Carol's Chicken Salad

This is the best chicken salad I’ve ever eaten with a couple adjustments. I made it a couple of years ago for a birthday brunch for my mother, and people still ask me for the recipe! It’s wonderful as is, but since I like to throw it together fairly often, sometimes I don’t always have all the ingredients. I omit the Swiss and the chestnuts sometimes, and I do vary the fruit a bit. I like to use red and green grapes, just for a little color variation. I’ve also added diced green apple with scrumptious results. If you don’t like mayo (like me) a nice light variation is to use half Miracle Whip and half sour cream or plain yogurt. There is so much flavor with the fruit and veggies, the dressing doesn’t need to be so mayo-y. This is amazing just plain, or on a toasted bagel or croissant. Once you try this one, no other chicken salad will suffice!

All the ingredients are just right. I would change only the prep by adding the lemon juice, pepper, onion and garlic powders to the chicken before anything else. Let that soak for 10 minutes, then add the rest. In any case, great recipe.

I made this recipe for a baby shower that I hosted, and everyone raved about it. I left out the grapes because I was serving it on croissants. The twenty minute prep time is just plain wrong, but it was worth the time spent preparing the dish. I will make it again, and I have to send the recipe to several people who attended.

This chicken salad was delicious, unusual but delicious. Please ignore anyone telling you to cut the poultry seasoning. The dry recipe amounts called for are perfect. The only thing I think you need more off is mayo. Just add it at the end to adjust the salad to your creaminess preference. Other than the mayo I followed the recipe exactly & I have added this to my permanent recipe book.

I liked this recipe with a couple of modifications: The celery and the water chestnuts made this a little too crunchy for me. I will leave out the water chestnuts next time. I'm not sure the cheese is necessary. You could probably cut it in half or drop it all together.

I made this for my daughter's 1st birthday party (we had about 50 adults) and scaled it to 30. So it took a long time to cook the chicken and cut the grapes & chicken, but it was well worth it. I shredded the swiss cheese by accident (didn't read the directions) but it was actually better than I think diced would've been. Everyone LOVED it and I sent the recipe to all via email afterwards. I will definitely be adding this to my "party" menu.

We loved this chicken salad. So tasty!!! I did omit the water chestnust and added walnuts like others suggested also used chunky apple sauce instead of the apples that I was going to use because it seemed to dry if you wanted to put it on a sandwich and I didnt want to over load it with more Mayo (my husbands suggestion and right on). Delish!!! The more I make this the more I get asked for the recipe! So yummy!

Delicious. Omitted the swiss and the grapes and added 1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces. All my guests requested the recipe. Used my Pampered Chef food chopper and prep time was much faster.

I am always in search of "The Best" chicken salad recipes since it's my favorite lunchtime meal. This is a 5 star recipe. My husband is yhe food&beverage manager at our local golf and country club. Can't wait for him to try it there! I didn't have water chestnuts, poultry seasoning, nor grapes. Still, it turned out to be wonderful!

This recipe tastes wonderful!...I can't wait to take it to work tommorrow. I agree that the 20 minutes is a little far fetched with all the chopping that is involved. But I judge a recipe mostly on taste, and this one was well worth the wait.

Did not like it at all! The poultry seasoning was way overpowering and thats all I could taste. It was very blah and wouldnt make again.

My family and I really enjoyed this recipe-I did use only 1/2 tsp of poultry seasoning but I think the full amount could have been used. I also used red grapes instead of green. I did let the flavors marry in the fridge for 24 hours and the salad was awesome! Also, I have added dried cranberries and it comes out FANTASTIC!

This is absolutely the best Chik Salad recipe ever! Don't leave out the water chestnuts...it's the secret!

I tried this recipe on my Home Makers' Club and it was a big hit. The mixture of flavors is absolutely scrumptious. However the 20 minute preperation time is a little far fetched. It took me that long just to cube the cheese and halve the grapes. But the time it took was really worth the results! Add it to your recipe box!

