meat and celery, stir together, and enjoy this yummy, creamy salad that's full of flavor just like it is.

Or, add your favorite ingredients making it to suit your taste.

Six white bowls with fruit, nuts, and cheese on a wooden board with parsley and a cut avocado for salad.

I've listed some delicious combinations in the recipe below, but the sky's the limit on this one.

What To Serve With Chicken Salad?

Chicken salad is so light and versatile you can serve it as a main dish, side dish, snack, or appetizer. Serving it with bread, crackers, pita bread, wraps, or on a bed of lettuce adds to the convenience and compliments the taste.

Not only is it easy to make, but it's portable too. This is great when taking food to a friend, for a potluck, on a picnic, or on the road with you.

You can also serve another salad alongside the chicken salad like this Easy Crab Salad for seafood lovers at a meal.

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The Recipe

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Five small white bowls on a wooden board of different chicken salads.

Chicken Salad Your Way

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A delicious basic chicken salad recipe with lots of optional ingredients to suit your taste.

  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 cups 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

Basic Chicken Salad Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
  • ¾ cup celery, chopped
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • zest from half of a lemon
  • 2 tablespoons grated onion
  • ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper

Optional Ingredients To ADD-IN

  • 1 cup nuts, chopped
  • 1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
  • 1 - 1 ½ cups fruit, any single or combination of sliced grapes, mandarin orange segments, blueberries, pineapple chunks, diced apple, avocado, and/or dried cranberries

Instructions

For Basic Chicken Salad

  1. Combine chicken and celery in a large bowl.
  2. Mix the next 8 ingredients in a medium bowl to make the dressing well.
  3. Toss the chicken and celery with the dressing.
  4. Add the combination of optional ingredients to suit your taste, or leave it as is, then refrigerate.
  5. Serve cold by itself or on bread as a sandwich.

Optional Additions

  • Pecans, pepper jack cheese, and grapes
  • Mandarin oranges and blueberries
  • Pepper Jack cheese, avocado, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro
  • Apples, dried cranberries, and nuts

Equipment

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Instant Pot

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Notes

  • Process the basic recipe in the food processor for a spreadable chicken salad.
  • Roast chicken breasts in the oven, rubbed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and baked at 350º for f45 minutes. 
  • Cook the chicken in a pressure cooker such as the Instant Pot for easy set-it-and-forget-it cooking.
  • Use a roasted chicken for easier prep.
  • The nutrition Facts below are for the basic recipe only.
  • Author: Louisiana Woman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Salads
  • Cuisine: American

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Have a nice day!

"Worry about tomorrow steals the joy from today."

Barbara Cameron

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Comments

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  1. Lisa's * Everyday Life says

    June 16, 2019 at 12:56 pm

    My family is famous for old Fashioned chicken salad with the cooked chicken run through a grinder as well as the seasoning. With a little chopped egg and pickle relish on white bread. But this looks tasty.

    Reply
    • Louisiana Woman says

      June 16, 2019 at 2:32 pm

      Thank you! Your family’s way is similar to the way my grandmother and momma made their chicken salad, but without the egg. I tell about it in my Chicken Salad With Green Peas post. It was a process they went through before a wedding or shower. I’m so grateful for food processors!

      Reply
      • Lisa's * Everyday Life says

        June 17, 2019 at 9:01 am

        I still grind mine the old fashion way for small batches but when making for a party -pull out the food processor.My sister actually like the chunky style(paneras way) better.

  2. Colleen says

    June 16, 2019 at 11:53 pm

    Classic & timeless. Love a great base for chicken salad. Grapes are always my favorite add-in!

    Reply
    • Louisiana Woman says

      June 17, 2019 at 5:10 am

      Thank you! The fruit makes a pleasant addition when I want to change things up a bit.

      Reply

At Louisiana Woman Blog, I share recipes and stories about life in South Louisiana. The food here is authentic and easy to prepare. I hope you enjoy a taste of my rich Cajun heritage with recipes that preserve the precious culture of South Louisiana.

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Five small white bowls on a wooden board of Chicken Salad Your Way.