Crunchy Chicken & Celery Salad

Name: Crunchy Chicken & Celery Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 1 kg cooked dry-brined chicken breast, warm and cut into bite-sized pieces; 300 g celery, finely sliced; 3 spring onions, finely sliced; ¼ small red onion, very finely diced; 3 dill pickles, finely diced; 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 1–2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives; 1 cup whole-egg mayonnaise; ½ cup pouring cream; 3 tablespoons mild English mustard; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons fresh crushed garlic; 1 teaspoon onion powder; MasterFoods Celery Salt Blend, to taste; Generous freshly cracked black pepper

Tender chicken, crisp celery, dill pickles and fresh herbs folded through a creamy, sharp mustard dressing. Made ahead and served cold, it is scooped onto crisp corn chips, piled into soft rolls and sandwiches, or packed away for the week. An easy savoury salad for lunches, brunch tables and meal prep.

Crunchy chicken and celery salad in a creamy mustard dressing, served with corn chips.

A good chicken salad needs plenty of crunch and enough dressing to carry flavour through every piece of chicken. I like mine firmly on the savoury side, with celery, dill pickles, fresh garlic and mustard rather than fruit or anything sweet.

The way I make it starts while the chicken is still warm. Tossing the warm chicken through the creamy dressing gives it a chance to take on all that mustard, garlic, lemon and celery salt before the crisp vegetables and herbs are folded through. Once chilled, everything settles together while the celery keeps its crunch.

It has become the thing I most like to have waiting in the fridge. Scooped onto a crisp corn chip it holds its shape without a hint of sag, and the same bowl spooned into a soft roll or piled onto toast carries an easy lunch through the week.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 20 min · Serves: 8 · Cuisine: Australian · Category: Lunch

Ingredients

Chicken Salad

1 kg cooked dry-brined chicken breast, warm and cut into bite-sized pieces
300 g celery, finely sliced
3 spring onions, finely sliced
¼ small red onion, very finely diced
3 dill pickles, finely diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1–2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Creamy Mustard Dressing

1 cup whole-egg mayonnaise
½ cup pouring cream
3 tablespoons mild English mustard
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh crushed garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
MasterFoods Celery Salt Blend, to taste
Generous freshly cracked black pepper

Method

Place the warm, chopped chicken into a large mixing bowl.
Prepare the creamy mustard dressing and pour it over the chicken while the chicken is still warm. Fold thoroughly until every piece is generously coated.
Allow the dressed chicken to cool slightly, then add the celery, spring onion, red onion, dill pickles, parsley and chives.
Fold everything together until the vegetables and herbs are evenly distributed through the chicken.
Taste and adjust the celery salt and black pepper as needed.
Refrigerate until completely chilled. For the best flavour, allow the salad to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Add the mayonnaise, cream, mild English mustard, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, fresh garlic and onion powder to a bowl.
Season with MasterFoods Celery Salt Blend and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.
Whisk until smooth and creamy. Taste before adding any additional salt, particularly if using dry-brined chicken.

Serving Suggestion

Serve the salad well chilled, scooped onto crisp corn chips for an easy grazing plate, spooned generously into soft bread rolls, sandwiches or wraps, or alongside a simple green salad for lunch or brunch. It is particularly good made with Dry Brined Roast Chicken Breast, where the well-seasoned chicken gives the finished salad even more flavour. Made ahead and portioned into containers, it carries lunches comfortably through the week.

Storage Notes

Transfer the finished chicken salad to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 days. Give it a gentle stir before serving, as the dressing will settle and thicken as it chills.

Make Ahead Notes

The salad can be prepared the day before serving. The flavour develops as it rests in the refrigerator, while the celery and dill pickles hold enough structure to keep their crunch. If the dressing becomes firmer overnight, stir through a small spoonful of cream or mayonnaise before serving if needed.

Notes

Dressing the chicken while it is still warm allows the mustard, garlic, lemon and seasoning to work their way through the chicken rather than simply coating the outside.

Celery is weighed after trimming so the chicken-to-celery ratio stays consistent. Slice it fairly finely so there is crunch in every spoonful without large pieces dominating the salad.

Taste before adding extra salt. Dry-brined chicken and celery salt both contribute seasoning, and dill pickles add another salty element.

Keep the vegetables crisp by folding them through after the warm dressed chicken has cooled slightly rather than adding them immediately.

The salad becomes firmer once thoroughly chilled. If making it ahead, judge the final dressing consistency after refrigeration rather than adding extra cream immediately.

The Grace Table Tip

For the fullest flavour, dress the chicken while it is still warm, then chill the finished salad before serving. The warm chicken takes on the mustard, garlic and lemon beautifully, while resting in the fridge gives the flavours time to settle together.

For meal prep, make the salad the day before and store it in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator. Stir gently before serving and loosen with a small amount of cream or mayonnaise only if the dressing has tightened considerably overnight.