I get raves everytime I make this Chicken Salad!! I have used fresh boiled chicken breasts chopped, or canned chicken breast - both are great. I leave out the celery, because I don't care for it & I use purple grapes instead of green for some added color. The water chestnuts and the swiss cheese make it - so don't dare leave those out! 10 STARS to Carol - FABULOUS!

I MADE CAROLS CHICKEN SALAD FOR MY GOLF LEAUGE. THERE WERE 50 WOMEN. RECIEVED WONDERFUL RAVES ABOUT IT. BEST PART IT COST ABOUT $1.13 PER SERVING INCLUDING THE ROLL.

I invite our teachers for lunch once each summer, and this is the recipe they always ask for. I do use less poultry seasoning and no water chestnuts (my own personal preference--- I can't stand them in anything!); but it's a great recipe any way you "slice" it!

I am somewhat of a chicken salad "snob" and this is fantastic! Definitely slice the grapes in half to release the juice (I did use red for the color) and make the night before. It is so moist and delicious! I served on pitas lined with fresh spinach.

People loved it. They wanted the recipe. I didn't put in the grapes or nuts because I didn't have any and replaced the swiss cheese with chedder using alittle less than it called for. I also cooked frech bread and took the middle out of it and stuffed the chicken salad inside it and let it set in the icebox to firm up alittle. It looked appealing and tasted great!! Loved it, Thanks!!!

I made this for our family cookout for the 4th of july and everyone loved it. the only problem was that i did not make enough. the grapes give that slight sweetness that we all loved. will diffently make this over and over.

This is absolutely EXCELLENT just the way it is. I read all of the suggestions and gave them a try, but to tell you the truth the best way is Carol's way. Thank you! Restaurant quality!!

Awesome recipe!! I prefer Miracle Whip/sour cream instead of mayo and pineapple chunks instead of grapes. I also added a little dill which enhances the zip!

I was so excited to make this recipe, but I turned out to be disappointed. I had tried a chicken salad w/ swiss cheese recipe in a restaurant and I thought this would be good like that, but I was wrong. The poultry seasoning gave the chicken salad an odd taste. If I made this again, I would either omit the poultry seasoning or reduce the amt drastically. It was WAY too overpowering.

I made this for a bridal shower. I'm not wild about mayo, and neither (so they said) were the women at the shower. But this recipe was a huge hit! The spices and the fruit add a complexity of flavor that's really nice. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

This was awesome, especially on a hot summer night when I did not feel like cooking. I used a store bought rotisserie chicken to make prep easier and I used red grapes because that is what I had in the house. Delicious!

QUICK AND EASY, CHEESE MAKES BETTER FLAVER.

This is a really elegant chicken salad. I liked it for a warm weather dinner. It makes a LOT though, so if you know you won't eat it all in a couple of meals I would only make half. Really good flavor with the Swiss and grapes.

Made this yesterday afternoon and voila...was ready for a lite dinner last night. Didn't have any cheese, but it was great without it. I would pull back a little bit on the poultry seasoning...I didn't put all it indicated in and it was still a little strong with that flavor. Otherwise, it is EXCELLENT and EASY (my two favorite things about cooking). Added pecans instead of water chestnuts and red grapes for great color. Will make again.

my family called this "the bomb". they loved the swiss cheese, grapes and tasty dressing. the best !

Really good! I used about half the water chestnuts and cheese, and topped with some toasted cashews. Yum!

My husband isn't a fan of fruit in his chicken salad but he LOVES this recipe! My grandma even called to get the recipe after she had it and believe me, her recipe is excellent. I served it with a choice of sourdough or pumpernickel and swiss or pepperjack cheese... SOOOOOOO good!

Made the recipe almost exactly like the instructions. I omitted the water chestnuts and boiled the chicken in chicken broth. It was the best chicken salad that my husband and I have ever had and it went over great with my hunt club. I've now started making it almost once a month because I crave it. Very quick and easy too!

