Sweet Southern Chicken Salad
If you've got boneless skinless chicken breasts, celery and mayonnaise, you're most of the way to this chicken: about 65 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (5)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Egg Tree nuts
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page β how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan with one of the celery stalks roughly chopped, the peppercorns, bay leaves and salt, then cover with cold water by about 2 cm.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and poach the chicken for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer reads 74 C (165 F) at the thickest point.
- Lift the chicken out and let it cool, then shred or dice it into bite-sized pieces and chill in the refrigerator.
- Finely dice the remaining celery stalk and the red onion, and roughly chop the pecans.
- In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and mango chutney, chopping any large pieces of fruit in the chutney so it blends smoothly.
- Fold the chilled chicken, celery, onion and pecans into the dressing, then season with black pepper and a little more salt to taste.
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving on bread, in a wrap, or over lettuce.
You'll use: Saucepan Β· Pan Β· Blender Β· Whisk
Tips & common questions
How long does Sweet Southern Chicken Salad take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
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Adapted recipe β rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Sweet Southern Chicken Salad is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Chicken salad with eggs.jpg by T. Bjornstad, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure β how we source recipes.