Traditional Chicken Salad Sandwich

I used to think chicken salad was boring until I tried making it from scratch with fresh herbs. Growing up, the only version I knew came from those plastic containers at the grocery store—you know the ones. They tasted okay, but nothing special.

Then one afternoon I decided to poach my own chicken and throw in some lemon slices and tarragon while it cooked. The difference was huge. The chicken actually had flavor, and when I mixed it with good mayo, mustard, and fresh herbs, it turned into something I actually got excited about eating. Now it’s my go-to for lunch during busy weeks, and my kids will actually eat it without complaining.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For chicken salad, you’ve got a few options that’ll all turn out great. You can poach or roast bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs for the most flavor and moisture, or take a shortcut with a rotisserie chicken from the store if you’re pressed for time. Chicken thighs tend to stay a bit juicier than breasts, but honestly both work well as long as you don’t overcook them. If you’re cooking the chicken yourself, let it cool completely before shredding or chopping it up – this makes it way easier to handle and helps the chicken absorb all those tasty dressing flavors better.

Options for Substitutions

This chicken salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Chicken: You can use rotisserie chicken to save time, or swap in leftover turkey for a different flavor. Canned chicken works in a pinch too, just drain it well and flake it with a fork.
• Tarragon: If tarragon isn’t your thing or you don’t have it, try dill or basil instead. They’ll give you a fresh herb flavor that works great in chicken salad.
• Mayonnaise: You can use Greek yogurt for a lighter version, or do half mayo and half Greek yogurt for a nice balance. Sour cream also works if that’s what you have on hand.
• Mustard: Any mustard works here – Dijon, yellow, whole grain, or spicy brown. Pick whatever you like best or have in your fridge.
• Red onion: Yellow or white onion can replace red onion easily. If you want something milder, try green onions or shallots instead.
• Celery: Diced apple, grapes, or water chestnuts can add that satisfying crunch if you’re out of celery or want to mix things up.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with chicken salad is adding the dressing while the chicken is still warm, which can make your mayonnaise separate and turn the whole mixture watery – always make sure your chicken has cooled completely in that ice bath before mixing.

Another common error is cutting your chicken pieces too small, which creates a mushy texture instead of satisfying chunks, so aim for roughly 1-inch cubes that give you a good bite in every sandwich.

Don’t forget to taste and adjust your seasoning at the end, since the chicken itself is seasoned but the vegetables and dressing need their own salt and pepper to bring all the flavors together.

Finally, if you’re making this ahead, hold off on adding the celery and onion until just before serving to keep them crisp and prevent excess moisture from building up in your salad.

What to Serve With Chicken Salad Sandwich?

A chicken salad sandwich is pretty filling on its own, but I love pairing it with some crispy potato chips or a handful of kettle-cooked chips for that satisfying crunch. A simple side of fresh fruit like grapes, apple slices, or berries makes for a nice light contrast to the creamy chicken salad. If you want something a bit more substantial, a cup of tomato soup or a light vegetable soup works great for dipping. You could also serve it alongside a basic green salad with a lemony vinaigrette, or even some pickles and olives for a tangy bite between sandwich bites.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get better after sitting for a few hours, so it’s great to make in the morning and eat for lunch. Just wait to add it to bread until you’re ready to eat, otherwise your sandwich will get soggy.

Make Ahead: This is one of those recipes that’s perfect for meal prep. You can cook and shred the chicken up to 2 days ahead, then mix everything together the day you want to eat it. The onions and celery will stay crunchier this way too.

Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing chicken salad because the mayo tends to separate and the veggies get watery when thawed. It’s best enjoyed fresh from the fridge!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1100-1300
• Protein: 110-130 g
• Fat: 60-75 g
• Carbohydrates: 15-20 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 2 lb chicken
• salt
• pepper
• 1 lemon (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 4 sprigs tarragon

For the dressing:

• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp tarragon (finely chopped for better distribution)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise)
• 1.5 tbsp mustard (I use Grey Poupon Dijon mustard)
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tbsp chives
• 1/2 cup red onion (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp onion powder

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Season Chicken

• 2 lb chicken
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 cup red onion
• 1/2 cup celery
• 2 tbsp tarragon
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tbsp chives
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon

Dice the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, dice the celery into similar-sized pieces, finely chop the tarragon, parsley, and chives, mince the garlic clove, and zest the lemon before cutting it in half for juice.