This is an excellent recipe with a lot of flavor. I made it for a playgroup luncheon and it was a hit! Next time I would slice the grapes smaller. Otherwise, I thought it was perfect. Thanks to Carol.

Ok. I would leave out or DRAMATICALLY reduce the poultry seasoning. I dont know, it just gave it a weird taste. And as you eat it, you try to figure out what that flavor is instead of enjoying all the other flavors. If I make again, it will be without the poultry seasoning.

Great combination of spices for flavor. For a shortcut on the chicken, I use some grilled chicken breast from KFC. They are the most flavorful, moist chicken breast you will ever use.

This was really bad. The poultry seasoning in this was just plain wierd. Didn't like it at all.

Not very good. This should be called "Carol's Swiss Cheese Salad". The cheese overwhelms everything else. In fact, there's such little chicken, you can't even taste it. IMO, any type of cheese has no place in a chicken salad. And shouldn't chicken be the main ingredient in a "chicken" salad? This would be much better by reducing or eliminating the cheese altogether and substituting something that complements the other ingredients such as diced radishes, mild diced onions, more celery, or chopped egg.

By far, the best chicken salad recipe i've come across yet. My husband and son loved it and they are very picky eaters! I used red grapes instead of green and substituted the chestnuts with pecans. Delicious!

This is delicious. The only reason it didn't receive 5 stars is b/c my batch was watered down after sitting in the fridge overnight, presumably from the grapes. However, after letting the flavors sit overnight, it tastes like (a very good) restaurant quality chicken salad!!! Thanks for this great recipe!

The first time I made this recipe I found the seasoning to be way to strong so I had to add more chicken and mayo but I did really like the flavor (although I omit the celery, nuts, and onions cause I am really picky and it's a texture thing). What I do now is double or triple the seasonings, mix them together really well, and put them into an empty spice/shaker container and label it "Chicken Salad". That way I can add as much as I like and it's ready for the next time I want to whip some up.

I made the recipe exactly as written. It was good, but next time, I will definitely reduce the poultry seasoning by half and probably eliminate the water chestnuts altogether. The poultry seasoning was way too pronounced and the chestnuts didn't add anything. I will probably add more mayonnaise too, as the mixture ended up being pretty dry.

Greatest chicken salad I have ever tasted! The creamy dressing really has a great flavor. Thanks so much for sharing. I added a 1/2 cup of pecan pieces to this which gave it a nice crunch as well as 1/4 t of paprika to give it a little color and extra tang.

This is the best chicken salad I have ever had, I think it's the poultry seasoning that really gives it a wonderful flavor. I add chopped cashews and crasins to it. Great on it's own or in buns - Hawaiian bread is great with it, too!

This was hands down the best chicken salad I've made/had. Loved the texture and crunch, excellent flavor. Will be my house standard from here on out.

The best chicken salad I have ever had. I sustituted the water chestnuts for cashews and it was great. I didn't have onion powder but I don't think that it needed it because of the green onions. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us.

This is a super recipe. I've made it several times but not always the same. If I use the recipe as is, I leave out the swiss cheese from the salad mixture but add the swiss cheese when I use this salad for a chicken melt (alternative to tuna melt). I also will sometimes omit the poultry seasoning and use yellow curry powder instead. I also omit the swiss cheese when I make it with curry powder as flavors seem to compete. This salad is great and we have it a LOT during the summer months.

Good recipe. Omitted the chestnuts - bf thought grapes in chicken salad was weird enough as it is! Canned white chicken meat works just fine (already salted, but I did add a bit of poultry seasoning to it). Grated the onion for more of its juices as opposed to chopping it. Also, I served it in a Kaiser roll, with the swiss cheese slices over the top of the salad, not diced inside it. yum.

