Southern Chicken Salad

5 from 5 votes

A classic Southern chicken salad loaded with shredded chicken, sweet cranberries, celery, and almonds in a creamy, lightly sweet mayo dressing. Ready in 15 minutes with a rotisserie chicken. Perfect for sandwiches, crackers, or serving a crowd.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chicken salad with cranberries, chicken salad with grapes, easy chicken salad recipe, how to make chicken salad, southern chicken salad, southern chicken salad recipe, sweet chicken salad recipe

Prep Time 15

Chilling Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings people

Calories 428kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries (Craisins), dried cherries, or halved red grapes
⅔ cup finely diced celery
½ cup sliced almonds (or chopped pecans or walnuts)
¾ cup Duke's mayonnaise, or more to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss together the shredded chicken, cranberries (or grapes or cherries), celery, and almonds.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, ground mustard, onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and a dash of pepper.
Add the dressing to the chicken mixture and stir gently to coat. Taste and add more mayonnaise, salt, or pepper as needed.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours (or overnight) to let the flavors come together.

Notes

Rotisserie chicken shortcut: The shredded meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken is the easiest and most flavorful option. One standard rotisserie chicken typically yields about 3 cups of shredded meat.
Cooking chicken from scratch: You'll need about 1 ½ lbs. of raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Boil until cooked through (about 15-18 minutes) and shred. Or cook in a slow cooker on HIGH for about 1 ½ - 2 hours, then shred and cool.
Shredded vs. diced: Shredded chicken is preferred. The dressing clings better than it does to chopped or diced pieces.
Mayonnaise: Duke's brand is our top pick for this recipe. Start with ¾ cup and add more to taste if you prefer a creamier salad.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The salad gets better as it sits. Do not freeze.
Scale up: The recipe doubles or triples easily. Great for potlucks, luncheons, and baby showers.

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