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You are here: Home / Food / Build Your Own Chicken Salad

by Stacy  34 Comments

Build Your Own Chicken Salad

There are about as many Chicken Salad variations as there are episodes of Law and Order…approximately 1.5 million. You’ve got traditional Chicken Salad, Chicken Pasta Salad, Mexican Chicken Salad, Oriental Chicken Salad, Kitchen Sink Chicken Salad, Sweet Chicken Salad, Savory Chicken Salad, Hot Chicken Salad, and on and on and on.

But really, with the right ratios you can make your own chicken salad based on what you like or what you currently have about to die in the refrigerator. So today I’m going to give you a basic formula that you can use to make any chicken salad that floats your boat.

Build Your Own Chicken Salad

This Cooking Through Stacy’s Stash episode is brought you to by another lovely church cookbook. I got this one on a trip with my beautiful friend, Kim Anderson, when we went to a ladies retreat for the day. Like every other awesome church cookbook, it’s full of belly warming casseroles, cakes galore, and Velveeta. Y’all, pick you up some church cookbooks – for real.

Build Your Own Chicken Salad

I got the idea for this when grazing through the salad section. Most church cookbook salad sections should be renamed “Mayonnaise Zone.” But really, every church cookbook will have a few different chicken salad recipes – because Beulah and Mable want their own space. “They are NOT the same, as mine calls for only ½ teaspoon pepper while you use 1 teaspoon.” Bam. Get outta my pew.

Build Your Own Chicken Salad

The basis for chicken salad is…wait for it————————chicken. Now honestly, I don’t care what kind of chicken you use. Most of the time I use leftover chicken from my Crock Pot Whole Baked Chicken. You could boil some chicken and shred it – which is what I did this particular time. But hey, I ain’t gonna lie. Sometimes Mama breaks open a can of chicken from Sam’s Club. Boom.

I like about 3 cups…and because I love you, I measured to find that’s about 1 ½ pounds raw chicken breast. I’m awesome and I love my kitchen scale. It doesn’t work for measuring babies though – I tried it.

Build Your Own Chicken Salad

Then we need our veggies. Don’t be leaving the veggies out of your chicken salad. Then it’s not really a salad…it’s just MEAT AND MAYONNAISE. Leaving out the veggies takes away its salad status. Almost all chicken salad recipes call for chopped celery and onion. I like to use red onion because I have a love affair with it. And if Barry and I both eat it, it totally cancels out the breath.

Build Your Own Chicken Salad

And finally, we need dressing. Those are our basic components. All the other stuff is just extra and I’ll talk about that in a minute. I don’t like mayonnaise very much. Even the smell kinda makes me want to yak. I do use it in my salads…but here is my trick – I mix it with Greek yogurt. It really gives a creamy taste and reduces the mayonnaisey flavor that sometimes can happen. Too much mayo can sit like a heavy weight in the bottom of your stomach – kinda like how you feel after watching the news.

So, what else do you need? Well, whatever in the world you want. Nothing is out of limits with chicken salad. I almost always add nuts to mine – and either raisins, cranberries, or dried cherries. I do not like grapes in my salad, but Barry does.

Here are some optional add-ins:

-chopped cilantro or celery leaves

– ¼ to ½ cup dried fruit

– ½ to 1 cup chopped fruit (apples, grapes, pineapple, etc)

– ½ cup chopped carrots

– 2 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

– ¼ cup chopped nuts

– 1 avocado, chopped

– chopped cooked bacon (YEAH BABY!)

So really, anything goes. Be creative now that you have a basic framework!

Build Your Own Chicken Salad

Build Your Own Chicken Salad

  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken (about 1 ½ pounds raw chicken breast)
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 2 tablespoons minced onion (red, white, or yellow)
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
  • 1 tablespoon dill relish (or sweet relish)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

***You may find you want more dressing. I don’t like my salad swimmy – so I use the bare minimum.***

  1. In a bowl, combine all. Refrigerate a few hours for best flavor.
  2. Serve on bread, as the meat for your salad, or eat directly from the bowl while standing at the counter.

