Appetizers and Party Food Recipes
Chicken Salad
4 servings
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. Read More
Appetizers and Party Food Recipes
Before You Start
Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…
Welcome to My Creamy Chicken Salad
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.
Preparing the Mushrooms
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.
Ensuring Ingredients are Cooked and Cooled
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.
Mixing the Creamy Dressing Base
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.
Making it a Heartier Meal with Pasta
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.
The Importance of an Overnight Rest
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.
Popular questions
Do I have to wait to eat the chicken salad, or can I serve it immediately?
You can serve the chicken salad right away, but I highly recommend an overnight rest in the fridge. An overnight rest noticeably deepens the flavor and allows the plain yogurt and mayonnaise dressing to fully infuse the cooked and cooled chicken and canned pineapple.
Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
Click any ingredient to learn more2 cups of chicken breasts - cooked and cooled (diced or shredded)
½ cup of pineapple - canned, drained (do not reserve liquid) (or fresh, peeled and diced)
½ cup of mushrooms of your choice - canned, drained (do not reserve liquid) (or raw, sautéed on 1 TBSP of frying oil)
½ cup of plain yogurt (preferably regular whole yogurt or whole Greek yogurt)
½ cup of mayonnaise
½ TSP of salt (adjust if needed)
¼ TSP of pepper - ideally freshly ground
2 cups of pasta of your choice - cooked and cooled
* It’s up to you whether you use chicken freshly cooked in boiling water, tasty leftovers, or canned and drained. Whichever you choose, make sure the chicken is fully cooked and cooled before mixing.
Nutrition per 1 Serving:(recipe split into 4 servings)
EstimatedCalories 758
Protein 37.4 g
Fat 31.0 g
Saturated fat 6.0 g
Carbohydrate 81.1 g
Sugars 6.6 g
Fiber 4.6 g
Sodium 402 mg
Cholesterol 67 mg
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients above using the United States Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central reference data. An estimate, not a measurement — brands, sizes and how much of a marinade actually ends up on the plate all move it.
Directions:
1.Preparation:
Let’s start the preparation of the Chicken Salad.
1.1.
If using raw mushrooms, sauté the sliced mushrooms in 1 TBSP of frying oil over medium heat until golden and softened (about 4 – 5 minutes), then set aside to cool. If using canned mushrooms, simply drain them well.
1.2.
Make sure the chicken is fully cooked and cooled, and that your pasta (if using) is cooked and cooled as well.
1.3.
2.Mix:
2.1.
Place into the medium mixing bowl and add:
2 cups of chicken – cooked and cooled
½ cup of pineapple – diced
½ cup of mushrooms – sliced
½ cup of plain white yogurt
½ cup of mayonnaise
Juice from ½ lemon
½ TSP of salt
¼ TSP of ground pepper
2.2.
For a heartier, more filling salad, also add 2 cups of cooked and cooled pasta.
2.3.
Thoroughly fold everything together with the silicone spatula until evenly combined and creamy.
2.4.
Taste and add salt and/or pepper if needed.
3.Chill and Serve Chicken Salad:
3.1.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight for best results, allowing the flavors to settle and meld together.
Note: You can serve it right away, but an overnight rest in the fridge noticeably deepens the flavor.
3.2.
Serve the Chicken Salad chilled with bread, veggies, or chips.
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