This recipe for my Pecan Chicken Salad is quick and filled with tons of great flavor. With juicy chicken, celery, onion, mayo, and toasted pecans, it’s great on a sandwich or crackers.
Growing up, chicken salad was something we had pretty often. It was affordable and the way Mom made it, it ended up creating two meals. She’d cook a whole chicken, then use the broth and part of the meat to make chicken and rice. Then she’d use the remaining chicken to make chicken salad. Double whammy!
Now there are as many ways to make chicken salad as Carter’s has liver pills. (Have y’all ever heard that phrase?) And most of them are pretty delicious. My preferred recipe actually depends on my mood. Sometimes I like my chicken salad with a little curry powder in it. Other times I want it a little sweet with some grapes or apples. And then sometimes, I want it simple and straightforward – kinda like my mom makes it. This is that recipe: simple, straightforward, and crazy delicious. Let’s get started…
So how should you cook your chicken?
The recipe simply calls for chopped cooked chicken. It’s vague for a reason. The reality is that you can use most any cooked chicken for this recipe. Boiled, roasted, even grocery store rotisserie chickens work brilliantly. I’ve even used leftover fried chicken with the breading picked off to make chicken salad. Of course each of the methods will impart some different flavors, but I find that kinda fun.
Typically, though, I just simmer 2 to 3 large chicken breasts in salted and peppered water until cooked through and then chop them to get the 4 cups needed for the recipe. If you go this route, be sure to cook the chicken at just barely a simmer. A full rolling boil will often lead to tough, dry chicken. And using a meat thermometer means you get the chicken cooked perfectly to 165°F without overcooking it.
Toasted nuts have more flavor! While I don’t include this as part of the recipe, I strongly suggest you toast your pecans before adding them to this salad. I actually toast nearly all my pecans before adding them to recipes. Toasting them intensifies the flavor and makes them crunchier, which is great in this salad. Just scatter them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 5 minutes if they’re chopped – closer to 10 minutes if their whole. Then allow them to cool before adding them to the mix.
What’s the deal with creole mustard? I started using creole mustard years ago when I found it at my local grocery store. It’s a simple way to add tons of flavor to your dishes. The thing is, it’s a little hard to find. If you can’t get your hands on it, a spicy brown mustard will work just fine.
Recipe Card
Pecan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 medium sweet or white onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans*
- 2 tablespoons pickle relish ((You can use dill or sweet. I much prefer the dill.))
- 2 teaspoons creole or spicy brown mustard
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken, eggs, celery, onions, and pecans in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the relish, mustard, and mayonnaise.
- Add the dressing to the chicken mixture and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to meld for at least an hour. Serve on crackers, sandwiches, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Linda Cockerham
I made the old time southern dumpling recipe. And added just a little thyme. It really added a lot of flavor. I also discovered canned chicken breast can be used in a pinch. The brand I used had only chicken, water, and salt as listed ingredients.
That sounds delicious! I love the idea of adding thyme for extra flavor. Canned chicken is such a convenient option when you’re in a hurry, too. Thanks for sharing your tips!
Gwen
Being born and raised in NC our recipes for so many things are so much alike. I like my chicken salad simple sometimes, other times I make one similar to this one and I add dried cranberries to it. I enjoy your recipes so much. I’m 71, I spent time with my grandma watching her cook on a wood stove. Beautiful memories.
I totally agree—simple chicken salad can be so satisfying, and dried cranberries sound like a delicious twist. It’s wonderful to hear how you connect with those recipes from your grandma. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my recipes!
Shirley w Taylor
This is the very best chicken salad.
Thanks, Shirley!!
Vanessa McDade
Hi Stacey! Love you and all your recipes. In the “5 Ingredient beef Enchiladas” recipe, you were using a blue plastic looking colander that I love. Can you give me the name brand or where you got it? I would love you more if you can refer me me to it somehow. Thanx very much! Vanessa
Hi Vanessa! It’s called an Easy Greasy and is one of my favorite kitchen tools. You can find the link to it in my Amazon storefront. https://www.amazon.com/shop/southernbite/list/8OXQ8B0F1ZTJ
Nikki Boyle Sapp
Do you think I could make and refrigerate the day before, or do you think that the pecans would get soft and the grapes a little mushy? Thank you!
