The classic chicken salad is a great way to enjoy salads on a hot summer day, but it’s also an easy meal to prepare when entertaining family and friends.
It can be served as part of a buffet spread, alongside grilled vegetables and even used as a sandwich filling with slices of bread.
There are many different versions of this simple salad, although all have one thing in common — they’re made from fresh spring mix lettuce, celery, carrots, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, chicken breast strips, mayonnaise, lemon juice and pepper.
Some people add more items like olives and cucumber to their salads while others omit them completely.
We’ll take a look at how these components work together to create two delicious variations of a basic chicken salad recipe.
We’ll start by taking a closer look at the chicken component so we know what makes up our chicken salad.
Then we’ll turn our attention to the other elements of the salad before looking at the ways we can change each item slightly to make a healthier version of the same salad.
How Do You Make A Chicken Salad?
First things first, let’s talk about chicken!
Chicken breasts come either boneless or bone-in depending on your preference.
Boneless means it has been cut into small pieces without any bones attached, whereas bone-in refers to larger chunks of meat that include the bones.
Both types are good options if you don’t prefer eating chicken skin.
If you want to buy chicken breasts already cooked and ready to go, check out supermarkets during sale times for cheaper prices.
If you’d rather cook your own chicken, there are plenty of recipes online so you can learn the process yourself.
Just remember that cooking time will vary based on the size and type of chicken breast you use.
For example, boneless chicken breasts tend to cook faster than whole chickens because it doesn’t contain large amounts of fat or connective tissue.
The latter is especially important since it helps keep the meat moist once it reaches temperature.
Whole birds should be marinated beforehand to help tenderize the meat and ensure it cooks evenly.
You can easily find instructions for both methods online.
Once you’ve got your chicken prepared, it’s time to move onto the next step in making a chicken salad, which is chopping everything else into bite-sized pieces.
You could simply dice the vegetables to save time, but the results won’t be as uniform.
To get around this, try cutting them into cubes.
This will give everyone a chance to eat the exact amount of veggies they like.
Alternatively, you can opt for baby leaves instead of regular ones.
These are smaller and easier to handle, and they offer the same texture as diced cabbage.
You need to chop the remaining ingredients pretty finely too, otherwise they’ll end up being mushy after adding to the dressing.
Celery needs to be cut lengthwise into thin ribbons using a sharp knife, while cucumbers need to be sliced thinly crossways.
Hard-boiled eggs shouldn’t require much preparation, just remove their shells and slice off the top third of the egg (to allow room for the yolk).
Finally, shredded cheese is optional, but if you decide not to use it then you might want to consider swapping in crumbled feta or goat’s milk mozzarella.
It’s worth noting here that the dressing used mustn’t overpower the taste of the main ingredients.
As such, you need to balance out salty flavors with sweet ones.
For instance, vinegar is often added to dressings to provide acidity, however, its natural sweetness would clash with the saltiness of bacon.
Instead, you could choose balsamic vinegar, which works well with most foods.
Another option is to replace half of the dressing with plain yogurt to reduce its overall calorie content.
Finally, you’ll need to combine everything together.
First, toss the chopped vegetables into a bowl along with the rest of the ingredients except for the bacon bits.
Once that’s done, pour over enough dressing to coat every piece of food thoroughly, but don’t drown it.
Add the bacon and stir until combined.
Serve immediately.
What Is In A Chicken Salad?
As mentioned earlier, a typical chicken salad contains only five key ingredients — lettuce, celery, carrot, tomato and hard-boiled egg.
However, there are lots of alternatives you can swap in for each of those.
Let’s take a look at the five components individually to see what goes into creating a classic chicken salad.
Lettuce is typically the star ingredient in a salad thanks to its crunchy textures and refreshing flavor.
Although iceberg lettuce is usually selected due to its affordability and availability, romaine is another popular choice.
In fact, it’s considered to be the healthiest of the three varieties.
Either lettuce can be mixed with spinach, kale, arugula or watercress to boost nutritional value.
You can even add avocado, red onion or sunflower seeds to improve the dish further.
Celery is a staple vegetable that provides essential vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron and folate.
Try choosing stalks over hearts to avoid the bitter taste of the former.
The addition of apple cider vinegar gives celery extra tang.
