She’s everything you want from a chicken salad sandwich, but nothing you would expect. Which is why we love her! This chicken salad is packed with pickles, dates and greek yogurt to make it crunchy, creamy and a little sweet. Plus, there’s a secret ingredient to keep it all moist and expertly seasoned.
Equipment
To make chicken salad at home, here’s what you need:
- large bowl
- chef’s knife
- cutting board
- spatula
- medium oven-safe pan
- cheese grater
Note: the full ingredients list and recipe instructions can be found below!
Cooking Tips
- Use any kind of chicken! I love this recipe because it’s a great way to use up leftover chicken. Whether that’s a roast chicken you cooked yourself, or a rotisserie chicken you bought at the store, or some gorgeous chicken thighs from a weekend BBQ, it doesn’t matter. Just use what you have.
- Questioning the dates? I really encourage you to give it a try here. It’s a little bit of sweetness that goes a long way in rounding out the flavour of the chicken salad.
- The broiler is one of my favourite kitchen tools, especially when I’m making sandwiches. You get more browning and caramelization in a shorter amount of time, and it tastes great! Just remember to keep a close eye on your sandwich when it’s under the broiler. If you leave it unattended for too long, it might burn.
- Serve it with… pickle spears and a few chips. It would also go great alongside butternut squash soup.
What to eat with chicken salad instead of bread
I love eating chicken salad with crackers or chips, kind of like a chunky dip. It’s also great on a bed of salad, especially leafy greens, like arugula or kale. My favourite way to enjoy chicken salad is by making a large bowl with lightly-dressed leafy greens, topped with a big scoop of chicken salad and some cheese and nuts thrown in, for more protein and healthy fats.
The secret ingredient that will take your chicken salad to the next level
OK, it’s really not that big of a secret! If you’ve made some of my recipes before you’ll probably recognize this trick. It’s…pickle brine! Since we’re already using the pickles in the salad for texture and flavour, why not also add a splash of brine to add even more dilly goodness? I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again — it’s a great way to add more flavour without upping the number of ingredients.
Dilly Chicken Salad
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
2 cups shredded chicken
½ cup diced dill pickles
1 tbsp chopped capers
¼ cup chopped fresh dill or parsley (optional)
½ tbsp dijon
2 tbsp pickle brine
2 dates, chopped
1/3 cup greek yogurt
3 tbsp mayonnaise
½-1 cup shredded aged white cheddar
2-4 brioche buns (one per person)
Directions
Place a rack on the upper third of your oven and turn the broiler to high.
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups shredded chicken, 1/2 cup chopped pickles, 1 tbsp chopped capers, chopped herbs (if using), 1/2 tbsp dijon, 2 tbsp pickle brine, 2 chopped dates, 1/3 cup greek yogurt and 3 tbsp mayonnaise. Mix until well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning, it might need a pinch of salt or maybe a little more pickle brine.
Heat an oven-safe pan on high heat. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on either side of the buns and place them face down in the pan. Toast your buns until they are golden brown. You might have to work in batches depending on the size of your pan + how many sandwiches you’re making.
Remove the bun tops and arrange the bottoms in the pan. Scoop chicken salad onto the bottoms and cover in shredded cheese. You should get about ½-1 cup of chicken on each sandwich - we want these to be really thick. Place under the broiler and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble and brown. Keep a close eye on them while in the oven - you don’t want the cheese to burn!
Remove and serve with more dill pickles and chips.
Tag me @stefsdinnerdate if you make it! I love seeing your creations <3
I made this today and it’s so good! Instead of rotisserie chicken, I poached a couple chicken breasts with some salt, peppercorns, and thyme and it remained nice and tender.
That sounds like a great substitution! So glad you liked it, and thanks a million for writing a comment <3