Chicken salad has been back in the spotlight, showing up in chopped versions, piled onto toast and scooped straight from the bowl with crackers. It is nostalgic, easy to make ahead and endlessly adaptable, but the best versions still need enough brightness and texture to keep things interesting.
Rachel Mansfield’s version understands the assignment. The cookbook author, founder of the kids’ snack brand cadootz and recipe creator has built a following of more than 1.5 million by making healthyish food feel practical, family friendly and genuinely delicious. Her staple chicken salad from More, Please! is creamy, bright and just tangy enough from Dijon mustard. It also gets even better after a night in the fridge. Serve it with crackers, pile it onto sourdough or tuck it into lettuce wraps and consider lunch handled.
MEAL-PREP-WORTHY CHICKEN SALAD
Images and text with permission from More, Please! by Rachel Mansfield, photography by Lauren Volo. Published by S&S/Simon Element.
MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS
Gluten free
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, plus more as needed, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, dill, and/or chives (optional, but I am team chives!), 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts), 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken, such as Jordan’s Foolproof Spatchcock Chicken (page 109) or store-bought rotisserie chicken, 1 cup diced celery, 1/2 cup chopped cooked turkey bacon, 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, herbs, scallions, Dijon, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken, celery, turkey bacon, and almonds and use a silicone spatula to combine. Add more yogurt if desired, plus additional salt and pepper as needed.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve on your favorite bread or in wraps, use in lettuce wraps, or on a bed of arugula or other mixed greens, topped with avocado, tomato, and any other fixings you like. My personal go-to: a toasted everything bagel, a scoop of chicken salad, Pickled Red Onions, and arugula—boom!
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