Optional Add-Ins:

  • Chopped cilantro or celery leaves
  • ¼- ½ cup chopped dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, etc.)
  • ½ – 1 cup chopped fruit (apples, grapes, pineapple, etc.)
  • ½ cup chopped carrots
  • 2 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped nuts
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • Chopped, cooked bacon (YEAH BABY)

Mexican Chicken Salad: add salsa, black beans, cheese, and taco seasoning

Oriental Chicken Salad: add soy sauce, ginger, and garlic

Yield: about 8, ½ cup servings

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About Stacy

Stacy is a Homemaking and Business Mom Mentor, the author of two cookbooks, creator of multiple e-courses, seasoned life coach, and comedian extraordinaire. Her first priority is her husband and her children - family first. She presses on each day because her calling is to teach, train, and mentor other ladies to have their dreams. She believes if it’s not easy, you won’t do it – because she’s lived it. She’ll bring YOU the awesome so that you can get your home back into control and watch your business soar. For tips and easy strategies, you can follow her on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the content above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Comment Policy: I love reading your thoughts and input on what you read here. I'm sure we'll disagree sometimes and that's okay! In those cases, do what's right for you and yours. As with any form of communication, only post comments that move the discussion in a positive direction.

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Comments

  1. jennifer says

    August 18, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    I would love to see the chicken pasta salad recipe in the photo of the cookbook in this post, could you either post that recipe or email it to me pls? Looks yummy. Thx

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      August 19, 2016 at 5:37 am

      Hi Jennifer! Unfortunately, that cookbook didn’t make the cut when I KonMari’d the house. 🙂

      Reply
  2. homemaidsimple says

    February 19, 2014 at 6:55 pm

    hmmm, chicken salad sounds good for dinner (since I can’t make the maple bacon wrapped chicken tonight). I’ve got celery and onions and chicken…time to go through the rest of the cupboard!

    Reply
  3. Miz Helen says

    February 16, 2014 at 6:28 pm

    What a fun idea, I love chicken salad.

    Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great weekend and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
  4. Cynthia says

    February 15, 2014 at 6:34 pm

    I love chicken salad, but I can be rather picky about them. This is perfect for me! Thanks for linking to the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party. Hope to see you next week.

    Reply
  5. Teri Ahlm says

    February 15, 2014 at 4:33 pm

    LOVE those church cookbooks! Aren’t they just the best? Great recipe – and I love the options!

    Reply
  6. Christa says

    February 10, 2014 at 12:56 pm

    Funny you posted this, I have just recently had a desire to make chicken salad but had no idea how to make it. I looked at a bunch of recipes, but I’m very particular about my chicken salad, so it’s nice to see the basics. Thanks for the post.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 10, 2014 at 4:23 pm

      I’m particular too – now you can be as particular as you like. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Veronica says

    February 9, 2014 at 9:27 pm

    Uhm, how about a recipe for the broccoli salad on the side?! I LOVE that stuff! 🙂

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 10, 2014 at 4:26 pm

      I linked it in a comment a little bit down…or up. LOL Somewhere on here.

      Reply
  8. Jenni Mullinix says

    February 7, 2014 at 11:10 pm

    I haven’t had Chicken Salad in forever… I may have to give this a go sometime!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 8, 2014 at 12:00 pm

      It’s so quick and easy!! Make some chicken and shred it before the baby and then you’ll have a quick meal any time you need it! 🙂

      Reply
      • Jenni Mullinix says

        February 8, 2014 at 5:25 pm

        Great idea! Thanks for the tip, Stacy! 🙂

        Reply
  9. Pink Kitty says

    February 5, 2014 at 2:11 pm

    thanks…. this is the only thing i use mayo in….I like the idea of using yogurt instead… I’m going to try it. You have great ideas 😉

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 5, 2014 at 4:06 pm

      Thanks – that’s because I don’t tell you my really bad ones. LOL

      Reply
  10. Rose Cole says

    February 5, 2014 at 9:19 am

    Thanks for the add – in ideas Stacy! We eat chicken and tuna salad a lot at our house and I am always looking for new ways to serve it. I personally use plain greek yogurt a lot as a binder mixed with a spoon full of mayo .You can even make the yogurt thicker by pre – straining it through a couple of coffee filters.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 5, 2014 at 4:07 pm