What a wonderful chicken salad recipe! I omitted the poultry seasoning after reading others reviews. I also subbed the water chestnuts with sliced almonds and left out the cheese to lower the fat content. I used fat free Miracle Whip instead of the mayo and I also left out the grapes just because I didn't have any, but I will use them the next time. Served on a crossaint with a side of strawberries.

I did not like this at all. I didn't dare use poultry seasoning from all the bad reviews it got. I just didn't like it. It tasted more like a chip dip than chicken salad. I prefer the local grocery store's deli version so much better.

Great recipe, even though I left out a few ingredients because I threw it together at the last minute and didn't have time to run to the store. I'm always in search of ways to use up leftover boiled chicken and I've been looking for the perfect chicken salad recipe. I chose this one based on the number of positive reviews. I did not have celery, green onion, water chestnuts or swiss cheese, so I just left these out. I used red grapes instead of green and added some chopped pecans. After 7 years of marriage, I finally convinced my husband to try chicken salad (he has always maintained that he doesn't like it). After a few bites of this, he declared it "the best chicken salad I've ever had." And then he proceeded to eat the rest of it. Even my 2-year-old liked it! Thanks for converting my family to chicken salad lovers! I can't wait to take this to a potluck.

This recipe was fabulous! Instead of the water chestnuts, I toasted almond pieces, which added a distinct flavor to it. Halved red/purple grapes are a must. PS - I don't know if it's because I'm an inexperienced cook, but this recipe did take me longer than the 20 minutes it said.

I would not put ANY poultry seasoning. It was so overpowering that it completely ruined the entire dish. The grapes was a nice twist because of the sweet burst of flavor. But the poultry seasoning made it taste gross and I had to throw out the entire thing. What a waste of chicken...The recipe has potential, just don't add Poultry Seasoning and if you do, add it little by little and taste it in between, do not add the amount listed in the recipe.

I made this for a bridal shower and everyone loved it.

This is a great chicken salad recipe! I was doubtful even with all the rave reviews but this one is a keeper. I followed directions exactly except I used less poultry seasoning (under 1/2 tsp). It is fabulous on a croissont.

This recipe is excellent! I made it for someone who has eaten many versions of gourmet chicken salad and she told me that it was the best chicken salad she has ever eaten. Don't leave the poultry seasoning out until you've tried the recipe once. It really makes the salad different from others that you've tried! Thanks for sharing Sharon!

This is absolutely the best chicken salad I've ever had! My inlaws sampled it and agreed it was quite delicious. The chopping is a little time consuming but well worth it. I cut my grapes in quarters instead of halves and left out the water chestnuts. Definite keeper!

Everytime I make this recipe everyone raves. I make several changes though. I omit the waterchestnuts and add cubed apple and sliced almonds. I also add 1/4tsp of paprika to the sauce. It is excellent on a scorching hot day, on a fresh baked croissant with a glass of lemonade. Yummy!

excellent

I needed a chicken salad recipe to serve to a large group people. I saw this one and decided to try it and I had so many compliments and people asking for the recipe. It turned out great. My only problem was that I had to make more of the dressing because it was too dry at first. I used red grapes instead of green like some others suggested. Fantastic! I will make this again and again!

I have made this several times. One of my husband's favorites. Never any leftovers. Perfect ingredient blend.

Delicious! I reduced the poultry seasoning a little, as someone else suggested, and added some cashews for some extra crunch - but I think it would have been great as is. I will make this again.

Being on a good carb diet I had to omit the grapes at this point in my diet and didnt like all the carbs in chesnuts so omitted them, but added macadamia nuts(cup chopped)also added to kick it up a bit Emerill seasoning ..very good and make sure you taste it before and after chilled makes a big difference in flavor when its chilled.Very tasty dish..all you carbers should like this one!!

This is the best chicken salad I've ever had, and I've made it countless times now for company and potlucks. I bake the chicken coated in Italian dressing until just done, then chill before chopping, for moist chunks. I add an extra 1/4 cup mayo, and like it with seedless red grapes. I love it on croissants with lettuce, but often eat it straight from the bowl, too.

