Classic Chicken Salad
There are countless chicken salad recipes out there, but THIS chicken salad recipe is the classic, go-to one you’ll find yourself making over and over again for wraps, sandwiches, serving with crackers, the list goes on and on!
I’m telling you, don’t let this recipe’s “Plain Jane” feel make you think it’s not *amazing* because it’s so good that we make it all the time at my house! It’s the perfect chicken salad for a group too because we all know that chicken salad can be a polarizing topic – grapes, nuts, onions, etc. This classic chicken salad is loved by ALL!
Classic Chicken Salad Ingredients
CHICKEN: First and foremost, the star of the show. My preference is always a rotisserie chicken, preferably the white meat. I like to grab a couple from Costco and double my recipe for lots of sandwiches and wraps for the week!
CELERY: The celery adds that beloved crunch in this chicken salad, but use as much or little as you like!
GREEN ONION: I like green onions as opposed to a sharper red onion in this chicken salad. The pop of green color helps too!
MAYONNAISE: Being a good Southerner, I religiously use Duke’s Mayo but any high-quality mayonnaise will be just fine! You can also substitute in light mayo too.
LEMON JUICE: If you have fresh-squeezed, great. I usually don’t, haha, so bottled lemon juice is just fine here. This is not a fussy chicken salad.
SEASONINGS: I like a blend of onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Adjust to your tastes.
That’s it! Not too many ingredients so it’s easy and simple to make. It really comes down to using high-quality chicken, shredded. Little tip: Did you know you can place chicken in your electric mixer and turn it on to quickly shred your chicken? I dump in all the rest of the chicken salad ingredients, turn it on for a few turns and ta-da! Couldn’t be easier…
How to Store Chicken Salad
Store this classic chicken salad in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I like to store my chicken salad in these deli containers because not only do they remind me of the to-go salads from my favorite take-away cafe, but they can be reused as well as make a pretty presentation when gifted to neighbors and friends.
Classic Chicken Salad Serving Ideas
There are countless ways to enjoy chicken salad, but my favorite might be what’s known in the South as a cold plate. Basically everything on the plate is chilled (chicken salad or tuna salad, for example) served with sliced tomatoes or fruit and crackers. Easy and delicious. Here are a few more ways to serve chicken salad..
- On a bed of greens and served with crackers.
- In a wrap or tortilla with veggies and lettuce
- On toasted bread with lots of fresh tomatoes and lettuce
- Warmed up for a chicken salad melt on toasted bread.
- Stuffed in a pita.
- Scooped into hollowed out tomatoes or avocados.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy chicken salad? Let me know in the comments below!
Without further ado, here’s my Classic Chicken Salad Recipe! Enjoy!
Classic Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken shredded or chopped
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, celery, green onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir until combined well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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