Classic chicken salad is one of those recipes I like to keep simple and familiar. It is creamy, lightly tangy, full of tender shredded chicken, and has just enough crunch from celery and green onions. Sweet relish gives it a subtle sweetness, while Dijon mustard and lemon juice keep the dressing from tasting too heavy.

I make this chicken salad when I want something that can work for several meals. It is easy to serve in sandwiches, spoon over a bed of lettuce, or enjoy on its own. It also works well when preparing food ahead of time because the flavors have time to come together while the salad chills.

The recipe makes 10 servings, so it is useful when preparing lunch for several people or when I want something ready in the refrigerator for the next couple of days.

Getting the Chicken Ready

I start by heating the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Then I lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray. The chicken breasts go directly into the prepared dish after being seasoned.

For the chicken, I use 2 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breast halves. I season them with 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the ground black pepper, and the onion powder. I make sure the seasoning is spread evenly over the chicken so the meat has some flavor before it is mixed with the dressing.

Once the chicken is seasoned, I cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Keeping the dish covered helps the chicken cook gently and retain moisture.

I place the covered dish in the preheated oven and bake the chicken for about 1 hour 20 minutes. The exact cooking time can vary, so I check the chicken rather than relying only on the clock. It should be cooked through, the juices should run clear, and it should shred easily.

The chicken should reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) when checked in the center with an instant-read thermometer.

Letting the Chicken Cool

When the chicken is finished, I remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully uncover it. I let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes, or until it is cool enough to handle comfortably.

There may be some flavorful liquid collected in the bottom of the baking dish. I keep this instead of throwing it away. The reserved chicken broth can be useful later if the finished salad needs a little more moisture.

I do not try to shred the chicken while it is still too hot. Letting it cool slightly makes it easier to handle and helps me get the texture I want.

Making the Creamy Dressing

While the chicken cools, I prepare the dressing in a large bowl. This part comes together quickly.

I add:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup sweet relish
• 3 stalks green onions, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• The remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• The remaining 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

I stir everything together until the mixture is evenly combined.

The mayonnaise gives the dressing its creamy base, while sour cream adds a little tang and keeps the mixture from being too rich. Sweet relish adds small pieces of sweetness throughout the salad. Dijon mustard and lemon juice give the dressing a brighter flavor, and the dill and parsley bring in a mild herbal note.

I like to mix the dressing before adding the chicken because this makes it easier to distribute all of the flavors evenly.

Shredding the Chicken

Once the chicken has cooled enough to handle, I break it into large pieces and place those pieces into the bowl of a food processor.

I use short pulses rather than running the food processor continuously. Usually, 3 to 5 pulses are enough to shred the chicken to the desired consistency.

This gives me control over the texture. I want the chicken shredded and easy to eat, but I do not want it turned into a completely smooth or finely processed mixture.

If preferred, the chicken can also be shredded by hand, but the food processor makes this step especially quick.

Bringing Everything Together

After shredding, I transfer the chicken to a bowl and add the 1/2 cup finely chopped celery.

The celery is important because it adds a fresh crunch to the otherwise creamy chicken salad. I make sure it is finely chopped so that it mixes evenly through the chicken rather than leaving large pieces in individual bites.

Next, I pour the prepared dressing over the chicken and celery. I gently toss everything together until the chicken is coated and the celery is spread throughout.

At this point, I check the consistency. If the chicken salad seems too thick or I want it a little more moist, I add some of the reserved chicken broth or a little more mayonnaise.

I add extra moisture gradually rather than adding a large amount at once. That way, I can stop when the chicken salad reaches the consistency I like.

Chilling the Chicken Salad

Once everything is mixed, I cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator.

The chicken salad needs to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. This resting time makes a noticeable difference because the chicken has time to absorb some of the dressing and the flavors have a chance to blend together.

The salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Before serving, I give it a good stir so the dressing and ingredients are evenly distributed again.

