Southern Chicken Salad Recipe - BubbaPie (2024)

Liven up your lunch with this tasty Southern Chicken Salad Recipe! Tender chicken is mixed with onion, celery, egg, and relish on top of a buttery baked croissant roll. Whether you make it into a sandwich, put it on some lettuce, dip some crackers into it, or just eat it by itself, this is the ultimate in southern comfort food!

Southern Chicken Salad Recipe - BubbaPie (1)

Contents hide

1 Finding The Perfect Chicken Salad Recipe

2 What Makes It A Southern Chicken Salad?

2.1 Traditional Chicken Salad Recipes With Eggs

3 What Ingredients Will You Need?

4 What Is The Best Chicken To Use For Chicken Salad?

6 Fun Chicken Salad Sandwich Additions

7 Side Dishes That Would Go Great With Your Sandwich

8 Storing Leftovers and Freezing

9 Southern Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

9.1 Ingredients 1x2x3x

9.2 Instructions

9.3 Nutrition

Finding The Perfect Chicken Salad Recipe

Finding a good chicken salad recipe is like finding a great pair of blue jeans. It is something you can use all the time, for lots of different purposes. And it’s very comforting. I’ve found a Southern Chicken Salad recipe that is all of these things. Whether you want to make it ahead of time for lunches throughout the week, bring it with you on a picnic or serve it to friends and family during a party, this Southern Chicken Salad Recipe will always be there for you. Just like your favorite pair of jeans!

Southern Chicken Salad Recipe - BubbaPie (2)

What Makes It A Southern Chicken Salad?

Traditional Chicken Salad Recipes With Eggs

Generally speaking, what makes this a “Southern” style chicken salad is that we are adding dill relish and a hard boiled egg to this recipe. This gives it that ultimate comfort food taste!

While this recipe makes enough Chicken Salad for about four sandwiches, you could always double the ingredients to make more if need. Also, don’t forget to add the salt and pepper to taste. For recipes like this, the right amount of salt and pepper can make all the difference.

And, lastly, it’s best to use a SUPER large mixing bowl for all these ingredients. We suggest this one that is light, durable and comes with a cool handle that helps you grip it!

What Ingredients Will You Need?

For step-by-step instructions, check out the printable recipe card below. But here is what you’ll need to get started.

  • CHICKEN– We suggest a rotisserie chicken. If you cook the chicken breasts, make sure you either shred it or chop if finely.
  • RED ONION– You’ll want a nice fresh onion, This gives the chicken sandwich a nice crunch!
  • DICED CELERY– Same thing as the onion. Nice, fresh and crunchy!
  • DILL RELISH– This relish really balances the taste well.
  • MAYONNAISE– Please. Pretty please, use the real stuff here. If you really want to shave some calories, you can use low fat Mayo.
  • EGG– Hard Boiled. We love to hard boil or eggs in an Instant Pot. So easy! The egg gives this recipe such a nice flavor and texture!
  • SALT AND PEPPER– Stir in Salt and Black Pepper to taste.

What Is The Best Chicken To Use For Chicken Salad?

For this recipe, I would either use a Roasted Chicken or a Poached Chicken. In fact, you best bet is to probably just go out and grab a rotisserie chicken. Then it will already be cooked and ready to go! But, if you want to stick with white meat chicken breast, then Roasting it or Poaching (boiling) it is the best way to go!

We often cook our chicken in an Instant Pot, which always works out great. It is quick, easy and the chicken turns out perfectly every time!

Southern Chicken Salad Recipe - BubbaPie (3)

What Is The Best Bread To Use?

One of the key ingredients that makes this a Southern Style Chicken Salad Sandwich is the bread we are putting it on. I think that bread is one of the most important (and often most overlooked) ingredient in any sandwich. For this recipe, we love to use a soft, buttery, croissant roll. Although I am a strong proponent of the croissant roll, there are other options as well. It would taste great on some nice thick, crusty homemade bread, bagel or multi-grain bread. For a low carb option, you could also wrap it up in some lettuce!

Speaking of lettuce, I always recommend lining your bread with a layer of lettuce (the softer and more buttery the better!). This way, the chicken salad doesn’t seep into the bread and make it soggy.

Fun Chicken Salad Sandwich Additions

  • FRESH SLICED TOMATO – The meatier the better!
  • SLICED GRAPES
  • SWEET PICKLE RELISH
  • NUTS – Chopped walnuts, pecans or sliced almonds.

Side Dishes That Would Go Great With Your Sandwich

  • CREAMY HOMEMADE COLESLAW
  • BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH APPLES
  • SCALLOPED POTATOES
  • FROG EYE SALAD
  • ROTINI PASTA SALAD
  • MEXICAN FRUIT SALAD
  • 5 CUP FRUIT SALAD

Or…. Just some crispy potato chips!

Storing Leftovers and Freezing

Keep leftover Chicken Salad Sandwich in your refrigerator in an airtight container. It should be good in your fridge for up to 4 days.

Can you freeze chicken salad with made with Mayo? Well, technically you can. But mayonnaise usually doesn’t freeze well and separates. So, I would not freeze this recipe.

Make your next homemade chicken salad recipe Southern Style with this easy recipe! Happy Eating!

Southern Chicken Salad Recipe - BubbaPie (4)

Southern Chicken Salad Recipe - BubbaPie (5)

Rate this Recipe

Southern Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

Course Main Course

Servings 4 Sandwiches

Liven up your lunch with this tasty Southern Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe. Tender chicken mixed in with lots of goodies on top of a buttery baked croissant roll.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chicken cooked and chopped or shredded
  • 3 tablespoons red onion finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons diced celery about 1 stalk
  • 1 tablespoon dill relish
  • 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
  • 1 hard boiled egg
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 croissants
  • fresh spinach or lettuce optional

Instructions

  • Cook chicken. We love to use our Instant Pot for recipes like this.

