Author: This Classic Chicken Salad Recipe is filled with crunchy apples, sweet pickles, green onions, and a savory dressing. Serve on your favorite bread, or keep it low-carb with a lettuce wrap. No matter how you serve it, this recipe is a crowd favorite!
My mom makes the best chicken salad – she always has. When we were growing up, she used canned chicken and her chicken salad was STILL the best.
Then, when we were teenagers, she upgraded to using grilled chicken breasts, and our lives changed completely! I’m not lying when I say I would choose one of my mom’s chicken salad sandwiches over chocolate cake any day… It’s THAT good.
Mom’s Homemade Chicken Salad
While this recipe recommends grilled chicken breasts, it’s equally delicious with oven-baked chicken breasts or thighs, grilled thighs, or even canned chicken!
Make this today and serve on warm homemade bread, if you can – or a bed of lettuce. Either way, this recipe is a WINNER!
Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are very straightforward, but they come together to make real magic. The full printable recipe with measurements is available at the end of the post.
- Chicken – We use grilled or oven-baked chicken breasts, but use what you prefer.
- Apple – A crisp red apple is the best! Any variety of red apple will work, we’ve used all different kinds over the years.
- Sweet Pickles – Again, a crisp sweet gherkin pickle is the best, but use what you have. We use my mom’s recipe for homemade sweet pickles in this for the ultimate chicken salad.
- Green Onions – These really play well against the sweetness of the apples and pickles, so don’t skip them!
- Mayo – Use what you have, but we like this homemade mayo recipe best! You can use Greek yogurt if you want, but mayo is highly preferable.
- Spices – We enjoy salt, pepper, and garlic in this recipe, but if you wanted to add dill or paprika, those would also go well.
Instructions
This chicken salad recipe is so easy that you’ll want to make it every day!
- Shred – The chicken can be warm or cold for this process, but it’s easier when warm. Use two forks or the paddle attachment on your mixer to shred the chicken easily!
- Mix – Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Adjust – Add additional mayo or spices as needed, for your personal tastes. If you can let it sit overnight, don’t adjust the seasoning until the next day as the flavor intensifies overnight.
- Enjoy – Serve on fresh bread or a bed of lettuce.
NOTE: This chicken salad is best cold the next day, but is wonderful to serve right away as well.
MORE RECIPES TO TRY: Put your chicken salad on these homemade hamburger buns or on this sandwich bread. If you prefer to put your chicken salad on lettuce, try these easy tips for keeping lettuce fresh.
Homemade Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded (we use grilled chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic)
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (we use homemade)
- 1 red apple, washed and diced into small pieces
- 1/2 cup diced sweet gherkin pickles (we use homemade)
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- (add more spices to taste as needed)
Instructions
- The chicken can be warm or cold for this process, but it’s easier when warm. Use two forks or the paddle attachment on your mixer to shred the chicken easily!
- Dice the apple, pickles, and green onions to the desired size. I like them to be small, but not so small that they disappear!
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Add additional mayo or spices as needed, for your personal tastes. If you can let it sit overnight, don’t adjust the seasoning until the next day as the flavor intensifies overnight.
- Serve on fresh bread or a bed of lettuce.
Notes
Nutrition
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Great recipe! It’s super easy to make, especially thanks to the tip of shredding the chicken with a stand mixer.
So glad you liked it! It’s a big favorite around here too!