Yep. The pecan will get a little soft, so I certainly recommend toasting them before adding them to the mixture. As for the grapes, this recipe doesn’t call for them, but if you’d like to include them, I’d recommend adding them in whole or simply right before serving this. I suppose you could do the pecans like that as well.
Patti Berg
Oh Stacey, my mouth is watering! Pecan chicken salad is my absolute favorite thing to eat. Yum! Your recipe is pretty close to how I’ve made it for years and years. I’ll have to see if I can find some creole mustard and give it a try. Like you, I used to boil my chicken breasts but now I buy a rotisserie chicken and let my husband strip it off the bones. I use as many pecans as I can possibly stir into the mixture, because I love pecans. Like you, I also sometimes add apples and grapes, and if I have them on hand, I add dried cranberries. This is the best chicken salad ever! (Although–I don’t do the onions.) Thanks for reminding me that I should go to the store tomorrow and get a rotisserie chicken so I can have pecan chicken salad for dinner and lunch!
Now I’m craving it, too! Enjoy!
Alice
I can’t wait to make this.
Sure hope you’ll enjoy it!
Mimi
Gotta give credit to this recipe- I edited a few things, like accidentally added onion powder but boy did it help! Thank you for the great recipe – made it for Fourth of July!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Bets
Wonderful!! I have made it over and over!!
So glad you liked it!
Michael Moore
I just completed this Pecan Chicken Salad for this evenings main meal foe me and my wife. It will serve with cole slaw and maybe Brussel sprouts. I tried it (at 430 am!) and it os delicious. I did not hav some of the ingredients (no brown mustard, so I used hoiwny mustard that I had, no white onions so I used yellow instead. I highly recommend it!
Thank you so much Michael!
Sandy
I loved your recipe for chicken salad with pecans. I couldn’t wait an hour and ate it immediately, no bread, no crackers. Delicious!
This is great!
Brenda
Oh my goodness this looks so good! I can’t wait to try it! The phrase you quoted, omg brings back so many memories!! My grandma used to say that all the time!! lol I love hearing people saying the stuff from the “old days” Thanks for the smile and laugh, I look forward to seeing more of your recipes 🙂
KayDee T.
Really?!?! Ping him on a simple grammatical error, not even mentioning the recipe…or anything even remotely relevant? You need to “saddown” somewhere! And Stacey, I’m digging the new website and this recipe! Sometimes the most uncomplicated recipes are the BEST recipes!!! Thank you, sir!
Thank you so much!
Pat Nugent
Kay Dee-chill, wow.
Cate
“closer to 10 minutes if their whole” If THEY’RE whole.
Cate, thank you for letting me know about the grammatical error. This is such a pet peeve of mine but I must have just overlooked this one!
Cate
I was a proofreader (medical transcriptionist) for 31 years. Pet peeve of mine, too!
Cindy M
I would like this but I usually have to make fruit chicken salad for the grandkids, they will not eat this. the one I make calls for seedless grapes halved, a small can of clementines minus the juice, crushed pineapple left in the juice, chopped walnuts or pecans (I prefer the pecans) and 4 chicken breast cooked and chopped. plus enough miracle whip to mix without it being mushy. they love this and eat it up, especially if I serve it on those sweet Hawaiian rolls
You’ll need to make this one for yourself. 🙂
Becky
I made this for dinner with canned chicken (I know, kinda gross lol) and it was still REALLY good!!! I ate it on 2 mini croissants. I’ll for sure make this again for the whole family next time.
So glad you enjoyed it! That’s an excellent short-cut as well.
Michael Moore
I have read that canned chicken is an excellent ingredient and delicious. I have not tried it though.
Lori in Tennessee
Hi…I want to make this because it sounds delicious and was wondering if you have a favorite creole mustard brand? Maybe a few different ones in case my choice is limited? Never used it before but will now:)
I typically use Zatarain’s because it’s normally the only one I can find locally.
Jane Rhea
Thank you Stacy for all your good recipes and your Southern hospitality! I love it when you say “supper” because that is what I grew up calling it and you just do not hear that often nowadays.
Supper is one of my favorite words!
Susan
Thanks for the chicken cooking tips. I wondered why my breasts always came out so tough. And the
meat thermometer! Brilliant!
Please keep including simple stuff like that, many of us just aren’t natural born cooks.
And sometime try your chicken salad dressed with Ranch and served on a croissant. Super yum!
You are so welcome! Glad to hear those little tips are helpful! Love the ranch idea!
