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Best chicken salad recipe.
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4.96 from 416 votes

Ultimate Chicken Salad Recipe

This is everyone's favorite chicken salad! It's layered with fresh flavors, delicious textures, and is sure to be a potluck winner. Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken Salad, Chicken Salad Recipe, How To Make Chicken Salad, Side dish, Spring Salad, Summer Salad
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup red grapes quartered
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 3 green onions (green and white parts) sliced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup sliced raw almonds
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
  • 1 lemon juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
US - Metric

Instructions

For the poached chicken

  • Cover the chicken with water. Place the chicken breasts in a wide pot or pan and cover by about an inch with cold water. Season the water with salt. Optionally, you can add aromatics of your choice. Read my poached chicken recipe for more details.
    Step one of chicken salad: poach chicken.
  • Simmer the chicken. Turn the heat to medium until it reaches a gentle simmer. Then reduce the heat back to low and cover the pan. Let the chicken simmer for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F to 165°F. Remove the chicken and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Then chill in the fridge.
    Step two of chicken salad: take poached chicken out.

For the chicken salad recipe

  • Dice the cooled chicken. Transfer the cooled chicken to a cutting board and dice it into ½-inch pieces. Add it to a large mixing bowl.
    Step three of chicken salad: dice chicken.
  • Mix together and chill. Add the grapes, celery, green onion, mayonnaise, mustard, almonds, parsley, tarragon, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then stir together, until well combined. Let it chill covered in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
    Step four of chicken salad: toss together.
  • Serve. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish with additional fresh herbs, if you'd like.
    Step five of chicken salad: let it chill

Video

Notes

  • Storage tip: Since this recipe is meant to be chilled, don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours. Otherwise, store it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It’s a great meal prep salad for lunch! 

Nutrition

Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 782mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 318IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg