More like a formula than a recipe, but hard to mess up, even if you don’t like math.
Chicken Salad
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked
- 1/4 c. mayo
- up to 1. c add-ins*
- salt and pepper
- Sweet Add-ins: fresh or dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon*, ginger*, etc.
- Savory Add-ins: fresh or pickled veggies, bacon, herbs*, etc.
*for add-in herbs and spices, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of each is sufficient.
- Chop or shred chicken and your choice of add-ins to 1/2″ pieces.
- Combine in a bowl with mayo and seasonings.
- Stir together and enjoy by itself, with crackers, or as a sandwich/wrap.
Tip: For a lighter salad, substitute cool-whip (sweet salad) or sour cream (savory salad) for half of the mayo.
You may be laughing at this recipe (or lack thereof)…but truly, the world is your oyster when it comes to chicken salad. There are so many different iterations of this recipe depending on your tastes or simply what you have on hand. For instance:
Chicken – we prefer chicken breasts for this recipe (but any cut would do). Sometimes I boil boneless, skinless breasts; sometimes I use the breast meat from a roasted whole bird.
Mayo – yes, even this ingredient is negotiable in this dish! Full fat? Low fat? Use what you like! Try substituting half of the mayo with cool-whip (sweet) or sour cream (savory). I’ve even used mashed avocado before.
And when you think about all the different ingredients you could add in…the possibilities are truly endless.
For the sake of taking photos, though, I did make two specific examples, opting for BOTH a savory and a sweet kind.
For the sweet salad (left), I used grapes and pecans. For the savory salad (right), I used a spicy, pickled chow-chow made by a friend.
They literally come together as quickly as: 1) chop; 2) add mayo, salt, and pepper; and 3) mix together.
There’s even room for when sudden inspiration strikes…
like the remembrance that you happen to have pure maple syrup from PA Lamb Farm in your fridge (which is the chef’s kiss to any sweet chicken salad).
If you’re still not confident in your ability to make this your own, here are a few more ideas:
Savory Suggestions
- pickles
- cheese, bacon, dill, parsley, and green onion (or a ranch dressing packet)
- cheese, bacon, and jalapeños
- celery and boiled eggs
- bacon and rosemary
- red onion, dill, and parsley
- giardiniera and parmesan cheese
- red onion, cheddar cheese, and BBQ rub
- red onion, green pepper, cumin, and paprika
Sweet Suggestions
- apples, walnuts, and cinnamon
- apples, grapes, and poppy seeds
- raisins (or craisins), celery, and ginger
- berries and lemon zest
- canned fruit salad (drained)
- mandarin oranges, almonds, and green onion
- pineapple and candied bacon
We’d love to know what other combinations you come up with!
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