A big hit at my party this weekend...I actually doubled the mayo + seasonings because I like it a bit more moist...super yummy, exactly what I was looking for!

This was so tasty! It was hard to eat on a sandwich, but I loved it as a salad. I could have eaten the whole bowl in one sitting!

I found this to be a very yummy chicken salad, although I made some changes to make it healthier. First, I cooked the chicken by placing it in a pan of chicken broth, bringing it to a boil, then removing it from the heat and letting it stand for 15 minutes to cook through... tender, flavorful chicken resulted. For the dressing, instead of 1/2 cup of mayo, I used 1/4 c reduced-fat Helmann's mayonnaise and 1/4 c reduced-fat sour cream. I omitted the cheese altogether, as I didn't really feel that was necessary. The result is a 3/4-cup serving with 124 calories, 3.5 grams of fat and less than a gram of fiber (3 Weight Watchers points for anyone interested) which is a much lighter, much healthier version but with all the creamy yumminess. Next time, I will reduce the poultry seasoning from 3/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp, as I found it to be slightly overpowering. All in all, the recipe gave me a great base from which to create a delicious, healthy meal. I'm sure it would taste fabulous the way it was written, but for those of you who are like me, you can't afford 19.5 grams of fat in one serving!

Awesome! My husband made this and subbed Jarlsberg cheese in for swiss and used green and red grapes. Also smashed up some almonds for crunchiness...was super!

I shared this recipe with my sis-in-law & we are absolutely in love with it. She makes it at least twice a month. DOUBLE THE MAYO. This is even yummy made with leftover oven fried chicken.

This chicken salad is so good! But it does go bad quickly. I make it for lunchtime potlucks, and it is always a hit! If making it at home, you may want to 1/2 the recipe. That way there won't be a ton of excess to go bad.

This chicken salad was a big hit with my co-workers and family! I didn't have water chestnuts, so instead I used walnuts for crunch. FABULOUS! I also used red grapes and a sprinkling of tarragon, which really brings out the flavors in this mix. Try it!!

The best chicken salad I have ever had!! The flavors really come through. The poultry seasoning gives a whole new tasty twist. I omitted the grapes and waterchestnuts and it is still awesome!! A keeper!!

I think I love Carol. This is fabulous with rotisserie chicken and as a personal preference, I double the mayo mix. The water chestnuts add such marvelous texture to this. I get my swiss cheese at the deli and ask them to slice it 1/4" thick. Makes cubing a breeze. I know a pound was too much, probably 5-6 slices would do it (and allow for the mandatory grazing during prep).

Very good! I left out the water chestnuts and swiss cheese, and it still tasted delicious. Had it for lunch several days with some tomato on pita bread. Plan to make this again.

Not sure how I feel about this recipe. It’s good, but I think I can find a better one. I will decrease the poultry seasoning in half when and if I make this again. I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of using green onions and adding chopped walnuts. I served the salad in wheat pita pockets.

We didn't care too much for the STRONG taste of the poultry seasoning. If you like a very bold tasting chicken salad, you will probably like this recipe.

This was the first chicken salad I've ever made. It was terrific! I'll definitly be making it often. I made it exactly by the recipe (which is unusual for me) and it turned out perfect.

I first served this recipe at one of my Christmas cookie exchanges. It was such a hit, I served it again the following year. I have given out alot of copies of this recipe. It truly is the best chicken salad I've ever had. The blend of all the different ingredients makes it unique and very delicious! Try it...I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Wonderful chicken salad flavor! The seasoned mayo really adds to this salad. In an attempt to cut a little fat, I omitted the Swiss cheese. Didn't miss it. Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe, Sharon.

I made this for a luncheon at work & everyone just loved it! I followed recipe excatly only I used green grapes & added red grapes for color. The poultry seasoning I used was Old Bay & it is a must. I didn't have garlic powder so I substituted the salt quanity with garlic salt. The only thing that I can really reccommend is to DOUBLE the mayo & use a whole fresh lemon squeezed. I cooked my chicken with teriyaka merinade in a disposable pan on the grill (easy clean up) I served with fresh croissants & fresh fruit.

