This is the same classic chicken salad recipe that you remember from when you were a kid. Learn how to make it just like grandma did.
Some recipes just can’t be improved. They are the ones that you loved when you were younger and they still taste just as amazing today. This chicken salad recipe is exactly that kind of recipe. It’s so amazing that it deserves to be called a classic. Another favorite: Keto Deviled Egg Salad!
Budget-Friendly Recipe Chicken Salad
This is the best chicken salad recipe for lots of reasons, but my favorite is that it uses pantry-staple ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
Want to save even more money? Use canned chicken. This way, you’ll be able to have chicken salad any time you want.
Here are the other easy-ingredients you’ll find in this salad:
- Apples
- Pecans
- Celery
- Mayonnaise
- Sweet Relish
- Celery Salt
- Onion Powder
- Tomato
Best Type of Apples for Chicken Salad
I love using Granny Smith apples for the chicken salad. They are perfectly tart. If you prefer the salad to have a sweeter taste, use Macintosh apples instead.
Nuts in Chicken Salad
Pecans have a slightly sweet taste and the perfect texture for chicken salad. You can also substitute walnuts instead.
If you or someone you know is allergic to nuts, just leave them out. This recipe will still have the perfect texture without the nuts.
How To Make This Recipe Keto-Friendly
This recipe only uses ¼ cup of chopped apples, so it qualifies as low-carb but still has too many carbs to be keto.
If you are on the keto diet, then here are the modifications you need to make.
- Omit the apples – apples are naturally high in sugars and carbs
- Use sugar-free mayo
- Wrap the salad in leaf lettuce instead of tortillas
Healthy Lunch Idea
This salad is packed with protein and nutrients. It’s a healthy lunch that your kids will enjoy eating and you don’t have to worry about what’s in it.
The celery and apples are healthy sources of fiber. The pecans and chicken are amazing sources of lean protein. Wrap them up in lettuce or whole-grain tortillas and you have a complete lunch in one wrap.
How To Make Chicken Salad Ahead of Time
I love keeping a family-sized portion in my refrigerator so I have a quick and easy lunch ready for everyone.
After you make a large portion of this salad, just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last about a week in the fridge.
Don’t freeze this salad. After you thaw it, the texture will change and it won’t be as enjoyable.
What To Serve With Classic Chicken Salad Recipe
If you are hosting a cookout or have a pot-luck to go to, take this classic chicken salad. This way, you know there is something low-carb that you can eat.
Want some more ideas? Make these recipes to serve on the side with it.
Classic Chicken Salad Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make the classic chicken salad recipe – just like how you remember it from cookouts in your childhood. The exact measurements are located within the printable recipe card below!
Ingredients
Burrito-size flour tortillas or large leaf lettuce
Cooked chicken breast or canned chicken
Granny Smith apple
Pecans
Celery
Mayonnaise
Sweet relish
Celery salt
Onion powder
Romaine lettuce
Tomato
Instructions
Mix the chicken, apple, pecans, celery, relish, mayonnaise, celery salt, and onion powder together until thoroughly mixed. Add additional mayonnaise if desired.
To make a wrap, place chicken salad in the middle of a large tortilla. Top with chopped romaine and sliced tomato if desired.
Place on lettuce wraps and serve!
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CLASSIC CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE
This is the same classic chicken salad recipe that you remember from when you were a kid. Learn how to make it just like grandma did.
Ingredients
- Burrito-size flour tortillas or large leaf lettuce
- 6 cups cooked chicken breast, coarsely chopped Can also use canned chicken.
- 1/4 cup Granny Smith apple coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 cup sugar-free mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sweet relish
- 1/4 tsp celery salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
Optional
- Chopped romaine lettuce, if desired For tortilla wraps
- 1 thinly sliced tomato
Instructions
-
Mix the chicken, apple, pecans, celery, relish, mayonnaise, celery salt, and onion powder together until thoroughly mixed. Add additional mayonnaise if desired.
-
To make a wrap, place chicken salad in the middle of a large tortilla. Top with chopped romaine and sliced tomato if desired.
-
Place on lettuce wraps and serve!
Recipe Notes
For a keto-friendly version of this chicken salad make the following modifications.
- Omit the apples – apples are naturally high in sugars and carbs
- Wrap the salad in leaf lettuce instead of tortillas