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Creamy Classic Chicken Salad Recipe — A Fresh & Flavor-Packed Favorite

When it comes to timeless, feel-good meals, a truly great Chicken Salad recipe is hard to beat. It’s simple, versatile, refreshing, and perfect for lunches, brunches, potlucks, picnics, or easy weeknight dinners. With tender shredded chicken, crisp celery, a creamy dressing, and just the right balance of tang and crunch
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 300
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or diced (rotisserie chicken works great)
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  • ¼ cup red onion finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional add-ins: grapes halved, dried cranberries, toasted almonds, fresh dill, apples, or pickles

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Chicken
  2. Use cooked chicken breast, leftover roasted chicken, or a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Shred it with forks or dice it into bite-size pieces, depending on your preferred texture.
  3. Make the Dressing
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
  5. Add the Vegetables
  6. Stir in chopped celery and red onion. These add the crunch that makes chicken salad irresistible.
  7. Combine Everything
  8. Fold the chicken into the dressing mixture until the pieces are fully coated. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
  9. Add Optional Mix-Ins
  10. This is the step where you can customize it! Add grapes for sweetness, dill for freshness, almonds for crunch, or apples for crispness.
  11. Chill Before Serving
  12. Allow the chicken salad to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors develop and blend beautifully.

Notes

Use rotisserie chicken for richer flavor.
Chill before serving — flavor improves over time.
Add a pinch of paprika or celery seed for depth.