Classic Chicken Salad or Loaded with Mix-Ins? What’s Your Go-To?

[Charlotte Robert]

For those of you who make chicken salad regularly — do you prefer keeping it classic (just chicken, mayo, seasoning), or do you like adding mix-ins like grapes, apples, nuts, or fresh herbs?

I’ve noticed even small additions completely change the texture and flavor balance. Curious what combinations you all swear by — and what you absolutely avoid 👀🥗

[weinoo]

5 hours ago, Charlotte Robert said:

For those of you who make chicken salad regularly — do you prefer keeping it classic (just chicken, mayo, seasoning), or do you like adding mix-ins like grapes, apples, nuts, or fresh herbs?

I’ve noticed even small additions completely change the texture and flavor balance. Curious what combinations you all swear by — and what you absolutely avoid 👀🥗

 

This topic might help a little...

 

 

As might this one:

 

 

[Darienne]

Our take is chicken, mayo, green onions and celery, salt and pepper.  Period.  Oh, I chop the chicken finer than my husband does.

[lindag]

Dried cranberries (re-hydrated).

[BeeZee]

I lean towards curried chicken salad, with some finely chopped green apples, or honey-mustard-mayo with celery for crunch. Chicken being rather bland, I like the dressing to have some punch.

[blue_dolphin]

I have my personal “classic” tuna salad and egg salad, both just like my mom used to make. I rarely make chicken salad but when I do, it’s always something different, no “classic” there.
 

Restaurants in my area commonly offer a range of salads that can be “upgraded” with the addition of sliced, grilled chicken, steak or salmon.  That’s not what comes to my mind when I think of “chicken salad” but I guess they are. 

[Darienne]

1 hour ago, lindag said:

Dried cranberries (re-hydrated).

I'm going to try that next time.

 

[Tropicalsenior]

3 hours ago, BeeZee said:

Chicken being rather bland, I like the dressing to have some punch.

I feel the same way. Add-ins for me just don't give chicken salad enough flavor.

If it's poached chicken or rotisserie chicken I try to go with a very Tangy dressing but I prefer to prepare the chicken in a way that it has more flavor to begin with.

The other day I marinated finally diced raw chicken breast in soy sauce, hoisin sauce and rice wine vinegar. Sauteed it just until it was done and let it cool. Dressed with a light Sesame ginger dressing and used it on an arranged dinner salad. It was delicious.

[Tropicalsenior]

In one of the threads that Mitch gave us, someone mentioned putting boiled eggs in chicken salad. I like chicken and I like boiled eggs but I just can't see combining the two textures.

I much prefer homemade mayonnaise, especially for chicken salad, because you can customize it to your own taste. But it has a very short shelf life and I seem to throw away more than I use.

Every time I make a full batch it turns out perfectly. But whenever I try to make a half batch or a quarter batch I have a dismal failure.

Edited 19 hours ago by Tropicalsenior (log)

[Maison Rustique]

I almost never make it but I saw a recipe for it not long ago (did not save it) that had the usual mayo, onion, celery, but also had pimento and water chestnuts. I thought the water chestnuts sounded good for texture.

[dans]

I typically swap some of the mayo for sour cream to add a little tang. My wife liked it with cut up grapes and slivered almonds.

[Charlotte Robert]

On 2/13/2026 at 6:28 PM, weinoo said:

 

This topic might help a little...

 

 

As might this one:

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much, Mitch! I’ll dig into those threads — I had a feeling this topic had history 😄

It’s funny how something as “simple” as chicken salad can spark so many strong opinions. I’m looking forward to seeing what combinations people have experimented with over the years.

[Charlotte Robert]

On 2/13/2026 at 7:51 PM, Darienne said:

Our take is chicken, mayo, green onions and celery, salt and pepper.  Period.  Oh, I chop the chicken finer than my husband does.

I love the confidence in that “Period.” 😂

There’s something really comforting about a stripped-down, no-nonsense version. And I completely agree — how finely the chicken is chopped makes such a difference in texture. I think that alone can change the whole experience.

[Charlotte Robert]

1 hour ago, dans said:

I typically swap some of the mayo for sour cream to add a little tang. My wife liked it with cut up grapes and slivered almonds.

 

Nice swap — sour cream would add just the right tang.

Grapes and slivered almonds are such a great sweet-and-crunch combo too.

[MaryIsobel]

I used to frequent a sandwich shop whose chicken salad was mayo and sour cream 50/50, diced chicken, celery, cashews, all diced fairly small seasoned lightly with curry powder - it was habit forming!

[liamsaunt]

I don’t make chicken salad very often, but when I do, I am partial to Ina Garten’s curried chicken salad.  It has cashews in it, which I really like as an addition. I am not a huge celery fan, so usually leave that ingredient out. 
 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/curried-chicken-salad-recipe-2014291

[blue_dolphin]

37 minutes ago, liamsaunt said:

I don’t make chicken salad very often, but when I do, I am partial to Ina Garten’s curried chicken salad.  It has cashews in it, which I really like as an addition. I am not a huge celery fan, so usually leave that ingredient out. 
 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/curried-chicken-salad-recipe-2014291

That sounds quite similar to the curry chicken salad I make. I use my friend’s masala mixture and always toast it before adding to the mayo. I add halved red grapes and chunks of green apple. 
 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by blue_dolphin
Typo (log)

[YvetteMT]

Another vote for curried chicken salad. First had it about 15 years ago from Whole Foods while at a work conference.  IIRC, it had the usual onion, celery etc but also had either raisins or dried cranberries that had been partially hydrated and plumped up. 

Chicken salad isn't something that gets made often in my house, it's more of a convenience to grab a tub while out for a quick lunch.

[AlaMoi]

in the pasta/chicken/egg/potato/tuna salad area, we're pretty 'usual' - but what it get served with . . . 

that's a different story.

 

I see all the nice pix of various "plates" - but they seem to more represent 'things served around' the salad, not in the salad....or?

[gulfporter]

Buffalo Chicken Salad. 

 

I grab a few fresh batter-fried chicken thighs from local carryout.  Make salad with cherry tomatoes, Persiana cukes, mixed greens, some sort of onion.  Roughly slice the thighs, then douse in a good bleu cheese dressing and hot sauce.