Creamy Chicken Salad
- PREP 10min
- TOTAL 10min
I love this creamy chicken salad, especially the crunchy nuts and dried fruit. It’s also quick to make and lasts a few days in the fridge. We highly recommend the toasted sesame oil — it adds a lovely umami flavor to the dressing. A little goes a long way, so only add a few dashes (not more than a ¼ teaspoon).
You Will Need
- For the Salad
3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken (480g)
1 cup chopped celery (120g)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs like chives, parsley, mint, or basil
¼ cup lightly toasted nuts like sliced almonds, walnuts, pecans or pine nuts (40g)
¼ cup dried fruit like golden raisins, cranberries, dates, or blueberries (40g)
- For the Dressing
½ cup mayonnaise, see homemade mayo (110g)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 to 4 small dashes toasted sesame oil (scant ¼ teaspoon), optional
1 to 2 teaspoons jam, optional
Directions
1Combine the chicken, celery, herbs, nuts, and dried fruit in a medium mixing bowl.
2Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Taste, then add the optional ingredients. Toasted sesame oil adds umami (a little goes a long way), and the jam sweetens the dressing.
3Toss the dressing with the salad. Taste, then adjust with more salt and pepper.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: When stored in an airtight container, chicken salad stays in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, which is excellent news because, as I mentioned above, the salad tastes great the moment you make it, but give it a day in the fridge, and it tastes even better.
- In addition to or as a substitute for the dried fruit, add a handful of fresh fruit like halved grapes or chopped apples.
- For a lighter chicken salad, swap the mayonnaise for light mayo or use plain or Greek yogurt.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.