And if you’re trying to lose weight, you can substitute celery root for the actual veggie.
Carrots are packed full of antioxidants and fiber, helping lower cholesterol levels and fight cancerous cells.
They can also aid digestion by improving nutrient absorption, reducing gas production and lowering stomach pH.
Carrot tops are particularly beneficial since they contain higher concentrations of beta carotene compared to the roots themselves.
You can serve carrots raw or roast them briefly to bring out their sweetness.
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant associated with reduced risk of certain cancers.
They can also help prevent heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, plus they’re loaded with vitamin C, potassium and manganese.
Fresh or canned fruit are equally good choices, and if you want to add additional nutrients try sprinkling dried cranberries or walnuts on top.
Hard-boiled eggs are convenient sources of protein, B vitamins, selenium and zinc.
They’re also low in saturated fats and calories, making them a suitable replacement for fatty meats.
Plus, they’re ideal for vegetarians who miss the taste of meat.
Now let’s take a look at the second variation of chicken salad.
What changes does it make to the original recipe? Well, it uses cauliflower instead of celery, adds mustard sauce to the dressing and replaces the hard-boiled eggs with boiled potatoes.
What Is In A Broccoli Salad?
Broccoli is a leafy green vegetable that’s high in nutrients and fibre, yet low in calories and sodium.
Like celery, it offers anti-cancer properties thanks to the presence of sulforaphane, a compound linked to protection against prostate and colon cancer.
Eating broccoli regularly has also been shown to increase lifespan.
Potato wedges are a better option to serve alongside broccoli since they’re less likely to become soggy and discolored.
Boiling them before adding them to the salad will also soften the exterior slightly.
Other vegetables you could try include peas, corn, carrots, onions or bell peppers.
Broccoli can also stand in as a substitute for the celery in the chicken salad recipe above.
But if you’d like to add something new to the plate, think about experimenting with other cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts or cabbage.
All three are excellent sources of sulphoraphane, which is known to protect against several forms of cancer.
What Is The Best Chicken Salad Recipe?
With so many different possibilities for chicken salad, it seems impossible to pick a “best” recipe.
That said, there are a few factors to consider when deciding between the dishes listed below.
Firstly, the dressing is vital to the success of your creation.
Make sure it complements the main ingredients and isn’t overwhelming.
Secondly, the vegetables can play a role too.
Choose those that suit your personal tastes.
Lastly, choose whichever method suits you best.
Here are four chicken salad recipes that you might want to try:
Classic chicken salad
Boiled potato salad
Mushroom & Parmesan chicken salad
Vegetable & quinoa chicken salad with hummus
How Do You Make A Broccoli Salad?
A broccoli salad recipe can be created in various ways, but the base remains the same.
Cut the florets into small pieces and steam in boiling water until soft.
Drain and set aside to cool.
Peel and cube the outer layers of the stalk, then shred the white parts of the stem.
Put the cooled vegetables into a serving container and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.
Season with garlic powder, paprika and black pepper, then sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
Toss gently to combine and serve.
What Is The Best Broccoli Salad Recipe?
To make the ultimate version of a broccoli salad, follow the steps outlined above and then add one or more of the following ingredients:
1/2 cup roasted almonds
3 tablespoons raisins
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Few dashes of smoked paprika
Equipment
- Pan
Ingredients
Salad:
- 2 bunches broccoli florets
- 8 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup cheese shredded
- ½ cup cranberries dried
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- 1 medium red onion diced
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar white vinegar or apple cider vinegar will also work as a substitutes
Instructions
- Break or cut the broccoli florets from your bunches into bite-sized pieces. Added to a colander and thoroughly rinsed. Place aside and let dry. Your red onion should be peeled and diced.
- If you’re using raw bacon, make sure to cook it completely before letting the grease drain. Slice into tiny pieces.
- Broccoli florets, cooked and crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and your diced red onion should all be combined in a mixing bowl.
- Make your dressing by combining mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar in a small mixing bowl. Stir everything together.
- Then, add your dressing mixture to the broccoli mixture and stir until the dressing is evenly distributed throughout. Cover the bowl and refrigerate. When you’re ready to serve, chill the dish until it’s cold.
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.