I find it easiest to prepare this recipe earlier in the day when I know it will be served later. That way, the chilling time takes care of itself and the chicken salad is ready when needed.

Serving the Chicken Salad

There are plenty of simple ways to serve this chicken salad.

For a sandwich, I spoon the chilled chicken salad onto toasted wheat bread and add lettuce and tomato. The toasted bread gives a little crispness against the creamy filling, while lettuce and tomato add freshness.

It can also be served over lettuce as a simple salad. For a lighter option, I can simply spoon it into a bowl and serve it as it is.

The recipe is also flexible when it comes to additions. Nuts, fruit, or extra vegetables can be added if desired, but the base recipe already has a good balance of creamy, sweet, tangy, savory, and crunchy ingredients.

If adding anything extra, I make sure not to overwhelm the existing flavors. The chicken, dressing, celery, green onions, and relish should still remain the main components.

Keeping the Texture Just Right

The texture of chicken salad depends largely on how the chicken is shredded and how much dressing is added.

I avoid over-processing the chicken because very fine chicken can make the finished salad feel dense. A few short pulses are enough to break the meat down while keeping some texture.

I also add extra mayonnaise or reserved broth only when necessary. The dressing should coat the chicken well without making the mixture excessively wet.

The celery, green onions, and relish provide small pieces throughout the creamy mixture, so each bite has a little contrast.

A Make-Ahead Recipe for Easy Meals

One of the convenient things about this chicken salad is that most of the work can be done in advance. Once it has been mixed, it can stay covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

That makes it useful for packed lunches, quick sandwiches, or an easy meal that does not require much preparation at serving time.

When I take it from the refrigerator, I simply stir it well. If it has thickened while chilling, I can adjust the consistency with a little more mayonnaise or some of the reserved chicken broth.

Final Result

The finished chicken salad is creamy without relying on mayonnaise alone. Sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and herbs give the dressing plenty of flavor, while sweet relish balances the tanginess.

The shredded chicken makes up the heart of the recipe, and celery and green onions provide the crunch that keeps the texture interesting. The result is a straightforward homemade chicken salad that can be served in several different ways.

For the best result, I focus on three things: cooking the chicken until it is tender but not overcooked, shredding it to a pleasant texture, and giving the finished salad enough time to chill before serving.

Once those steps are done, the recipe is simple. Mix, chill, stir, and serve.

Classic Chicken Salad

Description:
A creamy, tangy classic chicken salad made with tender shredded chicken, mayonnaise, sour cream, sweet relish, celery, green onions, fresh parsley, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and dill. It is ideal for sandwiches, salads, or serving on its own.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• ¾ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup mayonnaise, or more to taste
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup sweet relish
• 3 stalks green onions (white and light green parts only), minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• ½ cup finely chopped celery

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and onion powder. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
3. Bake for about 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, the juices run clear, and it shreds easily. The center should reach at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
4. Remove the chicken from the oven, uncover, and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Reserve any broth collected in the baking dish.
5. While the chicken cools, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, sweet relish, green onions, parsley, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, dried dill, and the remaining salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir until combined.
6. Break the cooled chicken into large pieces and pulse in a food processor 3 to 5 times, until shredded to the desired texture.
7. Transfer the shredded chicken to a bowl. Add the chopped celery and pour the dressing over the chicken. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
8. If the salad needs more moisture, add some reserved chicken broth or additional mayonnaise.
9. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The chicken salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
10. Stir well before serving.

Notes

• Do not overcook the chicken, as this can make the finished salad dry.
• Use short food-processor pulses to keep the chicken pleasantly shredded rather than finely processed.
• Add reserved chicken broth or additional mayonnaise gradually if a softer consistency is preferred.
• Serve chilled in sandwiches, over lettuce, or on its own.
• Nuts, fruit, or additional vegetables can be added according to preference without changing the base recipe.

Nutrition per serving: Approximately 296 calories, 22g fat, 4g carbohydrates, and 20g protein.