Amongst the most popular salads, chicken salad is a dish that can be found on the menu of almost every restaurant. It is simple to make and can be enjoyed as a light snack or a main meal. This recipe is for a basic chicken salad that can be easily customized to your taste.
Cooking The Chicken For The Salad
The first step is to cook the chicken. You can do this by either grilling, baking, or boiling the chicken breasts. If you are short on time, you can also use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Once the chicken is cooked, let it cool before chopping it into small pieces.
Poaching Chicken For The Salad
This is an important tip if you want to make the best chicken salad possible. Poaching the chicken in a flavorful broth will infuse it with additional flavor that will take your salad to the next level.
How To Poach Chicken
Simply add the chicken breasts to a pot of simmering water or broth. Make sure that the liquid covers the chicken completely. Let the chicken cook until it is cooked through and then remove it from the pot. Let it cool before chopping it into small pieces.
This step is completely optional, but if you have the time, it is worth doing!
The Mayo Dressing
What and how you put in the ingredients for the dressing is completely up to you. A simple mayonnaise and vinegar dressing is used in this recipe, but you can add other ingredients such as garlic, onion, or herbs to create a more flavorful dressing.
Optional Add-Ins
There are many different ways that you can customize this chicken salad recipe. Some common additions include,
- Grapes
- Celery
- Nuts, and
- Dried fruit.
You can also add in some chopped-up vegetables such as carrots or tomatoes. Get creative and add in whatever you think would taste good!
Chicken Salad Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Grill
Ingredients
- 4 pound chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Nuts optional
- Olives optional
- Bell peppers optional
- Grapes optional
- Dried Fruits optional
- Lettuce optional
Instructions
- Cook the chicken breasts on the grill or in the oven. Once they are cooked through, let them cool before chopping them into small pieces. (Optionally, you can poach the chicken for a different taste)
- In a large bowl, mix the chicken, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- You can add additional ingredients such as grapes, celery, nuts, olives, bell peppers, or dried fruit.
- Refrigerate the chicken salad for at least an hour before serving.
Enjoy!
Notes
Serving Suggestions
- Sandwich – Stuff the chicken salad into a pita pocket or between two slices of bread.
- Salad – Serve the chicken salad over a bed of lettuce or greens.
- Nachos – Top tortilla chips with the chicken salad for a fun and easy snack.
- Fruit Salad – Add the chicken salad to your favorite fruit salad for a complete meal.
- Stuffed Tomato – Hollow out a tomato and fill it with the chicken salad for a healthy and tasty option.
Storing Suggestions
Chicken salad will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you are planning on keeping it for longer than that, it is best to freeze it. To freeze the chicken salad, place the chicken salad in a freezer-safe container and make sure to leave some headspace at the top. When you are ready to eat it, thaw it in the fridge overnight, and then enjoy!Nutrition
FAQs Related To Chicken Salad Recipe
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Chicken salad will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you are planning on keeping it for longer than that, it is best to freeze it.
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It is important to cook the chicken before adding it to the salad because raw chicken can contain harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. By cooking the chicken, you will kill any bacteria that may be present.
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The best way to tell if a chicken is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. The chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Yes, you can use a different type of chicken for this recipe. If you are short on time, you can also use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
Wrap Up
This recipe is perfect for a quick and easy meal. The chicken salad can be easily customized to your taste and it is a great way to use up any leftover chicken that you may have. This dish is perfect for a light lunch or dinner and can be served in a variety of ways.