Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Recipe Instructions
These instructions are for already cooked chicken and bacon, if you haven’t done that yet then I have detailed instructions above on how to prepare both of these for your chicken salad chick broccoli salad recipe.
Is Chicken Salad Healthy
For the most part, the ingredients in the chicken salad are healthy. The one exception is the mayonnaise but you do have options. Though it varies by brand, regular mayonnaise can have around 80 grams of fat and 750 calories if you were to use 1/2 cup in this recipe. Light mayonnaise can reduce those amounts by one-third or more, as can fat-free mayonnaise. Using one of those and serving the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce to reduce carbs would make this a healthier dish.
How To Serve It
Sometimes I find myself eating this chicken salad by the spoonful straight out of the bowl because its that good. But to turn it into a meal, heres a few ideas.
- Sandwich: Stuff it between sandwich bread with layers of lettuce, spinach, or tomato slices.
- Wrap: Turn it into a wrap with homemade cassava flour tortillas.
- Lettuce Wrap: For a lighter, low-carb option, use large romaine or butter leaf lettuce to wrap it.
- Extra Green Salad: Pour a spoonful on top of a bed of greens such as spinach.
- Dip: Serve it with flax seed crackers or chips.
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Tips For This Recipe:

- Either chill the chicken before you make the salad or chill the chicken salad mixture before serving.
- Try adding different mix-ins to your chicken salad: different kinds of nuts, grapes, apples, dried cranberries, dried cherries, avocado, chopped green onion or red onion.
- Cook your chicken ahead of time so that you can make this recipe quickly. Try my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken or Crockpot Shredded Chicken. Cooked chicken will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, so go by the date when your chicken was cooked to figure out how long you can store your chicken salad in the fridge.
- For a low carb lunch, serve chicken salad in lettuce wraps or on top of a spinach salad.
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How Much To Serve Per Person:
If you are making for serving a large group, at a party or event, youll want to increase the amount that you make. Here is the rule of thumb that I use for how much to prepare per person.
- Sandwiches and wraps = 4 6 ounces per person
- Lettuce cups = 4 6 ounces per person
- Main dish = 8 ounces per person
What Kind Of Chicken Should I Use To Make Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is typically made using leftover chicken, canned chicken, or shredded rotisserie chicken. You can use either dark meat, white meat, or a combination. If you dont have any pre-cooked chicken on hand, you can also cook chicken just for making chicken salad. Simply boil 2 chicken breasts in either water or chicken broth for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and shred chicken with a fork.
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Easy Delicious Poached Chicken Recipe
You can either buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it, or make up a batch of my poached chicken. It cooks up 14 cups of incredibly delicious poached chicken. All ready for you to shred as the foundation for multiple meals! This chicken salad recipe uses 4 cups, leaving you 3 cups for Cheesy Chicken Melts and 7 cups left over for this fabulous tortilla soup!
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What You Need For Ultimate Chicken Salad Recipe
Simple and fresh, this chicken salad will come together quickly. Cook your chicken ahead of time or purchase an already cooked chicken to save on time. This chicken salad will become a favorite to make! The total amounts of ingredients is located in the recipe card.
- Cooked Chicken: chopped or shredded chicken is best.
- Grapes: I used red grapes, they are a bit sweeter than green. Slice in half or cut into cubes.
- Pecans: You can purchase chopped pecans for this salad.
- Green onions: I like to finely chop the green onions for a bit of a kick in each bite.
- Celery: Finely diced using a knife or a shredder.
- Mayonnaise: Do not use salad dressing, it will alter the taste.
- Juice from ½ lemon: Yes, you can use bottled.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds the perfect amount of zippy flavor to this chicken salad.
- Salt and pepper: Add to taste!
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To Make Chicken Salad With Grapes
Not only is this simple and easy, but it is so impressive to serve for guests while sitting on the deck sipping on an ice-cold glass of NESTEA® slightly sweet black iced tea!
Serve with bread, croissants, or over a bed of lettuce.
Pro tip: Toast the pecans in a small pan and let them cool before adding to the salad. Toasting nuts retain their crunch and expand their flavor!
How To Poach Chicken
I love to use poached chicken in this recipe as its easy, healthy, and flavorful. It also means you dont have to turn your oven on if its a hot sunny day outside. A definite bonus.
If done correctly, poaching can yield one of the most tender pieces of chicken youve ever had. To nail this every time, follow the simple steps below.
Can you use baked chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken? Of course. While I prefer poached chicken, almost any chicken works in this recipe. Just make sure you have about four cups of diced or shredded chicken.
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Ingredients In Chicken Salad
Chicken:
- Use leftovers from last nights dinner or leftover rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken.
- To Make Chicken for chicken salad I like to use either poached chicken or baked chicken breasts or thighs.
- You can use canned chicken in a pinch but of course fresh is best when possible.
- Ensure the chicken is cooled and shred or chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Add-ins:
- As this is a classic chicken salad recipe, Ive kept the additions to a minimum. Celery for crunch, green onions for flavor.
- This recipe can be made with a variety of nuts, veggies, and fruit for added flavor and texture.
- Chicken salad with grapes, avocado or dried cranberries is a favorite. Pecans or almonds pair well with this recipe.
Dressing:
- Mayonnaise is the base of this recipe and its simply seasoned.
- You can get creative and substitute some of the mayo for ranch dressing or your favorite salad dressing recipe.
- Create an Avocado Chicken Salad by replacing some of the mayonnaise with mashed avocado.
Preparing Your Chicken For Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Recipe

