This really is the perfect go-to salad for sandwiches or on top of a green salad.
You could easily add crumbled bacon, or raisins, or cashews, or even mix in a little curry powder to the mayo. Of course, homemade mayo puts this salad over the top. But again, a good quality store-bought mayonnaise works perfectly well, too. After cooking the chicken, the salad comes together in only about 15 minutes!
How To Make Chicken Salad
EXPERT TIP: Cook the chicken up to 3 days before assembling and serving. You can also make the homemade mayonnaise several days in advance, too!
Although chilling the salad after it’s mixed is recommended, we think to let the salad return to room temperature is great for taste when serving.
Watch us show you how easy it is to make this truly incredible recipe!
Other “Best-Ever” Salads to Try
What Makes It So Delicious?
So many folks have made this salad and asked us in complete sincerity: “What makes this chicken salad recipe so darn delicious?”
Well, there are several reasons, we believe: Here are some of the main ones:
- Roasting the chicken ensures flavorful, juicy chicken for the salad. In a pinch, you could certainly use a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket.
- The addition of seedless grapes, almonds, and fresh dill are part of what makes this dish so wonderful.
- A mix of mayonnaise, Dijon, and lemon juice adds a freshness that is just so very delicious. It all adds up to the best chicken salad sandwich you can imagine!
Homemade Mayonnaise Adds More Freshness
If you really are in the mood to make this truly the BEST-EVER chicken salad…make your mayonnaise from scratch.
There’s nothing better than homemade classic mayonnaise (click for recipe).
Of course, good-quality store-bought mayonnaise will work just fine, but we absolutely LOVE making it from scratch! One thing to keep in mind, though, homemade mayo has raw egg in it, which could be an issue with the very young, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system.
It’s all about using fresh ingredients.
Fresh dill and parsley add a layer of flavor that we think puts this salad over the top.
If you can’t get fresh, dried will work, just use half the amount that you would be using if fresh.
And it’s even better after it sits in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight! This chicken salad sandwich recipe is really about as good as they come!
I mean, just look how delicious this looks!
Wait until you taste it!! You and those around you will love it!
If you are looking for an easy chicken salad recipe that tastes like something you’d get at an amazing restaurant, you need to look no further!
You can almost taste how good this is just by looking at it.
There is a reason this is hands down the most popular recipe on How To Feed a Loon!
Best-Ever Chicken Salad FAQs
- How far advance can it be made? We recommend serving soon after the salad is assembled. However, you can prepare the chicken and the dressing up to several days in advance. We will say the salad is even tastier after it sits in the refrigerator for a few hours. We just suggest bringing the salad back to room temp before serving. But that’s just a suggestion!
- Is a rotisserie chicken okay to use? Absolutely! We feel pretty strongly that the roasted chicken pieces yield an even tastier salad, but a good-quality rotisserie chicken will work, too. Just please don’t use canned chicken. Please.
- What other ingredients could I include? The sky is practically the limit: We love dried cranberries, sliced apples, cashews or peanuts, even capers! Fresh oregano, rosemary and/or thyme is great, too!
- Can the salad be frozen? Yes! Freeze for up to 1 month in an air-tight container. Let thaw completely and return to room temperature. You may need to make a small batch of the dressing just to stir in before serving after it’s been frozen, but that’s not 100% necessary.
Ready to make the best lunch dish in town? Go for it!
And when you make it, take a picture and post to Instagram and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and #HowToFeedaLoon
Best-Ever Chicken Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 4 lbs chicken parts (bone-in, skin-on thighs and breasts work well) (You'll need about 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup grapes seedless, halved (red and green varieties are great)
- 1 cup almonds thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 3 scallions thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- 2 tablespoon dill fresh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (start with ½ teaspoon, then add more, to taste)
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Rub the olive oil all over the chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until internal temp reaches 165°F using an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let cool. Remove the skin then pull the meat from the bones and roughly chop.
- In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, grapes, almonds, celery, scallions, dill, & parsley.
- In a small-medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Add the mayo/mustard mixture to the chicken mixture and gently stir until well mixed.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Serve on a bed of greens with sliced tomatoes and avocado. Or, serve on bread with green leaf lettuce. Add more toppings to your taste!
Notes
Nutrition
April says
I really enjoyed this! I think next time I will shred the chicken. Love this recipe! Thank you ^_^
krislongwell says
Great, April! So glad you liked the recipe, we love it, too! Thanks for letting us know! Best, Kris & Wesley
Georgie says
This is the best chicken salad recipe but however the pictures show using fresh dill, not parsley. So I added the fresh dill and I will tell you does make it number one.
krislongwell says
HI Georgie! Thank you so much! We agree, we think the addition of the fresh dill is one of the reasons this chicken salad is so delicious. The parsley is a nice touch, too. Please stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley
Kiddo says
I give it 10 stars outta 5. I know the math does not add up but who cares!? This is a blessing and I am enjoying it!
