Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

If you don't make anything else from this blog, find time to make this Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe! And then make a whole bunch of chicken salad sandwiches!

In this chicken salad recipe, lean, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are poached in a "secret" ingredient, then pulsed in a food processor with seasonings, crisp vegetables, pickle relish, and hard boiled eggs to make the ultimate chicken salad sandwich spread. It's delicious on whole grain bread, crackers, or even eaten with spoon!

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (1)


Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (2)

A few years back, I helped out my neighbors by working at their family owned Chick-fil-A restaurant for a short time. I handed out freebies and chicken samples for just a few months. It was fun! And, of course, I got to sample all of the goods myself.
One of the items I really enjoyed was their chicken salad. I heard the chicken salad sandwich isn't available at Chick-fil-A anymore. All good things come to an end, I suppose.
I've always been a huge fan of chicken salad. One of my all time favorite recipes for chicken salad is this Waldorf Style Chicken Salad. It's full of big crunch from apples and walnuts! And, I do love this not-so-ordinary Blueberry Pecan Chicken Salad too!
But, neither of these chicken salad recipes, as good as they are, are really suited for sandwiches. They are chunky and crunchy, not smooth and hom*ogeneous.

This chicken salad recipe I'm sharing today, is perfectly suited for sandwiches. It reminds me a lot of the chicken salad recipe I enjoyed at Chick-fil-A. I wouldn't say it's a copycat recipe, but I would say it's pretty darn close!
It's a southern style chicken salad, full of crisp celery and onion, pickle relish, and yes, eggs! That's right, this Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe has eggs in it! Have you ever had chicken salad with eggs?

If not, you are in for a treat!

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (3)

But first things first, let's talk about cooking chicken breasts for this chicken salad recipe.

How to cook chicken breasts for salad recipes:

My favorite method for cooking chicken breasts for salad recipes is poaching. By definition, "poach" means to cook something by simmering it in a small amount of liquid. I find this method is best because it leaves the entire chicken breast soft and moist.

This is the texture you want for chicken salad recipes like this one. This method works well for boneless and bone in chicken breasts. But I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken breasts when I make chicken salad.

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (4)


What kind of liquid can I use to poach chicken breasts for chicken salad?

You can use just about any liquid you like to poach chicken breasts. Water is fine, but chicken broth is better. Even fruit juices and milk make great poaching liquids! You can also add aromatics to the poaching liquid to give the chicken different flavor profiles. Sliced lemons, black peppercorns, and bay leaves are popular additions.

My secret ingredient is Sprite! I love poaching chicken breasts in Sprite! The lemon lime soda leaves a slightly sweet citrus flavor to the chicken which I think is just perfect in this chicken salad recipe!

How to poach chicken breasts for chicken salad recipes:


  1. Add chicken breasts to skillet with a lid. Sprinkle with salt.
  2. Add enough poaching liquid to the pan to completely cover the chicken breasts.
  3. Turn on heat and bring liquid up to just boiling.
  4. Cover pan and turn heat down to simmer.
  5. Simmer until internal temperature of chicken breasts reach 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the meat.
  6. Remove chicken from poaching liquid and allow to cool enough to handle. If poaching for this chicken salad recipe, let cool completely before turning them into chicken salad.

Of course, if you don't want to or feel like poaching the chicken for this recipe any diced leftover chicken breast would work in any chicken salad recipe here on my blog.

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (5)


How do you make homemade chicken salad?

Once the chicken breasts are completely cooled the food processor will make easy work of combining everything. For best results, cube cooled chicken, hard boiled egg, celery, and onion to about the same size before adding to the food processor.

Make sure you use a food processor that is 6 - 9 cups or bigger for this chicken salad recipe. This recipe does make a lot of chicken salad! But, this recipe is also suitable to be halved to make a smaller amount if you like.

Can chicken salad be frozen?


Chicken Salad cannot be frozen. The mayonnaise in the salad will not hold up and will break. The salad will be slimy and unappealing when defrosted.

Even more salad sandwiches to love!

chicken salad recipe, chicken salad with egg, southern chicken salad

Main Course

American

Yield: 12 servings

Author: Renee Paj

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (6)

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe is boneless, skinless chicken breasts are poached Sprite, then pulsed in a food processor with seasonings, crisp vegetables, pickle relish, and hard boiled eggs to make the ultimate chicken salad sandwich spread.

Ingredients

  • 2 - 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, poached, cooled and diced into 2" cubes (see poaching instructions in text above)
  • 2 large stalks of celery, cut into 2" pieces
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion, cut into 2" pieces
  • 1/4 cup pickle relish (sweet or dill)
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup Mayonnaise made with Olive Oil
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • 1 tsp. celery salt
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In 6 cup (or bigger) food processor or larger fitted with blade, add all ingredients. Process for several seconds, then scrape down sides and process until desired consistency.
  2. Store covered, in refrigerator.

