This creamy chicken salad comes together in just minutes and is endlessly versatile. The sweet canned pineapple and earthy mushrooms beautifully balance the rich, tangy dressing made from plain yogurt and mayonnaise. Let it enjoy an overnight rest in the fridge, and serve it chilled with an herb baguette for a heartier meal.
Tom the Chef Founder
Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…
I absolutely love how this creamy chicken salad comes together in just minutes and is endlessly versatile. Whenever I need a quick bite, I turn to this dish because you can pile it onto breads, scoop it up with veggies or chips, or even fold in pasta to turn it into a full heartier meal. The combination of sweet canned pineapple and earthy mushrooms balances the rich, tangy dressing beautifully. I always make sure to use my silicone spatula and a medium mixing bowl to get that perfect consistency, bringing everything together seamlessly. You can add chopped celery as a modification that is not part of the recipe, but I truly believe it is wonderful exactly as written.
When making my chicken salad, the mushrooms add a wonderful earthy note. If you are using raw mushrooms, you want to sauté the sliced mushrooms in 1 TBSP of frying oil over medium heat until golden and softened, which takes about 4 to 5 minutes. After that, you must set them aside to cool completely. If you choose to use canned mushrooms instead, simply drain them well without reserving the liquid. You can sprinkle some paprika on them as a modification that is not part of the recipe, but they are great just as they are.
A major secret to this creamy chicken salad is making absolutely sure that your components are fully cooked and cooled before mixing. Whether you use chicken freshly cooked in boiling water, tasty leftovers, or canned and drained chicken, it must be cooked and cooled. If you are adding pasta to make a heartier meal, that pasta must also be cooked and cooled. Combining warm ingredients with the mayonnaise and plain yogurt will ruin the texture and the temperature balance.
The dressing is what makes this chicken salad truly special. In a medium mixing bowl, I thoroughly fold everything together with a silicone spatula until evenly combined and creamy. I use a half cup of plain yogurt—preferably regular whole yogurt or whole Greek yogurt—and a half cup of mayonnaise. The juice from half a lemon gives it a bright, tangy finish that cuts through the richness. I then taste the mixture and add a half teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, adjusting only if needed.
This chicken salad is endlessly versatile. While you can serve the chicken salad chilled with bread, veggies, or chips, you can also easily turn it into a full, heartier meal. To do this, I add 2 cups of pasta of your choice, making sure the pasta is fully cooked and cooled. Folding the pasta into the medium mixing bowl alongside the canned pineapple and cooked chicken transforms a simple appetizer into a substantial main dish that everyone loves.
Once you have used your silicone spatula to fold all the ingredients together, you face a choice. You can serve the creamy chicken salad right away, but I strongly recommend covering the bowl and refrigerating it for an overnight rest. An overnight rest in the fridge noticeably deepens the flavor, allowing the tangy dressing, sweet canned pineapple, and savory chicken to settle and meld together perfectly. It is absolutely fantastic when served the next day alongside a fresh herb baguette.
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