A friend told me if I made it again to bring more to share. It was much enjoyed by my guests, some whom are not easily impressed, so thank you for sharing!
krislongwell says
You just made our day, week, month!!! We are THRILLED that you had such success with the chicken salad. That is so wonderful to hear, and thank you so much for letting us know!! Please stay in touch!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Darcy Lowe says
Can this be frozen after it’s all mixed up?
krislongwell says
HI Darcy! Sorry for the delayed response…we’ve been out of town. Yes…this can be frozen once prepared. I would allow to thaw for at least 24 hours in the fridge. Let us know how it turns out. Thanks! Kris & Wesley
Sharon says
This chicken salad was absolutely delicious. My movie night girlfriends all enjoyed it.
Thank you for sharing.
krislongwell says
Thank you Sharon so much for letting us know! And we are so happy you and the gals loved it! Sounds like a blast!! Best, and please stay in touch! Kris & Wesley
Chivita says
Definitely a great recipe. I reduced it by half since I had 2 lb of chicken, added a hint of California garlic powder and cashews, not almonds (personal preference).
I plan to use this recipe again for a get-together.
Thank you for the recipe, next is the homemade mayo!! 5 Stars for this recipe, God bless you and your skills, amigo!
krislongwell says
Thank you so much! We are so thrilled you had success with and sounds like you made some delicious modifications to it…which is great! Thanks for letting us know, and do let us know how the mayo turns out! xoxoxo Kris & Wesley
Lalaine says
OMG! This truly is the BESTEST chicken salad! Thank you! My cooking skills are 3/10 but this recipe is fail proof! I’ve been searching for a good chicken salad recipe for days now and luckily I landed here. My husband (who is the good cook in the house) was kind of doubtful as to what result I will produce but when he tasted it, he just couldn’t get enough of it!
We are from the Philippines by the way! (Salamat! Or thank you in English)
krislongwell says
Hi Lalaine!!
Wow!! That is so fantastic to hear! Sounds like you made the dish perfectly!! Thank you so much for letting us know, and stay tuned…and please stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley
Rachel S says
This recipe is amazing. It is so easy and so delicious. I had been CRAVING good chicken salad and this 100% hit the spot! I cannot wait to try more of your recipes:):):).
krislongwell says
Thank you, Rachel!! That is so wonderful to hear! Thank you very much for letting us know and please do stay in touch and give the other recipes a try…we think you’ll like them, and when you, let us know what you think! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Ginger says
OMG – Best Ever is RIGHT!!!!! Added my almonds to the salad for that crisp texture – freshly toasted – and just before I served the chicken salad, in a cup of Belgian Endive, sprinkled just a few on top for that professional look. Add a Peach Bellini and you have a Girl Luncheon.
Victoria Perez says
Trying this tomorrow, ( 7/31/18). I’ll let you know how well I do and if my company likes it. It definitely looks delicious. Glad I found you two on line.
krislongwell says
Awesome, Victoria!! So glad you found us, too! And please do let us know what you think!! Kris & Wesley
Lauren Young says
I give this recipe 5 stars!
Y’all, I made this for a baby shower and omitted the nuts (in case there was an allergy), and everyone loved them!! It’s very savory and the grape helps sweeten it. It’s perfect!
krislongwell says
Woo hoo!!!!! THANK YOU!!
Lauren Young says
Y’all, I made this for a baby shower and omitted the nuts (in case there was an allergy), and everyone loved them!! It’s very savory and the grape helps sweeten it. It’s perfect!
krislongwell says
Yay!! Lauren! You just made our day!! That is so great to hear and we couldn’t be happier that you had success with this chicken salad! Thank you so much for letting us know, that really means a lot to us. xoxo Kris & Wesley
Darcy Lowe says
Can I do craisins instead of grapes? And walnuts instead of almonds? Same amounts?
krislongwell says
Yes to both! Sounds delicious!! Let us know what you think!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Shawn A hollub says
Hello, I am hosting a baby shower and want to serve this on croissants. Do you think I could use cashews instead of almonds? Thanks for such a delish looking recipe. Also would it triple well? Thanks!!!
krislongwell says
Hi Shawn! Cashews would be great. Maybe give them a little chop, but they would be great. And yes, we’ve had many folks triple (even quadruple) the recipe to great success. Let us know how it turns out!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Helene says
Forgot to punch the Five Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️‼️
krislongwell says
Helene!! Thank you so much for letting us know and we are thrilled you had success not only with the chicken salad, but the homemade mayo, too. That is so fantastic. And thanks for subscribing! You are the BEST! Stay in touch!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Helene says
No dude. YOU GUYS are the best!
So looking forward to the next recipe! And being thoroughly [distracted from politics ] entertained<—
krislongwell says
THANK YOU!!
Helene says
Okay guys! Prepared everything earlier today and we are chilled to perfection. The mayo came out exactly as your video! I watched it a couple of times and followed the recipe to the letter and wag-lah, I have the bestest light yet very satisfying meal ready for friends and family. This chicken salad is amazing! Your instructions were precise and delivered fail-safe results! Thank you so much. No more store bought mayo for this group! Cheers :o)
(also, I’m a new subscriber)
Lauren Young says
Would boiled eggs be good in this recipe?
krislongwell says
Yes!!! 🙂