Cascadia Table

I love chicken salad. It is one of my absolute favorite foods and a reliable “go-to” source of protein for me. And like so many dishes I love, there are endless variations to enjoy. I have a few favorites—like this one I’m going to share—but I also love experimenting with new combinations.

I really appreciate the utility of chicken salad. It’s the perfect way to use up leftover cooked chicken. My weekend routine often involves cooking a whole chicken for broth, then pulling all the meat for a big batch of chicken salad. Just like that, I’ve knocked out two major weekend food prep objectives: homemade stock for the freezer and lots of chicken salad for the week. It really is a great thing to have on hand for quick lunches and snacks, whether it’s in a sandwich, on a cracker, or over salad greens.

This recipe is a very classic chicken salad, but with lots of fresh herbs for brightness. You can really use any herbs you want here, but my favorites are dill and parsley—I just love dill in chicken salad.

Gather the following: cooked chicken, mayo, celery, onion (I prefer red here), and a bunch of fresh herbs. Today I am using dill, parsley, and chives because that’s what I had on hand.

Making this couldn’t be easier. Chop your cooked chicken, then finely dice the onion and celery. Add it all to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Finely chop your fresh herbs and toss those in.

Then, add the mayo, mix well, and taste. Adjust to your taste. I like my chicken salad creamy (aka lots of mayo), so I often add a little extra if it tastes too dry. The brand of mayonnaise you use here really matters so use something good. I love Best Foods Mayo and it is the only Mayo I use in chicken salad. This is a simple dish and the flavor of the mayo will really stand out so use something good that you like. 

You certainly could use fresh minced garlic here, but I don’t like the garlic to be too strong in this dish. This is one of the few dishes where I actually prefer garlic powder. You can also leave the garlic out entirely, which I often do as well.

Enjoy your chicken salad! I am having mine with crackers while I watch football because it’s Sunday.