I love making this Chicken Salad From Scratch. When I say from scratch, I mean that I make the chicken as well instead of buying a rotisserie chicken from the store. I have made this recipe more times than I can count and it was one of the first ones that I learned from my mom. It is a very versatile recipe and can be adapted easily to what you have. Oh yeah, and it is naturally gluten free which makes life a lot easier for a celiac girly.
What ingredients are in this recipe?
Chicken– I like dark meat in my chicken salad so I always use skinless chicken thighs. I buy bone in because it is cheaper but feel free to cut back the work and cooking time by using boneless. I still recommend using skinless as the crispiness or gumminess ( depending on how you cook it) does not sit right with this recipe in my opinion.
You can also use the white meat or chicken breasts if that is the texture that you prefer. I have made it both ways many times.
Shortcut: Use a rotisserie chicken and shred off all the meat. When I am short on time I make it this way and it does save A LOT of time. Honestly, this is how I always made it until moving to Spain and rotisserie chicken were not in the supermarket.
Yogurt/ Mayonnaise– Feel free to adjust the ratio of yogurt to mayonnaise to your liking. I love mayonnaise but like to include healthy substitutes whenever I can. Greek yogurt is a great substitute to add protein and less fat.
Grapes– Grapes are in season right now in Spain, so this was the first recipe that came to my mind. I always use red grapes but feel free to use the variety that you prefer. I also often include a finely diced apple into the salad on pretty day.
Vegetables-Celery and onion. Celery is important in this recipe for the crunch. Onion can be left out if you are not a fan, but as someone who is onion obsessed I always add a little extra and then maybe a little extra on top of that.
Spices– So the spices is where you can get really creative. You can season the chicken however you prefer. Really I cannot imagine any spice on the chicken that would make this recipe bad. I even used curry spiced chicken once and let me tell you, that might be a recipe for another day it came out so tasty.
As for the spices in the dressing, I always like tarragon, celery seed, and pepper. Celery seed is impossible to find in Spain, so I always bring it from the US when I visit. If you must skip it you can. The tarragon can be replaced with dill or oregano but keep in mind the flavor will be completely different. But hey, that is okay! This chicken salad can be made in so many variations.
How to make Chicken Salad From Scratch?
- Cook chicken with the seasonings of your liking and shred into tiny little pieces.
- Mix the herbs, yogurt, mayonnaise into a bowl. Dice the veggies, halve the grapes and add them to the mixture. Add the shredded chicken.
- Let rest in the refrigerator for minimum 30 minutes to an hour. The longer the better, trust me.
- Make it pretty with some more halved grapes or sliced green onions on top.
Optional Toppings
Make it pretty with some more halved grapes or sliced green onions on top.
How to serve the Chicken Salad?
While your can eat it alone, my favorite way to enjoy is as an open faced sandwich on a gluten free piece of bread with a thick cut tomato.
It is also great on a bed of lettuce or as a snack with rice crackers.
How to store the leftovers?
This chicken salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Separation may occur from the water in the celery. Give it a good mix and it should be good to go. If the chicken absorbs to much of the dressing and it it is dry, you can add another tablespoon of mayonnaise.
More La Disco Nap Recipes
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Did you make this recipe?
If you make it, please leave a comment below with your thoughts. Don’t forget to share your version with a picture on Instagram and tag @ladisconap #ladisconap It means the world to me.
Chicken Salad From Scratch (GF)
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds raw chicken thighs (6-7 thighs) bone in, without skin
- dried garlic, onion, dill, oregano, salt, pepper measure with your heart
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salad
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 cup red seedless grapes halved
- ⅔ cup celery diced
- ¼ cup red or white onion diced
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cooking the Chicken
- Skip to the Preparing the Salad section if you are using a rotisserie chicken with all the meat pulled off.
- Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃). While preheating, line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Then sprinkle a generous amount of spices, herbs, and salt and pepper, and olive oil onto the raw chicken to coat.
- Place the seasoned raw chicken in a single layer onto the baking sheet and cook for 40 minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉ (73.9℃).
- Take out the chicken and let it rest. When it is cool enough to handle use 2 forks (or your hands) to pull it off the bone and shred into bite sized pieces.
Preparing the Salad
- Combine the mayonnaise, greek yogurt, celery seed, tarragon (or herbs of your choice), and pepper to a large mixing bowl.
- Dice the veggies (celery, onion) and half the grapes and add to the mixing bowl with the dressing. Add the shredded chicken. Stir to combine everything. Add salt to taste.
- Wrap the bowl in saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to bring out the flavors. Serve on a bed of green or a piece of gluten free bread.
- Y ya esta! Enjoy!