Season the 2 lb chicken generously with salt and pepper on all sides.

This prep work ensures everything is ready when you need it and prevents scrambling during assembly.

Step 2: Sous Vide Cook the Chicken

• seasoned chicken from Step 1
• 1 lemon
• 4 sprigs tarragon

Place the seasoned chicken in a vacuum-seal bag along with the lemon slices (1/4-inch rounds) and tarragon sprigs.

Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible.

Cook in a water bath at 155°F for 1 to 4 hours depending on your schedule—the gentle temperature ensures incredibly moist, tender meat.

Once cooked, immediately transfer the bag to an ice bath for 15 minutes to stop the cooking process and cool the chicken slightly for handling.

Step 3: Build the Chicken Salad Base

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1.5 tbsp mustard
• lemon juice and zest from Step 1
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 cup red onion
• 1/2 cup celery
• 2 tbsp tarragon
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tbsp chives

While the chicken cools, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl.

Stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, diced red onion, diced celery, and the chopped tarragon, parsley, and chives.

Mix everything thoroughly so the flavors meld together—I like to let this sit for a minute so the spices fully dissolve into the mayo and the vegetables start releasing their juices.

This creates a more cohesive, flavorful base for the chicken.

Step 4: Process and Finish the Chicken Salad

• cooked chicken from Step 2
• chicken salad base from Step 3

Remove the cooled chicken from the bag and discard the lemon slices and tarragon sprigs.

Carefully remove the skin and bones, then cut the chicken into 3/4-inch cubes—this size is ideal for a hearty salad that holds together well on bread or lettuce.

Add the cubed chicken directly into the bowl with the salad base and fold gently to combine, being careful not to break up the chicken pieces.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your preference—I find that the chicken often needs a bit more salt than you’d expect since it was poached gently.

Step 5: Serve the Chicken Salad

• finished chicken salad from Step 4

Serve the chicken salad immediately on fresh bread, crisp lettuce leaves, or however you prefer.

The salad is best served while the chicken is still slightly cool from the ice bath, which provides a nice contrast to warm bread if you choose to toast it.

Traditional Chicken Salad Sandwich

Delicious Traditional Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken::

• 2 lb chicken
• salt
• pepper
• 1 lemon (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 4 sprigs tarragon

For the dressing::

• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp tarragon (finely chopped for better distribution)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's mayonnaise)
• 1.5 tbsp mustard (I use Grey Poupon Dijon mustard)
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tbsp chives
• 1/2 cup red onion (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp onion powder

Instructions

 

• Dice the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, dice the celery into similar-sized pieces, finely chop the tarragon, parsley, and chives, mince the garlic clove, and zest the lemon before cutting it in half for juice. Season the 2 lb chicken generously with salt and pepper on all sides. This prep work ensures everything is ready when you need it and prevents scrambling during assembly.
• Place the seasoned chicken in a vacuum-seal bag along with the lemon slices (1/4-inch rounds) and tarragon sprigs. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Cook in a water bath at 155°F for 1 to 4 hours depending on your schedule—the gentle temperature ensures incredibly moist, tender meat. Once cooked, immediately transfer the bag to an ice bath for 15 minutes to stop the cooking process and cool the chicken slightly for handling.
• While the chicken cools, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl. Stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, diced red onion, diced celery, and the chopped tarragon, parsley, and chives. Mix everything thoroughly so the flavors meld together—I like to let this sit for a minute so the spices fully dissolve into the mayo and the vegetables start releasing their juices. This creates a more cohesive, flavorful base for the chicken.
• Remove the cooled chicken from the bag and discard the lemon slices and tarragon sprigs. Carefully remove the skin and bones, then cut the chicken into 3/4-inch cubes—this size is ideal for a hearty salad that holds together well on bread or lettuce. Add the cubed chicken directly into the bowl with the salad base and fold gently to combine, being careful not to break up the chicken pieces. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your preference—I find that the chicken often needs a bit more salt than you'd expect since it was poached gently.
• Serve the chicken salad immediately on fresh bread, crisp lettuce leaves, or however you prefer. The salad is best served while the chicken is still slightly cool from the ice bath, which provides a nice contrast to warm bread if you choose to toast it.