The BEST Chicken Salad
Today we’re making the ultimate chicken salad. It’s the best thing to have when you don’t want the oven on all day and you want something delicious that you can just pull out of the fridge and make everybody happy. There are a couple of little ingredients in here that make all the difference.
Ingredients & Preparation
Toasted Almonds
Add a very generous ½ cup of slivered almonds onto a baking sheet and toast them at 350 °F for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through so nothing burns.
Chicken
You could use four chicken breasts and end up with 1½–2 pounds of diced chicken, but a store-bought rotisserie chicken is perfect for summer. Break it down; you’ll get about 1½ pounds of meat. Give the meat a rough chop, keeping the pieces on the larger side.
Mayonnaise Base
In one large bowl, combine:
- 1 cup (240 mL) mayonnaise
- Juice of ½ lemon (about 2 Tbsp)
- 1 scant tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp good balsamic vinegar
Mix until smooth; the balsamic tames the bright-white mayo and adds depth.
Fold in Chicken
Add the chopped chicken to the bowl and fold until evenly coated; this protects the more delicate mix-ins that follow.
Fresh Add-Ins
Celery
Slice 1 cup of celery into thin pieces for gentle crunch.
Grapes
Halve 1 cup of sweet muscat or red grapes.
Apple
Peel and dice a small apple; add ½ cup (or more if you like).
Green Onion
Thinly slice 2 green onions for a mild bite.
Fresh Herbs
Strip the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme to yield 1 Tbsp. Chop 2 Tbsp fresh tarragon (reserve a pinch for garnish); tarragon and chicken are a perfect match, especially with sweet grapes.
Almonds
Fold in the toasted almonds, reserving a few for garnish.
Final Assembly
Gently fold everything together. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with reserved grapes, tarragon, and almonds for a pretty finish.
Serving Ideas
The salad is delicious on its own, but it’s also amazing spooned onto a cheesy sage biscuit or served with crisp lettuce cups.
Leave a Reply