Old Fashioned Chicken Salad Sandwiches! This classic comfort recipe is inspired by the one my grandma used to make when I was growing up. It includes chopped chicken, celery, boiled eggs, and pickle relish mixed in a mayonnaise/miracle whip “dressing,” but I also share some variations to try below if you’re partial to nuts, grapes, or curry in your version.
This favorite meal from my childhood is always what I turn to when I need a little comfort – Chicken Salad Sandwiches just can’t be beat.
This dish takes me right back to my grandmother’s kitchen table!
How To Make Classic Chicken Salad
I’ve started making this meal for my children and they’ve grown to love it as much as I do.
You could add in apples, grapes, or curry for a more “jazzed up” chicken salad. But, this classic version is my favorite. You can’t go wrong with a classic, right?
This is a simple classic chicken salad sandwich recipe which includes shredded and chopped poached chicken, celery, hard-boiled eggs, and pickle relish then mixed in a mayonnaise/miracle whip dressing.
(Be sure to try my Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich too!)
Ingredients/Variations
- Chicken – use your favorite “fresh” chicken for this recipe. Chicken breasts, chicken thighs are perfect! You can also use a whole chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the store.
- Eggs – hardboiled
- Chopped Celery – adds a little crunch and flavor to chicken salad sandwiches
- Dill – you don’t have to add dill but I love the flavor it brings
- Mayonnaise/Miracle Whip – I like a mixture of both for this recipe. It adds a perfect tanginess
- Nuts/Fruit – a lot of people love to add walnuts, pecans, and grapes
How to Cook Chicken for Chicken Salad Sandwiches
This easy chicken recipe can use pretty much any kind of chicken but I prefer to use chicken breasts that have been boiled before shredding and chopping. I’ve used a rotisserie chicken in a pinch and even cooked a whole chicken that is my absolute for the best flavor!
Freezing Chicken Salad
I wouldn’t recommend freezing chicken salad. Mayonnaise dishes usually don’t turn out after they’ve been in the freezer. If you want to make chicken salad sandwiches ahead of time, the salad itself will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days; assemble into sandwiches, wrap them in plastic wrap, and they’ll be good in the fridge for a day or two.
As hard as I’ve tried, my version isn’t exactly like what my grandmother would make and there isn’t a recipe written down. This is pretty close with the addition of dill – which I love! And, I use whole wheat bread for chicken salad sandwiches instead of the more traditional white bread. It’s still yummy! If you prefer, you can make your sandwiches with a croissant cut in half lengthwise or stuff the chicken salad into pita bread. It’s also great served in lettuce cups—romaine and butter lettuce both work well.
More Easy Lunch Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed these chicken salad sandwiches and you’re looking for some more super simple lunch ideas that your whole family will love, we’ve got a bunch of them here on All Things Mamma! Take a look at the recipes below.
Chicken Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 3 stalks celery - diced
- 4-5 hardboiled eggs - diced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup miracle whip
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon vinagar
- 1 tablespoon dill
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the chicken breasts in pot of water with salt and pepper until tender - about 30 minutes
- Remove from pot (keeping water in pot) and shred with two forks.
- Add in diced celery, eggs, and pickle relish
- In a separate bowl, mix mayo and miracle whip, sugar, dill and vinegar - forming a dressing.
- Pour mixed dressing over chicken mixture.
- Stir unill combined.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve on toast or with crackers and a side of noodles.
Very good!!
We LOVE this
Thank you, Janice! We’re so glad!
Once again I must correct a recipe. It is RIBS of Celery, not stalks. A stalk refers to the whole plant. A Rib is just one piece of the plant.
Thank you for the feedback, Barbara!
I don’t have Miracle Whip…can sour cream be subbed for it?
We would probably recommend using mayo instead. Please let us know how it goes if you do try it out!
This is what my mom made. This IS the best chicken salad ever! No need for any changes or substitutions.
Perfect!! So glad I found your recipe.
Thank you😊
Thank you so much, Jane!
This is the only recipe I will use in the future. I didn’t have the Miracle Whip or the relish, but it was perfect and so simple. My husband loved the hard boiled eggs in it. Thank you.
Thank YOU, Nancy! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. 😊
This is it!!! By far the BEST chicken salad. It reminds me of my mothers and I never could get it right before! After reading the ingredients I realized what my mom’s secret ingredient was…..miracle whip. Us kids hated Miracle Whip …. But now I know it is what made her chicken salad the best! My husband agrees this is the best!!
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Just made it,love it,I added celery seed and garlic powder
Those are great additions! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ricky!
This is right on point. The simplest and the best.:)
I love too cook so I be trying out new recipes so I tried your chicken salad recipe and I enjoyed it thank you 😊
Thank you, Holly! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
I have never made this before but was pleasantly surprised in the outcome. I used 3 chicken breasts ( cooked and shredded) and 2 large cans of chicken. Minced them together wtih celery and red onion. I used half mayo and half miracle whip. I added more sugar and spice… a little cayenne, poultry seasoning, more pepper/lemon pepper. I put some pickle juice with relish to help blend the mayo mixture. It got lots of compliments!
Added balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar 1 tsp of each gives a nice kick.
I put apple,grapes,and walnuts in mine so I will follow recipe and add these 3 ingredients
We hope you enjoy, Judy! We’ll have to try adding those. 😊
Made this using a rotisserie chicken.
Used half cop of mayo, and half cup jalapeño ranch dressing.
Cider vinegar
And a squirt of honey instead of sugar
Used the relish, but didn’t have any dill.
Will try with dill next time.
Came out pretty tasty.
Great to hear!!
How many does this feed?
4-6 ppl
Which vinegar do you recommend? White or Apple Cider?
They both work! White vinegar is a little more subtle and apple cider vinegar adds a nice tang. 😊
I made this last week. It was delicious and I don’t care for a lot of chicken salad recipes. Will definitely make this again. May try a few grapes and pecans only because I like them. This recipe is fantastic just the way it is listed. The only thing I changed was I used only Mayo. I don’t buy salad dressing. Yummy.
Such a favorite, classic dish that I make several times a year!