Easy Creamy Chicken Salad

Inspired by the viral Round Swamp Farm creamy chicken salad, this recipe is packed with flavor and so easy to make. Perfect for eating in sandwiches, wraps or with crackers.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Rotisserie chicken. Any leftover cooked chicken can be used. I used the whole chicken but chicken breasts can also be used.
• Celery. Although the Round Swamp Farms chicken salad is very creamy without much texture, I missed the crunch of celery so I decided to dice my celery very finely. You can also grate it if you prefer.
• Chives. Other herbs like parsley, fresh dill, oregano and thyme will also be delicious.
• Seasonings: I used smoked paprika, garlic powder, celery salt, a pinch of sugar, salt and black pepper. Start with a pinch of smoked paprika as it can quickly over-power the chicken salad.
• Mayonnaise. I used a combination of Kewpie mayo and Hellmann’s mayonnaise.
• Sour cream. Greek yogurt can be substituted.
• Fresh lemon juice.
• Optional: Other vegetables like red onion or cucumber can also be added. Green grapes are also a firm favorite but I wanted to keep this recipe super creamy so only used celery. Nuts like sliced almonds, walnuts or pecans, green onions, chopped apples and dried cranberries are all mix-ins you can add for more flavor and texture.

How to make chicken salad

1. Shred the chicken: Remove the skin and bones from the rotisserie chicken then add the meat to the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, mix on low until the chicken is shredded to your preference. For this salad I wanted to keep the chicken pieces quite small. You can also use two forks to shred the meat.
2. Combine: In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken, chopped celery, seasonings and herbs along with the mayonnaise and the sour cream and stir together. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
3. Serve: Chill the chicken salad for at least 30 minutes but ideally overnight then serve.

Can I make this ahead?

This chicken salad recipe can be made up to 4 days ahead and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Easy Salad Recipes