04/09/2026
I’m a little opinionated about chicken salad. Somewhere along the way, it turned into a mix of everything but the kitchen sink—and lost what made it special in the first place. Today I made it the way I think it should be: simple, refined, and all about the chicken. Tender, flavorful, and not hidden under a dozen competing ingredients. I did sneak in one “secret” addition that makes it just a little irresistible… but otherwise, this is chicken salad as it was meant to be.
Nikki’s Original True Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
• 1 (approx. 3.75 lb) fresh chicken, approx. 4 cups cooked
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup real mayonnaise (Hellmann’s)
• 1 large lemon, freshly juiced (about 2-1/2 tablespoons)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup finely chopped celery hearts
• 1 cup halved red seedless grapes
Instructions:
In a cast iron or other heavy cooker, place the chicken, salt, and black pepper. Cover the chicken with water. Place a lid on the pan and simmer on low for 2 hours, or until the chicken is falling off the bone. (Once the chicken begins simmering, crack the lid slightly to allow steam to escape.) Let the chicken cool in the broth for 1 hour.
Remove the chicken from the broth and use your fingers to pull it into tiny pieces. Reserve the meat and discard the skin and giblets.
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until fully blended. Add the chopped celery hearts, halved grapes, and chicken. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