D. Athey
All these ideas sound delicious, but if nuts, of any kind, are used in almost any recipe, you must, must, must, toast them first. This brings out the essence of the nut. You may put them in an oven and dry roast them, (watch carefully), or you could put the nuts in a dry or buttered cast skillet on top of the stove and keep them stirred as you continue your preparations. I too like fruit in chicken salad, red grapes, green grapes, pineapple tidbits, nuts and just a little curry powder. I’m hungry, bye, Dee
Dorothy Dunton
Hi Stacey! I made this today with leftover cooked chicken thighs and OMG is it good! Especially on the freshly baked loaf of brioche bread I made yesterday. I sometimes like diced apple in chicken salad, but this does not need any modification! Thanks!
Wonderful! So glad it turned out well for you!
JoAnn W
Saw you on fox & Friends this morning. Going to store now for the chicken and creole mustard! Always have pecans on hand! Joined your site and signed up for emails!!!! Now to get you cookbook!!!! Thanks so much!
Hi JoAnn! Welcome and thanks so much for your support! Enjoy!
Sharon R.
Sounds like an interesting twist to usually bland chicken salad. But I might leave out the onions. I’m not a big fan of them. I make tuna salad much more often than chicken salad. I put peeled, chopped apples, celery, boiled eggs, season salt and pepper, and either mayo or miracle whip (my mom likes the miracle whip version). Thanks for offering me an alternative sandwich filling.
Sue
Just found your great site, and love Chicken Salad so much,,,,can’t wait to try yours..Don’t think I’ve ever put Mustard in mine, but do love it, so am going to try yours..
Saw your Pecan Chewies on Christy’s site, and have already taken some Pecans from the freezer to do some….(Now, I’ll have enought for this as well.)
Thanks !!sounds like a good dinner tonight..:)
I hope you enjoy and I’m so glad you found your way over!
Lori
Hope your wife is better, has she been checked for Menieres` disease? I have it and am SO sympathetic!! Bless her heart and yours for holding down the fort. Not a lot you can do but wait it out.
I love the roasted chickens you can buy in the grocery store for chicken salad. Easy as can be! I sometimes add grapes and apples and raisins, sometimes not, depends on the mood and what’s on hand.
And down here in LA(lower Arkansas)we pronounce it pu-con.
Love your site, just bookmarked it and joined your mailing list, thanks!!
Hi Lori! Thanks so much for your comments! Yes, I do love to buy a rotisserie chicken and use it for so many things. Any casserole or dish that calls for cooked chicken is great with rotisserie chicken instead. And yes, we’re thinking that it might in fact be Minieres’ Disease. She has another appointment tomorrow with the ENT to hopefully find out.
Patti Mays
I can’t WAIT to try this recipe! My chicken salad recipe is very basic. We love it a ton, but I’m looking forward to making something a little different.
Libby
I TOTALLY agre with Sabrina on how to say the word pecans. There is a cook on TV that says pee-cans and it makes me want to mute the TV when I see pecans being used in her recipes….LOL. I can’t wait to try this recipe out. It really does sound yummy.
Sabrina
Hi, there, Stacey! Love your website & recipes! We say “puh-cons” in my neck of the woods in Alabama. I cringe everytime someone says “pee-cans”!
Hi Sabrina! I’m so glad you found us and are enjoying the site!
Elaine
My chicken salad contains chicken breasts, mayo, red and green grapes, and apples. YUM!!
Melody
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. The spicy mustard is one reason, but the main reason is I’m always up for any excuse to use pecans. Thanks for sharing.
I’m with you Melody – ANY excuse to use pecans is a good one!
Michelle Halcomb
My chicken salad is chicken, red grapes, miracle whip, peeee-coooonnns, and pampered chef dill seasoning mix. YUM! That seems pretty pure to me. LOL.
Misty
I’m definitely a grape and almond person for the chicken salad. Though, I do prefer chicken salad to be made with plain yogurt in lieu of mayo.
Mary
I’ve never tried with spicy mustard – but I will now! I occassionally like grapes in it – and I only like it pureed for crackers. Now I think I need a piece of pecan pie to round out the celebration…
I’m the same way! On occasion I like fruit, but not normally.
Kay Cornett
The creole mustard just might be the very thing to give chicken salad some pizzaz. It s usually a little bland to my taste. Thanks
Hope you enjoy it!
Belinda
Looks really great !!!! I bet the mustard does really make a difference. I will have to try that !!