Best-Ever Chicken Salad
User Reviews
4.9
Best-Ever Chicken Salad
Description
The recipe starts with roasting seasoned chicken pieces until fully cooked, then cooling and removing the skin and bones before chopping the meat into bite-sized pieces. The salad ingredients include halved seedless grapes, sliced almonds, diced celery, scallions, and chopped dill and parsley, which add texture and freshness. The dressing is a combination of mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper, which is gently folded into the chicken mixture.
The salad is refrigerated for at least an hour to allow flavors to blend and the mixture to chill thoroughly. It can be served atop leafy greens or as a sandwich filling with lettuce and avocado, making it versatile for different meals.
Preparing the chicken and dressing a day or two in advance streamlines assembly. While best fresh, the salad can be frozen and refreshed with additional dressing after thawing. Its combination of creamy, sweet, and herbaceous elements creates a balanced and satisfying dish suitable for casual meals and gatherings.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs chicken parts You'll need about 4 cups, bone-in, skin-on thighs and breasts work well
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup grapes seedless, halved (red and green varieties are great)
- 1 cup almonds thinly sliced
- 2 talks 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)
- black pepper freshly ground
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
- Cook the chicken up to two days ahead to simplify preparation.
- Dressing can be made one to two days in advance for convenience.
- Refrigerate the salad for at least three hours or overnight for best flavor development, then bring to room temperature an hour before serving.
- While best served fresh, the salad can be frozen; reheat slowly and refresh with dressing before serving.
- The salad pairs well with croissants or served on leaf lettuce with avocado and tomatoes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 273 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 273kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 9mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 400mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 165mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 135IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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