Southern Style Chicken Salad is a classic comfort-food recipe that brings together tender chicken, creamy dressing, and just the right balance of savory and slightly sweet flavors. This Southern Style Chicken Salad is perfect for lunch, picnics, potlucks, or an easy weeknight meal when you want something satisfying but simple.
When my wife and I owned a catering company in Knoxville, Tennessee, we quickly learned that chicken salad was always a crowd favorite. It worked perfectly for small parties, lunches, appetizers, and just about every type of event we catered. After many rounds of tweaking and taste-testing, we landed on this recipe because it consistently pleased the most people. The crunch from the celery, the tang of the pickles, and the tender chicken come together to create a perfectly balanced, Southern-style favorite.
Why you'll love this southern-style chicken salad
This Southern Style Chicken Salad is rich, flavorful, and endlessly versatile. You can serve it on buttery croissants, sandwich bread, crackers, or over crisp lettuce for a lighter option. It's a staple in many Southern kitchens because it's easy to customize and even better the next day.
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Chicken Options for chicken salad
- Crock Pot Shredded Chicken - Tender, juicy, and perfect for meal prep
- Rotisserie Chicken - Quick, easy, and flavorful
- Dark Meat Chicken - Rich and extra moist
- Leftover Chicken Breast - Lean and classic
Ingredients
To make your Southern Style Chicken Salad, here's what you'll need:
- Chicken Breast - Tender, juicy, and the star of the salad.
- Chicken Stock - Adds moisture and rich flavor
- Mayonnaise - Creamy, classic, and essential.
- Celery - Crisp crunch in every bite.
- Dill Pickles - Tangy pop of flavor
- Lemon Juice - Brightens everything up.
- Yellow Mustard - A touch of Southern tang.
- Pepper - Simple heat to finish it off.
See recipe for quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
After boiling the chicken breasts, it's a simple mix and serve! See the detailed steps below for an easy southern-style chicken salad.
Boiling Chicken Breasts
- Place your chicken breast into a 3-quart stock pot and cover the chicken breast with stock so that it covers the chicken by at least 1 inch."
- Bring the chicken to a boil and then let it simmer for 75 Minutes or until the chicken is fork-tender.
Shred Chicken and Mix
- Once the chicken is tender, remove it from the pot. Place it in a mixing bowl and shred it with a fork and tongs while it's still warm. Set aside to cool. Note, if you let the chicken cool before shredding, it will make shredding much more difficult.
ProTip: Shred the chicken while warm. If you let the chicken cool before shredding, it will make shredding much more difficult.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine your remaining ingredients: mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, diced pickles, diced celery, and black pepper.
- Once the chicken is completely shredded and cooled, stir the mixture very well.
Serving Chicken Salad
- Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to allow flavors to marry together. Date it for 7 days in an air-tight container.
Equipment and Supplies
- Mixing Bowls - For combining everything with ease
- Flint and Flame Knives - Sharp, reliable, and perfect for prepping chicken and veggies.
- Spatula - Makes mixing smooth and simple.
- Food Chopper - Quick, even chopping in seconds.
- Cutting Board - A sturdy surface for safe prep.
- Stock Pot - Ideal for cooking tender, flavorful chicken.
serving ideas
Classic
- Piled high on n a buttery croissant or sandwich bread
- Scooped up with crackers
- Served over crisp lettuce for an easy chicken salad plate
Creative
- Stuffed into ripe avocado halves
- Wrapped in a tortilla or fresh lettuce wrap
- Layered on toasted sourdough
Fun
- Made into mini sliders for parties
- Served as a dip with pita chips
- Spoonfuls on fresh cucumber slices
Storing Leftovers
The best part of this Southern Style Chicken Salad is that it stores beautifully and tastes even better after sitting.
Refrigerater
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Give it a quick stir before serving to freshen it up.
Freezing
Freeing is not recommended. The mayonnaise-based dressing can separate and change texture once thawed.
Video of Recipe
Recipe
Southern Style Chicken Salad
Equipment
- 1 3 Quart Stock Pot
- 2 Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken Breast trimmed
- 6 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 ½ Cups Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¾ Cup Celery diced
- ½ Cup Dill Pickles diced
- 1 ½ tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice about 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
Instructions
- Place your chicken breast into a 3-quart stock pot and cover the chicken breast with stock so that it covers the chicken by at least 1."
- Bring the chicken to a boil and then let it simmer boil for 75 Minutes or until the chicken is fork tender.
- Once chicken is tender remove it from the pot. Place it in a mixing bowl and shred it with a fork and tongs while its still warm. Set aside to cool. Note, if you let the chicken cool it will make shredding much more difficult.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine your remaining ingredients; mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, diced pickles, diced celery, and black pepper.
- Once chicken is completely shredded and cooled stir in your mixture very well.
- Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to allow flavors to marry all together. Date it for 7 days in an air tight container.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut perfect for those busy nights.
Yes. You can substitute part of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt to save some calories and add protein. Serve it over lettuce in place of bread.
Yes! Southern Style Chicken Salad actually tastes better after chilling for a few hours. You can make it up to 24 hours in advance.
More Recipes Using Chicken Breasts
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