You can use the instructions below to cook your chicken for your Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Recipe or if you want to use shredded chicken instead, I have another recipe that shows you how to prepare it.
What you will need
- water to cover the chicken by 1 inch
Boiled Chicken Instructions
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Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Recipe
You might have tasted this broccoli salad at chicken salad chick or you just have known about it from a friend and you want to duplicate the recipe at home and you don’t have any idea how to do it.
Well I’m here to show you the right way to make this broccoli salad recipe and It will look and taste like you have ordered it just from a chicken salad chick, all you have to do is to follow the instructions and you will have the best result you are seeking.
How To Serve Classic Chicken Salad
When making sandwiches I suggest choosing a sturdy sliced bread like sourdough or a whole grain sandwich bread. Load up your sandwiches with the toppings you love lettuce, tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion and my life is not complete without a couple of bread and butter pickles.
Or skip the bread altogether and mound this Chicken Salad on leafy greens with lots of fresh veggies for a wholesome meal.
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What Else Can I Add To Chicken Salad
Ive seen a lot of other ingredients show up in this American Classic, here are some of my favorites:
- added vegetables: carrots, roasted red peppers, onion, scallions
- chopped olives
- walnuts, pecans or pistachios
- avocado
I love a big scoop of chicken salad on a tossed salad. Add your favorite dressing and salad ingredients and youve got a light, delicious lunch or dinner.
Its also a nice fillingfor a stuffed tomato.
But when it gets right down to it, nothing beats a good chicken salad sandwich and it plays well with other ingredients. Bacon, tomato and cheese are some of my favorite add ons, when Im feeling a little adventurous.
And anyway you make your sandwich is okay with me. Use a roll, your favorite bread, a pita or a toasted flour tortilla.
How To Cook Chicken For Chicken Salad
I love the convenience and flavor of a rotisserie chicken here , but you can definitely cook the chicken yourself .
- To slow cook chicken breasts simply place 3 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 large bone-in skin on chicken breasts in a slow cooker, season with salt and pepper, cook on low 3 5 hours until cooked through .
- Poach chicken in simmering chicken broth until cooked to 165 in center.
- To bake chicken see this method. You wont need to use all the seasoning just salt and pepper.
- You could even pan sear the chicken. Pound boneless skinless chicken breasts even then season with salt and pepper. Sear in 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until 165 in the center, about 5 6 minutes per side.
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How To Make Chicken Potato Salad:
1. Place chicken breasts in a medium sauce pan , cover with water, add 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-20 min or until cooked through. Drain and let rest until cool enough to handle then dice. If using rotisserie chicken, remove skin and dice the chicken meat. Place in large mixing bowl.
2. Peel and finely dice carrots, then peel and dice potatoes the same size as carrots . Place carrots and potatoes into a medium pot and cover with water. Add 1 tsp salt and bring to boil. Continue cooking uncovered for 10-12 min or until tender then rinse with cold water and drain. Transfer to paper towels to remove any excess water. Transfer to mixing bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl: 2 cups peas, 5 diced eggs, 12 diced baby pickles, finely diced onion, 1/4 cup fresh dill. Stir in mayo, salt and pepper to taste.
What Youll Need Yo Make Classic Chicken Salad
As mentioned above, I use poached chicken for this recipe its easy. If youd prefer to use roasted chicken, youll need 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the chicken breasts skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet, and coat them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until done, and then let cool.
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How Should I Cook The Chicken
Many recipes will tell you to poach the chicken. Which means cooking it in water or stock on the stovetop. So basically your cooking the chicken in water , and lots of the flavor comes out in the water. And some chicken can get a little rubbery cooking this way.
If Im making soup this is fine. But if Im making chicken for a salad topping or chicken salad Im going to roast the meat. This would be the same if I was cooking a whole chicken or pieces with the bone in and skin on.
First coat the chicken with a little olive oil , season with sea salt and black pepper.
Feel free to use any seasoning you like, to create your own flavor of chicken salad. These are some of the different spices Ive used.
- cajun seasoning
- old bay
- taco seasoning
Add a little water to the bottom of the baking dish and cover the dish with foil. Place the dish in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reads a minimum of 165 degrees.
When the chicken is fully cooked, allow it to cool for a 5 -10 minutes. When the chicken has sufficiently cooled, place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to full chill.
Cooking the chicken ahead of time is a good idea. Make it today for lunchtomorrow.
When the chicken has fully cooled in the fridge, you can cut it up into ¼ ½ inch pieces. I like it on the smaller side, but not so small you cant recognize that its chicken.
How To Make The Best Chicken Salad

Ingredients youll need to make this delicious salad:
Chicken. Youll need four cups of cooked chicken that you shred or chop, depending on the texture that you prefer. You can easily shred the chicken in your stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer if you want. Shredding with two forks also works great.
For the chicken, you can use baked chicken that you cook ahead or make Instant Pot chicken. You can even use rotisserie chicken if you wish.
Celery. Chopped celery adds the perfect amount of crunch and freshness.
Grapes. Halved seedless grapes add a touch of sweetness. I love to use red seedless grapes as they add another bit of color to the salad.
Dried Cranberries. Sweet and yet a little tart, the dried cranberries are a delicious addition as well.
Roasted Pecans. Chopped roasted pecans are a great addition. Omit them if allergic to nuts or if you are serving at an event and do not know if there are nut allergies.
Mayonnaise or Greek Yogurt. You can use all mayo or all Greek Yogurt in your salad or even a little bit of each. Greek Yogurt will help to lighten up the recipe, but it is definitely a matter of preference.
Seasonings. Salt and pepper are the perfect seasonings for it.
Celery leaves. Chopped celery leaves add so much flavor, but if you dont have them just omit.
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