You Really Only Need 4 Ingredients For Chicken Salad

Who doesn't love a hearty scoop of flavorful chicken salad served on a bed of fresh greens? While creamy multi-dimensional dishes like jammy-yolked egg salad and chicken salad are considered classic lunchtime options, you may not make these traditional salads as frequently as you like due to time constraints surrounding your day-to-day schedule. Yet, to craft a tasty well-rounded chicken salad, you only need four ingredients.

Thanks to the internet and millions of cookbooks available around the world, you may have trapped yourself into thinking homemade chicken salad needs a substantial array of ingredients to be delicious. Yet, believe it or not, with just chicken, a creamy ingredient like mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, celery, and red onion, you can make a satisfying chicken salad in no time. While chicken and mayonnaise are obvious components, celery and red onion give this simplified recipe a signature crunch while simultaneously adding vibrant color and refreshing flavor.

Now that you know you only need a few ingredients to make a crave-worthy, protein-packed chicken salad, mindful preparation makes assembly extra simple. To save time, cook your chicken breast a day or two in advance or use a fully-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. You can also dice your veggies ahead of time. This way, when you're ready to enjoy a serving of this satisfying lunchtime staple, your four-ingredient chicken salad comes together in a snap.

To craft the best basic chicken salad recipe, avoid using too much celery and red onion; excess may overpower the flavor of your recipe. To achieve the ideal ratio of ingredients, for every four halves of chicken breast, use one cup of mayonnaise or yogurt. Use only ¼ cup each of chopped or minced celery and red onion. Mix all the ingredients together and add salt and pepper as needed.

Once you realize how easy it is to craft a tasty homemade chicken salad, you can add all sorts of extra ingredients for added flavor. To keep things easy, spruce up this classic dish with fresh herbs like parsley or dill — or the secret herbaceous ingredient that Ina Garten puts in chicken salad: fresh tarragon. This herb has flavor notes reminiscent of mint, grass, and licorice. All in all, herbs give a traditional chicken salad a distinct, refreshing bite.

Alternatively, you may want to impart your chicken salad with one or two sweet ingredients. Fresh fruit such as chopped grapes, crushed pineapple, or diced apples are all worthwhile options. You might also enjoy dried fruit such as cranberries or raisins. Give chicken salad more texture by adding crumbled bacon and chopped almonds or pecans. Serve your simple salad stuffed into avocados or with apple for a sweet and savory bite.