      Yes – I almost always strain yogurt. I like the thick consistency. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Sarah D. says

    February 5, 2014 at 2:22 am

    Here’s another post about a food I’ve been wanting to make recently! This looks wonderful. Thank you! =) (Oh, I like grapes and apples in chicken salad, too… My husband thinks I’m weird. lol)

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 5, 2014 at 4:07 pm

      I’m with him. 😉

      Reply
  12. Kim O. says

    February 4, 2014 at 7:26 pm

    We use part mayo, part Greek yogurt as well and my kids think that a little garlic powder makes it. Go bacon!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 5, 2014 at 4:10 pm

      YEAH BACON!

      Reply
  13. Donna Gibson says

    February 4, 2014 at 2:06 pm

    That’s a great idea! My only difference of opinion is that I don’t use any mayo. I used mashed up avocado instead! Sometimes mixed with yogurt, but mostly just the avocado. YUMMMM! And NO mayo! YAYYY

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 4, 2014 at 4:16 pm

      We love avocados – I just put one in our smoothies this morning. 🙂

      Reply
      • Donna Gibson says

        February 4, 2014 at 5:04 pm

        Try it, you’ll like it!! A little lemon or lime to keep it pretty. It really will replace the mayo! 🙂 But a home made mayo will work too! 😉

        Reply
  14. Anita Reese Barker says

    February 4, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    I absolutely love chicken salad and tuna salad. I was wondering why all the recipes call for boiled eggs? I made up my own version and never used eggs until I started looking at other recipes. I found the ingredient that really enhances the sandwich is lemon pepper. It really makes the difference in taste. I liked the Arby’s chicken salad sandwich which is very pricey and decided to make my own version. I added to the chicken, onion, celery, grapes, apples, walnuts, homemade mayonnaise and lemon pepper on toasted bread. I also ate one at a local restaurant and they used toasted raisin cinnamon bread that was incredible. I am fairly new to your posts, Stacey, and love your blogs and website!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 4, 2014 at 4:17 pm

      I’m not really sure how I feel about lemon pepper. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t. I’m such a fickle female. LOL

      Reply
  15. Kate Schat says

    February 4, 2014 at 11:39 am

    I’ve never made chicken salad…GASP. I don’t like mayo either…only exception is homemade mayo on a BLT. Maybe. Anyhow, Chicken is a hot comodity around here seeing as we can only raise so many and we eat way more venison because of it. Ain’t nobody wantin’ a venison salad sandwich. I do buy the odd can of fish from the local fish shop to make into salmon salad sandwhich…they get their own canned and it’s the bomb.com

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 4, 2014 at 4:19 pm

      A reader told me not to click on that link…I said it a few times. LOL I still say it, but now I know I should never click on it. 😉

      Reply
  16. kelchar96 says

    February 4, 2014 at 11:23 am

    That looks yummy! But how about a recipe for the broccoli salad next to the sandwich? That looks yummy too 🙂

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 4, 2014 at 4:20 pm

      I use this recipe a lot – minus the tomato. 🙂
      http://seethebluesky.blogspot.com/2013/06/broccoli-salad-s.html

      Reply
      • kelchar96 says

        February 10, 2014 at 11:14 am

        THANKS! Will be trying both of these this weekend 🙂

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          February 10, 2014 at 4:24 pm

          Good luck!

          Reply
  17. Angela Parker says

    February 4, 2014 at 10:25 am

    My favorite chicken salad is a curry chicken salad – yum! I love this idea : )

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      February 4, 2014 at 4:20 pm

      I like curry – Barry isn’t a huge fan. 🙂

      Reply


Hello! I’m Stacy!

I believe God created you to be the hero of your home. You CAN manage your home instead of it managing you. That’s why I empower women with simple solutions for their homemaking needs – because if it’s not easy, you won’t do it. {Read More…}

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