Pioneer Woman Chicken Salad Way I Like It

Pioneer Woman chicken salad way I like it is an easy chicken salad made with poached chicken, sweet grapes and slivered almonds, ready in 1 hour 20 minutes. It's an easy make-ahead chicken salad for baby showers, Mother's Day lunch or Sunday lunch, and it's great piled on toast or lettuce.

Taste the dressing before it ever touches the chicken, and adjust the salt, lemon and brown sugar until it tastes just right. Boiled chicken is bland, so a dressing that's too timid leaves the whole salad flat.

Ree balances a creamy mayonnaise and yogurt base with lemon juice, fresh dill and a little brown sugar, so it's light and bright instead of heavy. Poaching a whole cut-up chicken and pulling the meat by hand gives you chunky, juicy bites that canned or rotisserie shortcuts can't match.

Pioneer Woman Chicken Salad Way I Like It

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Course: SaladCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

380

kcal

Chunky pulled chicken, crisp celery and juicy grapes are folded into a creamy, lemony dressing with fresh dill and a hint of cayenne. Chilling it for a few hours lets the flavors meld, and the toasted almonds add crunch in every bite.

Ingredients

• 1 whole, cut up fryer chicken
  

• 2 to 3 stalks celery, chopped
  

• 3 green onions, chopped
  

• 2 to 3 cups grapes, halved
  

• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
  

• 1/2 c. plain yogurt or sour cream
  

• Juice of 1 lemon
  

• 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  

• Kosher salt, to taste
  

• Ground black pepper, to taste
  

• Small handful fresh dill, minced
  

• Cayenne pepper, to taste
  

• 1/2 c. slivered almonds
  

Directions

• Poach the chicken: Place the cut-up chicken in a large pot of water, turn on the heat and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the chicken is fully cooked.
• Shred the meat: Remove the chicken from the pot and set it on a plate. Once it's cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones with your fingers or a fork and chop it into bite-size chunks.
• Combine the chicken mixture: Add the chopped chicken, 2 to 3 stalks of chopped celery, 3 chopped green onions and 2 to 3 cups of halved grapes to a large bowl. Set it aside while you make the dressing.
• Mix the dressing: In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream, the juice of 1 lemon and 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper, then stir in the minced dill and a dash of cayenne pepper.
• Taste and adjust: Taste the dressing and adjust the salt, pepper and sweetness until it's just right. It should taste a little bold, since it will season all that bland chicken.
• Fold it together: Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and stir gently until everything is thoroughly mixed. Then stir in 1/2 cup slivered almonds, and add a sprinkling of bacon bits if you're feeling naughty.
• Chill and serve: Let the salad chill for several hours or even overnight so the flavors can meld. Serve it on a bed of lettuce or in a sandwich, or eat it straight out of the bowl with a serving spoon.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Hellmann's real mayonnaise, 30 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of poaching a whole chicken?

Yes, shredded rotisserie chicken saves you the hour of simmering and works well here. Just skip the poaching steps and start with about 4 cups of chopped meat, then taste the dressing since rotisserie chicken is already seasoned.

What can I swap for the mayonnaise and yogurt?

Sour cream works in place of the yogurt, as the recipe already allows. For a lighter version, you can use all Greek yogurt and a bit more lemon juice, though the salad will taste tangier and less creamy.

Can I make this chicken salad without the almonds?

Really, the almonds are only there for crunch. If you want the texture without them, try chopped pecans or walnuts, or add extra celery.

Can I use dried dill instead of fresh?

Fresh dill gives the best bright flavor, but dried will do in a pinch. Use about 1 teaspoon dried in place of the handful of fresh, and taste before adding more since dried herbs are stronger.

What's the most common mistake when making chicken salad?

Skipping the taste test on the dressing is the big one, because plain boiled chicken soaks up a lot of salt and lemon. Another is mixing in the dressing while the chicken is still warm, which can make the salad watery, so let the meat cool first.