  • Peel the egg and discard the shell. Dice the egg, using a slicer.

  • In a mixing bowl, add chicken, red onion, celery, relish, mayonnaise, egg and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

  • Add spinach or lettuce to a croissant and top with chicken salad and serve.

  • Makes enough for 4 sandwiches.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal

Love this recipe?Follow @bubbapie for even more delicious recipes!!

Southern Chicken Salad Recipe - BubbaPie (6)

Southern Chicken Salad Recipe - BubbaPie (2024)

FAQs

What not to do when preparing chicken salad? ›

To ensure that your chicken salad tastes the way that it should, you should avoid using overcooked or dry chicken in your recipe. Unfortunately, as we cook chicken, the moisture of the bird slowly evaporates.

Why is my chicken salad so bland? ›

There could be several reasons why your chicken salad is bland. Here are some common factors to consider: Lack of Seasoning: One of the most common reasons for bland chicken salad is insufficient seasoning. Make sure to add enough salt, pepper, and other seasonings like herbs and spices to enhance the flavor.

Why does my homemade chicken salad get watery? ›

Choose low-moisture ingredients whenever possible. Select boneless, skinless chicken breasts over thighs, and opt for low-sodium canned chicken when bulkier meats are called for. Soak up the moisture. Try toasting your nuts, fruits, or vegetables before adding them to the salad.

How long does homemade chicken salad last in the refrigerator? ›

It's tempting to stir up a big batch so that we can enjoy leftovers for a few days. But how long is it safe to keep chicken salad on hand? The short answer is to store chicken salad in a sealed container in the fridge or cooler for no more than four days.

What to do if you put too much mayo in chicken salad? ›

To offset the creaminess (and potentially wetness) of too much mayo, try adding in more of whatever crunchy element you were using. Celery and red onion are some of the most common ones, but you can also try chopped red peppers, bacon bits, carrots, cabbage, apples, chopped nuts, and more.

How long should chicken salad sit before eating? ›

7Allow the salad to chill for several hours (or even overnight). Serve on a bed of lettuce or in a sandwich or heck, eat it straight out of the bowl with a serving spoon.

How do you make chicken taste more flavorful? ›

Marinating is good for flavouring and tenderising your chicken at the same time. It's best to marinate your chicken overnight to give the flavours plenty of time to infuse. A faster way to add flavour is to simply brine your chicken in salty water prior to cooking.

How do you perk up chicken salad? ›

There's a lot you can do with a good basic recipe for chicken salad. Add minced fresh herbs like parsley, chives, basil, or tarragon. Add fresh grapes for juicy little bursts of flavor. Add cooked pasta to stretch the chicken salad into a larger meal.

Why do I feel sick after eating chicken salad? ›

For instance, you can be hit with severe nausea and vomiting just an hour after eating contaminated chicken salad that has a type of toxin-producing bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus.

How long will homemade chicken salad keep? ›

With all of that flavor, you certainly don't want any leftovers to turn bad. Generally, chicken salad will only last three to five days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

How can you tell if chicken salad is still good? ›

If you see mold or any kind of growth on your chicken salad, or it has an off color, it's probably safest to throw it away. The most prominent sign of trash-ready salad will be the smell; Chicken salad that has gone bad will smell off and should be discarded immediately, per eHow.

Why is my chicken salad pink? ›

Chemical changes occur during cooking. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge. Often meat of younger birds shows the most pink because their thinner skins permit oven gases to reach the flesh.

Can I eat 7 day old chicken salad? ›

Be extra careful with mayo-based foods, such as chicken salad or potato salad. They're only safe to eat for 3 to 4 days after they're prepared.

Can you freeze homemade chicken salad? ›

Place chicken salad in a Ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible before placing it in the freezer,” advises Hunt. Always leave a small opening and suck out the air, cinching in the bag tight to the salad. “Label and date your salad and place it in the freezer. Use within three months.

Can chicken salad sit out overnight? ›

Prepared foods can be held in what is called the "Danger Temperature Zone" which is 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for a maximum of four hours total. This includes the times of purchasing, transporting, preparing and serving. Even if they are not contnuess, this is the TOTAL time allowed.

How can you avoid cross contamination when preparing a chicken salad? ›

keep raw meat/poultry and ready-to-eat foods separate during storage and preparation. don't use the same chopping board or utensils for raw meat/poultry and ready-to-eat food (such as salads) without washing the board and utensils thoroughly in between uses.

What are the seven things that you should not do when preparing the salad? ›

Common Salad Mistakes
  1. Here are seven things you should NOT do when making salads: Too much dressing. ...
  2. Pouring on the dressing. ...
  3. Wet salad leaves. ...
  4. Not seasoning it. ...
  5. Subpar salad dressings. ...
  6. Uncreative toppings. ...
  7. Served in a bowl.
May 13, 2013

What are the do's in preparing salad? ›

Here are my top tips to build a delicious–and nutritious–salad entrée.
  1. CHOOSE AN ASSORTMENT OF DEEP GREENS. ...
  2. ADD A MIX OF COLORFUL NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES. ...
  3. ADD A HEALTHY PROTEIN. ...
  4. TOSS IN YOUR FAVORITE BEANS OR LEGUMES. ...
  5. DRESS FOR SUCCESS. ...
  6. ADD SOME PIZAZZ.
Sep 15, 2021

What are the hygiene rules when preparing salads? ›

Cutting boards should be sanitised before use. ✓ Salads should be thoroughly prewashed under running cold water and checked to ensure that any dirt and insects have been removed. ✓ Salads should be disinfected in order to reduce food poisoning bacteria to a safe level.

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