Deli Chicken Salad Recipe

Deli Chicken salad recipe! Creamy, flavorful and delicious! Eat this in a sandwich, with crackers, tortilla chips or by the spoonful. So good! Just like if you were ordering from a deli, made at home!

If you know me, you know I love a good chicken salad. I’ve made many: my Waldorf chicken salad, my apple almond chicken salad, my chicken salad with Dijon vinaigrette and my Chinese chicken salad and more!

I love adding chicken to my salads! I like to make my chicken salads a little lighter by using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. I believe you still get a super delicious meal and I can’t even really tell the difference!

Deli Chicken Salad Recipe

Often times, I will cube or shred up by chicken and you absolutely need shredded chicken for Deli style chicken salad in my opinion! I’ve seen many people do this but I’ve actually never used a stand mixer to shred my chicken. .  until yesterday. What a breeze! If you have one, I highly recommend using it! The mixer can literally shred up your chicken in about 30 seconds. 

My tips: chop your chicken into pieces, boil for about 8 to 9 minutes and then place your freshly cooked chicken into the stand mixer. Use your paddle attachment (or the flat beater attachment) and mix on high speed. It’s brilliant. 

I really hope you try this recipe! It’s delicious!

Print Recipe

Deli Chicken Salad Recipe

This is a classic Deli Style Chicken salad recipe. Start with this recipe and feel free to add chopped pecans, dried fruit, sweet relish, whatever you want!

You can also use roast chicken or rotisserie chicken if desired for this recipe. If using, rotisserie chicken, taste before you season with salt. You might not need as much.

Prep time includes refrigeration time.

Measurements below are guidelines. If you like a chunkier chicken salad, add more onions and celery. If you want it creamier, add more greek yogurt.

Prep Time40 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Main or Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken salad, deli chicken salad, deli style chicken salad

Servings: 4

Author: hipfoodiemom

Equipment

• stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment optional

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast boneless, skinless
• 1 heaping cup Greek yogurt* + more if needed
• 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice or juice from 1 large sized lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar white granulated or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
• 1/4 cup celery finely diced
• 1/4 cup chopped bread and butter pickles or sweet pickled relish optional

Instructions

For the chicken:

• For the chicken: chop chicken breasts into 2 to 3 inch pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil and once boiling, carefully place the chicken into the boiling water. Turn the heat down to medium high. Let cook for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.**
• Using your stand mixer fitted with the flat beater attachment, place your cooked chicken into the stand mixer and starting at a low speed, let the mixer go, then slowly increase the speed to high and your chicken should be all shredded up (like the photo above) in about 30 seconds. If you don't have a stand mixer, shred up your chicken using two forks. Set aside.

For the chicken salad:

• Using a large mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, lemon juice, sugar, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust any seasonings as needed.
• Add in the diced red onions, celery and chopped bread and butter pickles or sweet pickled relish*** (if using), and the shredded chicken. Mix until everything is combined and everything is nicely coated in the dressing mixture. Taste one more time and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
• Transfer your chicken salad to a bowl (covered) or airtight container with lid and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so that the flavor can meld together.

  MAKE AHEAD: if you are making this chicken salad for an event, brunch or lunch, you can make in advance and chill in the fridge overnight. The chicken salad tastes even better the next day! Enjoy in a sandwich, with some greens, with crackers or just on its own!

Notes

You can also use roast chicken or rotisserie chicken if desired for this recipe. If using, rotisserie chicken, taste before you season with salt. You might not need as much.

*or if you prefer, you can use mayonnaise instead

**I find that the chicken shreds up easier in the stand mixer when it's freshly cooked and moist; not cold and hard. 

***feel free to add chopped pecans, dried cranberries, red grapes, sweet relish, whatever you want!

Deli Chicken Salad Sandwich:

For extra flavor, spread some mayo on your bread slices, add the chicken salad, add my pickled red onions and some fresh arugula. Serve the sandwich with your favorite chips and bread and butter (or dill) pickles!