Delicious Dill Chicken Salad
Salty, full of fresh dill, chopped roasted pecans, and loads of delicious chicken. I love having this Delicious Dill Chicken Salad cold out of the fridge all on it own, with crackers or on a croissant roll.
Once upon a time I lived in Birmingham, Alabama where I loved to go to a local place called O’Carrs. They serve lots of things but the worth having there is Chicken Salad. They served it on a plate with fruit or greens. The fruit plate was my favorite. The plates came out gorgeous and full of color. The fruit plate had papaya, apples, grapes, kiwi, nuts, raisins, and assortments of flatbread and crackers to eat the chicken salad. I spent years examining the ingredients and even once ventured so far as to ask what they used to make it. They told me some things but kept others quiet.
Since leaving Birmingham I have craved that chicken salad like no other. So I decided to try to make my own, and I love it. It’s been a beach staple here in Virginia. I always pack a cooler with this as sandwiches and it goes over well. All salty thing seem to at the beach. I made this Delicious Dill Chicken Salad much like they do at O’Carrs, it looks like a pate or paste, but you can pulse it less in the food processor depending on your favorite texture. Making the Delicious Dill Salad more pate like in texture also makes it easier to use crackers or flatbread and eat it more like a dip.
If you don’t have a food processor you can try to chop it fine with a chefs knife by running it through the chicken over and over again until you reach your desired texture but a food processor makes life easier. I have my favorite model tagged below.
Not only does it make great picnic beach food, but Delicious Dill Chicken Salad also works as the perfect make ahead meal for a wedding or baby shower. The sandwiches can be cut in half and served with an assortment of sides to make an easy but memorable meal.
Delicious Dill Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use Bell & Evans Organic Air Chilled)
- 1 C Dales or Moore's Marinade
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped dill
- 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning (I like Louisiana Brand)
- 1/4 C red grapes halved or quartered depending on size
- 2 tbsp chopped pecans
- 1/2 C mayonnaise (you can add more mayonnaise depending on preference)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan place chicken breasts and pour over 1 C of the marinade. Then fill the saucepan with water until the chicken is covered by one inch. Place this on the stovetop and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Pull the chicken out of the liquid and set aside on a plate to cool a bit. While the chicken is simmering heat an oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes. Once chicken has cooled a little bit place it in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Put the lid on a pulse the chicken about 8-10 times until finely chopped. Add in the dill and cajun seasoning. Pulse one to two more times. Then add in the Mayonnaise and mix in processor on low until combined. Put the chicken mixture into a bowl and add in the grapes and nuts. Use a spatula to mix well. Cover and chill. Serve chilled with crackers or as sandwiches.
Ingredients and Tools:
I recommend Dale’s or Moore’s Marinade for cooking the chicken. You can use this to season steaks or pork tenderloin too. It’s delicious. I have found one or the other in most grocery stores around the country. Dale’s is more hard to find. But Moore’s is available just about everywhere. From California to Florida. If you have trouble, Amazon is here to help. Link to Dales: https://amzn.to/2RjghjS and Moore’s: https://amzn.to/2KYKNyn
A food processor is such a great tool. I use mine to mix up pie dough, grate carrots for carrot cake, blend up soups, and make this chicken salad extra special and easy. My favorite is a large cuisinart model https://amzn.to/2WLKEjX
What mayonnaise do I use you ask? Dukes! I like the light version especially when I use it in a salad like this. https://amzn.to/2MViAeB
As for Cajun seasoning any brand will do, but my favorite flavor is from the Louisiana brand. https://amzn.to/2KXxApn
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