Old-Fashioned Chicken Salad
A comforting and crowd-pleasing chicken salad made with shredded chicken, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and a creamy mayo dressing, perfect for sandwiches or light dinners.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded Rotisserie chicken works great
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped Red or sweet onion
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sweet relish Substitute chopped dill pickles + a pinch of sugar if needed
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise See substitutions below
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper To taste
Instructions
Preparation
- Hard-boil the eggs: Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 9-10 minutes. Drain and run under cool water until easy to handle. Peel and finely chop.
- Shred the chicken: While the eggs are cooking, place cooked chicken in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Mix on low for 45-60 seconds until shredded. Alternatively, use a hand mixer on medium for 2-3 minutes or finely chop the chicken with a knife.
- Prep the veg: Finely chop the onion and celery. Drain any excess juice from relish if needed.
- Combine: In a large bowl, add shredded chicken, chopped onion, celery, chopped eggs, sweet relish, and mayonnaise. Stir until evenly combined.
- Season: Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours to let flavors meld. Serve chilled.
Notes
For creative twists, consider adding curry powder, tarragon, or chopped avocado. Mayonnaise-based salads can separate when frozen, so it's not recommended to freeze this chicken salad.