Notes

Nutritional Information is an estimate.Serving size is approximately 1/4 cup

Nutrition Facts

Calories

142

Fat (grams)

5

Carbs (grams)

4

Protein (grams)

19

Copyright © 2018 Renee's Kitchen Adventures


Don't forget to pin Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe to your Pinterest boards!

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (7)

Like what you see?
Follow RKA on all these social networks!!
Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube

Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is chicken salad a southern thing? ›

In the South, chicken salad is synonymous with bridal and baby showers, church potlucks, and family picnics. If there are more than eight people around, you can bet chicken salad will make an appearance. In Iran, the same is true for a dish called Salad Olivieh.

What are the ingredients of chicken salad? ›

Why is my chicken salad so bland? ›

How to make chicken salad taste better. The secret ingredient you should be adding to your chicken salad is pickle juice (via Cookies and Cups). You can (and should) add chopped pickles for extra tang and crunch, but if you like to keep things simple, just a splash or two of the pickle juice will do.

How to thicken up chicken salad? ›

I make a dressing with mayo, mustard, vinegar, celery seed, S&P. I combine just enough of the dressing with the chicken/veggie mixture to coat it. You can thicken the chicken salad by adding more chicken, almonds, celery, cranberries, or grapes.

Who first put grapes in chicken salad? ›

In 1863, Liam Gray, founder of Town Meats, was the first to mix leftover chicken with grapes, mayonnaise and tarragon. From then on, chicken salad was a hit, and Town Meats turned the salad into something of a delicacy.

What does a Southern meal consist of? ›

A traditional Southern meal may include pan-fried chicken, field peas (such as black-eyed peas), greens (such as collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, or poke sallet), mashed potatoes, cornbread or corn pone, sweet tea, and dessert—typically a pie (sweet potato, chess, shoofly, pecan, and peach are the most ...

What is chicken salad dressing made of? ›

Most chicken salad dressings are a combination of mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The rest of the flavor for this dish comes from ingredients like celery and fresh herbs.

Is there mayo in chicken salad chick? ›

All white meat, shredded chicken, finely minced celery, mayonnaise, & our secret seasoning.

What goes bad in chicken salad? ›

Discard any chicken salad with visible mold growth. Fresh chicken salad should have a light color. If the chicken or mayonnaise appears discolored or gray, it's time to toss it. Chicken salad should have a creamy or slightly chunky texture.

What should you not do in the preparation of chicken salad? ›

To ensure that your chicken salad tastes the way that it should, you should avoid using overcooked or dry chicken in your recipe. Unfortunately, as we cook chicken, the moisture of the bird slowly evaporates.

Why am I still hungry after eating chicken salad? ›

Your lunch choice may lack sufficient protein, healthy fats, and fiber to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Consider adding sources of lean protein, healthy fats (like avocado or nuts), and high-fiber vegetables to your meal to increase satiety.

Why does my homemade chicken salad get watery? ›

To prevent your homemade chicken salad from becoming watery, ensure the chicken is fully cooled and consider roasting or grilling instead of boiling to reduce moisture content. Lightly salt watery vegetables like cucumbers and let them sit before adding to the salad to draw out excess water.

Why is my chicken salad dry? ›

Why is my chicken salad dry? If your chicken is dry, your chicken salad will have a dry texture. Adding more mayonnaise isn't the solution, but rather, adding an element like lemon juice instantly elevates the texture and taste.

Where is chicken salad originally from? ›

One of the first American forms of chicken salad was served by Town Meats in Wakefield, Rhode Island, in 1863. The original owner, Liam Gray, mixed his leftover chicken with mayonnaise, tarragon, and grapes. This became such a popular item that the meat market was converted to a delicatessen.

Where did the chicken salad chick originate? ›

Stacy Brown and her husband Kevin Brown founded Chicken Salad Chick in 2008 in Auburn, AL. The business idea came out of her love for making and serving chicken salad, a recipe that was passed down from her grandmother.

Is chicken a Southern food? ›

Some of the most popular dishes in Southern cuisine include: Fried chicken: A Southern classic, fried chicken is seasoned with a blend of spices and then coated in flour before being deep-fried to crispy perfection.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Leonie Wyman

Last Updated:

Views: 6254

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Leonie Wyman

Birthday: 1993-07-01

Address: Suite 763 6272 Lang Bypass, New Xochitlport, VT 72704-3308

Phone: +22014484519944

Job: Banking Officer

Hobby: Sailing, Gaming, Basketball, Calligraphy, Mycology, Astronomy, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Rev. Leonie Wyman, I am a colorful, tasty, splendid, fair, witty, gorgeous, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.