Chicken salad is so underrated. I only make it when there’s a potluck or a picnic because it’s so portable, but every time I do, I’m always reminded of how tasty it is. I made this chicken salad to eat at one of those outdoor movie-at-the-park public events we had in our neighborhood last week. They were playing Guardians of the Galaxy and I was excited to go because 1) I miss going to outdoor movies like the ones they have all over in NYC, 2) you can bring your dogs so I thought it would be a fun outing for them, and 3) Chris Pratt.
Turns out, going to see a movie with the dogs at a crowded park, where there are a lot of other dogs around, is not always a good idea. Especially when your dogs are dying to socialize with every other living thing around. While everyone else and their dogs were just hanging out, calmly sitting on their respective towels or mats (How?, our dogs were whining, whimpering, and pulling constantly on their leashes so they can explore and play. We had to keep them on our laps the entire time so they stay calm but one of our dogs kept whining still. Oh well. Now we know for next time.
With the dogs on our laps and the movie on in the dark, we somehow managed to maneuver passing around my giant bowl of chicken salad and whispered how delicious it was. Coupled with a few snack items, this turned out to be a tasty, hearty meal full of healthy fat and protein that was so easy to make (only 3 steps in the instructions!). And it’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free without having to substitute anything which I always appreciate!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken breasts or thighs or 1½ cups cooked chicken
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/4 small onion sliced thinly or chopped
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1/3 cup sliced black olives
- 1/3 cup paleo mayonnaise
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- salt & pepper to taste
- paprika for garnish
- Optional add ins: chopped nuts, dried cranberries, dill, grapes, apples
Instructions
- If using raw chicken, boil the meat for 15-20 minutes until fully cooked.
- Set aside so it cools, and chop into small pieces.
- Combine with the rest of the ingredients, and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
Great sounding recipe, I look forward to this. Great opportunity to point out making chicken broth by simply adding a carrot, onion, and a stalk of celery (all roughly chopped) to the pot of water with the chicken. Strain and you have chicken broth. Also, allow the pot to cool to room temperature before removing the chicken from the pot, results in juicier chicken. I will post my results when I make this.