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This creamy chicken salad is so nostalgic for us! It came from GRANDMA!

You know those foods that instantly transport you to a memory? This is one of those foods! Grandma ALWAYS made a big batch of chicken salad when we came to her house. We’d eat it for lunch with fresh fruit and a green salad. We also frequently serve it at family parties and showers, so it’s associated with celebrations and love.

Every ingredient complements each other and the mayo dressing has loads of flavor. The chicken is tender and well seasoned, and the celery and sliced almonds give it the BEST crunch.

This recipe is really easy to whip up. Just like Grandma, we love mixing up a big batch and eating it on croissants for weekday lunches or serving at get-togethers.

It’s the classic side to serve at any get-together. It’s great with our go-to Broccoli Salad and Pasta Salad recipes.

For more favorites, try our Ham Salad and Avocado Egg Salad!

Why we think you’ll love it:

  • The FLAVOR! Every ingredient complements each other and the mayo dressing has loads of flavor – just like Grandma made.
  • Textures. The celery and sliced almonds give it the BEST crunch.
  • Party perfect. This easy salad whips up in minutes and stores great – great for making ahead and serving at parties and gatherings.

Creamy Chicken Salad Ingredients And Substitutions

  • 6 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (rotisserie chicken and shredded chicken work too) about 3 cups cooked chicken
  • 1 ½ cups chopped celery
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup mayonnaise – or Miracle Whip or Low-fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed or from a bottle
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup sliced almonds or chopped walnuts, cashews, or pecans
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
  • optional mix-ins sliced grapes, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped apple, green onion, or red onion
  • serve with croissants, multi-grain bread, dinner rolls, French Bread, crackers, lettuce, pita bread, and more
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Mayo dressing in a white bowl.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Salad

  1. MIX. In a large bowl, combine chopped, cubed chicken and celery.
    • In another bowl, whip cream by hand until thickened. Add lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until smooth.
    • Pour dressing over chicken and celery. Add sliced almonds and mix until combined.
  2. CHILL. Cover the chicken salad and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. It’s best served chilled. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
  • We keep a large batch of cooked chicken in the freezer. This makes it easy to grab and thaw whenever we’re making a recipe that calls for it.
  • Our favorite way to serve chicken salad is as a sandwich on a croissant, but it can be scooped with tortilla chips or crackers, in a lettuce wrap, or in a tortilla.
  • Sometimes we’ll add fruit such as sliced grapes, raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped apples.
Chicken salad in a bowl.
5 from 19 votes

Creamy Chicken Salad

By: Lil’ Luna
Our creamy chicken salad has been the star of parties and showers for years – enjoyed on croissants, in salads, or straight from the spoon!
Servings: 8
Prep: 15 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 6 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (rotisserie chicken and shredded chicken work too)
  • cups chopped celery
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, combine chopped chicken and celery.
  • In another bowl, whip cream by hand until thickened. Add lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until smooth.
  • Pour dressing over chicken and celery. Add sliced almonds and mix until combined.
  • Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips.
  • We keep a large batch of cooked chicken in the freezer. This makes it easy to grab and thaw whenever we’re making a recipe that calls for it.
  • Our favorite way to serve chicken salad is as a sandwich on a croissant, but it can be scooped with tortilla chips or crackers, or rolled in lettuce or in a tortilla.
  • Sometimes we’ll add fruit such as sliced grapes, raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped apples.
Prep ahead of time. The components can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Store chicken, celery, almonds, and parsley in one bowl and the dressing in a separate container in the refrigerator. Combine dressing with other ingredients before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 471kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 137mg, Sodium: 684mg, Potassium: 744mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 376IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

Prep ahead of time?

Prepare the ingredients 1-2 days ahead. Keep the chicken, celery, almonds, and parsley in one bowl and the dressing in a separate container in the refrigerator. Stir together before serving.

How to store?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

This recipe was originally published May 2019.

About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

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5 from 19 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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16 Comments

  1. Julie P. says:

    I’m totally making this. The only change I’m making is that it won’t be rotisserie chicken, it’ll be canned chicken instead. I’m super excited to make it and get the ingredients when I go to the store. It’ll be awesome!

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      I hope you love it as much as we do! Canned chicken is a great option!

  2. Kelsey fulmer says:

    5 stars
    Have used this recipes several times! It’s always a hit!

  3. Connie S. says:

    Looking to make the Chicken Salad recipe.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Hope you like it!!

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