Dill pickle chicken salad is filled with shredded chicken and chopped dill pickles in a tangy, creamy dressing. Serve it as a sandwich, with crackers, or on a salad.
Chicken salad is a great meal to make when you don't want to turn on the oven. It's perfect for meal prepping and makes a great cold lunch during those hot summer months!
This recipe can be made with leftover cooked chicken, canned chicken, or a rotisserie chicken. Red onion, celery, and dill pickles add tangy flavor and crunch that are tossed together in a simple homemade dressing.
Dill pickle chicken salad can be served as a sandwich or wrap, with crackers, or on a salad. It keeps for up to five days so it's great for meal prepping lunches.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken - For this recipe, you'll need 16 ounces of cooked chicken. Leftover chicken, canned chicken, or rotisserie chicken works. I recommend using lightly seasoned chicken for best flavor. If using plain cooked chicken or canned chicken, add more seasoning to taste once your chicken salad has been assembled.
- Mayonnaise - The base of your chicken salad dressing. Mayonnaise can be substituted with plain Greek yogurt for a tangier flavor and extra protein.
- Mustard - Dijon mustard adds flavor and tang to the chicken salad. Yellow mustard works as a substitute.
- Celery and onion - Add flavor and crunch.
- Pickles - I used two chopped dill pickle spears, or about ½ cup of chopped dill pickle. Feel free to use your favorite pickles, like bread and butter pickles or spicy dill pickles.
- Seasoning - Dried dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper add tangy, savory flavor to the dressing.
Tips and tricks
Dicing veggies - Dice your onion, celery, and pickles evenly. This creates a uniform flavor and texture throughout the chicken salad.
Allow chicken to cool - If you're using freshly cooked chicken or a warm rotisserie chicken from the deli, allow the shredded chicken cool to room temperature. Hot chicken can melt the mayonnaise and cause it to separate into an oily mess.
Chill before serving - Your chicken salad can be enjoyed immediately, but tastes better after refrigerating for at least an hour. This allows the flavors to meld and ingredients to chill.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, chicken salad keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and is easy to make a day or two ahead of time.
Yes, this recipe can be prepared with an equal weight of canned chicken or tuna. Since canned meats are generally unseasoned, I recommend doing a taste test and adding more seasoning to taste after assembling your chicken salad.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (453 g) cooked and shredded chicken
- ½ cup diced dill pickles, about 2 pickle spears
- 1 celery rib, diced
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ¾ cup (170 g) mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add your shredded chicken, diced pickles, celery, and red onion. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, mustard, dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and incorporated. Pour dressing over your salad ingredients and toss until evenly coated.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve on bread, with crackers, or over a bed of lettuce as a salad.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Prepared chicken salad will keep for 3-5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Cooked chicken can be substituted with a cooked rotisserie chicken with the skin and bones discarded or canned chicken.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!