I am on a quest. I want to perfect the chicken salad recipe. And this one… this one comes pretty close. A hint of sweetness among the savory bite of the chicken, but not too sweet (which is the kiss of death for chicken salad). But something is missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I suspect it may be a pinch of dill.

This recipe is also a “cheater” version. I’m always looking for quick and easy ways to do things because, let’s face it. I’m impatient and somewhat lazy. When I’m hungry, I’m hungry now. One day I’ll learn how to plan ahead! Instead of roasting a whole chicken, I pulled 2 frozen chicken breasts out of the freezer, tossed them into a baking dish with some onions, celery, and carrots, covered the whole thing with a dusting of garlic pepper and baked in the oven for about 45 minutes (it took longer than my usual half an hour because they were frozen).  You can prepare the chicken however you prefer (sometimes I boil them with really well-seasoned water).

Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad

  • 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup bread and butter pickles, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Yeah… it’s pretty much the simplest thing in the world to make. You can make it easier by using pre-cooked chicken (Trader Joe’s has great cooked chicken, but you can go to any grocery store that’s convenient).