Name: My Favorite Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes; 3 stalks celery, finely diced; 0.75 cup chopped pecans; 0.5 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons minced yellow onion; 1.5 tablespoons sweet pickle relish; 2 teaspoons prepared mustard; 1.5 teaspoons ground black pepper; 1.5 teaspoons minced fresh dill; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 0.5 teaspoon white sugar; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder; 0.5 teaspoon paprika

Chicken Salad with Pecans

This delicious chicken salad with pecans combines tender chicken, crisp celery, and a creamy dressing, making it a perfect dish for a quick lunch or dinner. The pecans add a lovely crunch, while the sweet pickle relish and fresh dill bring a burst of flavor.

Ingredients

2 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes
3 stalks celery, finely diced
cup chopped pecans
cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced yellow onion
1 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoons minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon lemon juice
teaspoon white sugar
teaspoon salt
teaspoon garlic powder
teaspoon paprika

Directions

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken, diced celery, chopped pecans, mayonnaise, minced onion, pickle relish, and mustard.

Step 2: Add the ground black pepper, minced dill, lemon juice, white sugar, salt, garlic powder, and paprika to the bowl. Stir everything together until well combined.

Step 3: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories	287
Total Fat	26g (33%)
Saturated Fat	3g (17%)
Cholesterol	31mg (10%)
Sodium	384mg (17%)
Total Carbohydrate	6g (2%)
Dietary Fiber	2g (7%)
Total Sugars	2g
Protein	11g (22%)
Vitamin C	2mg (2%)
Calcium	28mg (2%)
Iron	1mg (6%)
Potassium	193mg (4%)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Comments

Emily Brown

10/11/2025 08:50:10 PM

I found this chicken salad to be a simple and refreshing dish. It was really delicious! I was initially concerned about not having relish, but I believe that's what gave it a straightforward taste, which I actually enjoyed as a nice change. I substituted onion powder for the onion and used a mix of sour cream and mayo, which worked well. The addition of pecans provided a nice texture that I really liked. Overall, a fantastic recipe!

Ryan Wilson

10/11/2025 08:21:40 PM

I really liked this recipe as a starting point. It has a lot of flavor. I skipped the sugar, onions, and pecans since I didn't have them available at the time. Surprisingly, even my kids who are picky eaters enjoyed the chicken salad. I prepared the chicken breasts in the crockpot with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dill the day before, which really enhanced the taste. I also swapped out some of the mayonnaise for sour cream, and it made a big difference. I will definitely be making this recipe again. Thank you.

Amy Lee

10/09/2025 11:11:31 PM

I used two cans of Kirkland chicken breast to make this dish and followed the recipe exactly as written. It had a bit too much black pepper for my taste, but overall it was delicious! This has now become my new favorite recipe.

Sandra Sanchez

10/11/2025 11:50:26 AM

I am absolutely in love with this Chicken Salad recipe! I had been craving a delicious chicken salad sandwich and after browsing through numerous recipes, I stumbled upon this gem. It was simple to make, and even when I halved the recipe, it turned out perfect. Thank you, SunnyDays Nora, for my new go-to chicken salad recipe!

Anna Martinez

10/10/2025 09:57:10 PM

First attempt at trying out this recipe - absolutely delicious! The only alteration I would suggest, like many other reviewers, is to use no more than 1 teaspoon of both black pepper and mustard. As for the preparation time, be prepared to spend more than 15 minutes as there are a total of 14 ingredients to work with.

Barbara Young

10/10/2025 08:35:23 AM

Once again, I find myself making this salad upon the insistence, rather the demand, of my siblings for our monthly gathering. I have to confess that this recipe is one of only two that I ever use. I am truly grateful to the author for sharing it with us. It speaks volumes when children aged 7-14 not only enjoy it but also find it delicious. :-)

Lisa Anderson

10/10/2025 08:31:02 AM

Reviewed on April 22, 2025: I made this recipe for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. The only adjustment I made was using a 12.5 oz canned chicken (drained and shredded) instead of cooking the chicken, as I was short on time that evening. With less chicken, I slightly reduced the amount of mayo, mustard, and relish, and added a bit more celery. The chicken salad was delicious on dinner rolls and lettuce wraps that night, and tasty in a flour tortilla wrap for lunch the next day. Overall, it was a fantastic chicken salad! Thanks to SunnyDaysNora for the recipe. I will definitely make it again!

Rebecca Cruz

10/10/2025 01:24:22 AM

I really enjoyed the recipe, but I feel it could benefit from less mustard. Additionally, I think adding a hard-boiled egg would make it even better.

Christopher Allen

10/12/2025 12:28:37 AM

I found this chicken salad to be quite dry, at least the one I made turned out that way. The recipe asks for two chicken breasts, which at my local butcher shop amounted to about 1 to 1.5 lbs of chicken. It would be helpful if the recipe indicated the amount of chicken with a specific measurement (ounces, grams, or even cups). The taste was alright, but the black pepper was a bit too strong and overshadowed the other flavors. I don't think I'll give this recipe another try since no one in my family of 5 enjoyed it.