Very nice recipe....next time I may try slivered almonds instead of water chestnuts. And I'd either cut back on swiss cheese or eliminate altogether. A general comment about any chicken salad recipes...best results obtained when using a whole roasted chicken. Poached chicken breats don't have the same flavour or texture. If short on time, sometimes I'll purchase already roasted chickens from supermarket.

Very good chicken salad recipe. Nice combination of sweet and saltiness and crunch. Makes awesome wraps for outings.

THE BEST CHICKEN SALAD I've had!!! I do not like creamy salads at all and this one was the perfect texture! I followed the recipe almost exactly but I cooked the chicken in lemon-pepper first (it adds the PERFECT taste) and I did not add the swiss cheese. The grapes make it taste so refreshing and the almonds add the perfect crunch! HIGHLY RECOMENEDED!!!

This is a great recipe for those of us who do not like too much mayonaise on our chicken salad. I also loved that it wasn't a dry chicken salad, which I really do not like. I did, however, change some things considering former reviews. I first seasoned the chicken in half of the spices the recipe called for (minus the poultry seasoning) then let it sit for a while. I then boiled the chicken in a deep skillet (with the lid on) in chicken broth and oil, which adds a great flavor to the chicken and isn't as overpowering as poultry seasoning (the broth should be about half the level of the chicken breats). I let the chicken cool and then pulled it apart instead of chunking it. I also changed it by using half green grapes and half red grapes which adds a great color to the salad. I also added some extra crisy crunched up bacon, just to add something different to the mix. I always love something spicy so a added about 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes. I completely omitted the nuts and cheese and instead put some cheese on my sandwich. This really did turn out awesome and was a huge hit!

This is an excellent recipe. I was a little skeptical about the combination of all of the ingredients, but I followed the recipe EXACTLY and it was wonderful. Took it to an office party and everyone wanted the recipe.

This turned out really well...I added a couple cups of cooked brown rice and then doubled the dressing (and added some extra celery) to add some bulk without having to buy more chicken. I would definitely make it again, and maybe add more water chestnuts.

Excellent recipe. The POULTRY SEASONING IS A MUST, otherwise it has no 'umf' to it. I decided to use two 12.5 oz cans of chicken: one all white meat, the other white and dark meat because it shreds better leading to a better cohesiveness if using this on a sandwhich or on a cracker and the dark meat adds a deeper flavor. I left out the grapes because I think the salt from the salad draws out the water in the grapes making it more prone to turn soupy and spoil quicker. I also left out the swiss cheese and just add it right before I eat it.

Yeah. This is good. Added cyanne, red pepper, and sweet peas.

I am from Weeki Wachee Fl, and on the hot days this chicken salad was the very best i have ever tasted very nice and light on a hot summer day I rate it a ten, Buffy, Weeki Wachee Fl

I have never been able to make chicken salad, but I decided I really wanted some that was homemade. I had some grilled chicken with a montreal seasoning mix and went for it. I used this recipe base. I didn't have all the ingredients, so I used a mix of sour cream and light mayo, I toasted almonds for added crunch, and chopped up a granny smith apple instead of grapes. I used mozzarella like someone suggested, and 1.5tsp of Splenda. All I know is, even with the changes, I can't stop eating this!!!

We make this all the time! My parents are doing the low carb thing, and I just leave out the grapes for them. Also, I use mozzarella cheese instead of the swiss, I only like swiss cheese in fondues. :)

I dont use water chesnuts but this is the best chicken salad

By far the best chicken salad recipe out there! I have made it quite a few times and always get rave reviews. My advice: • Use thigh and breast meat from a store bought rotisserie chicken. • Make sure the grapes are sweet. • Finely chop the celery and onion (fresh chives may be subbed for onion) • Coarsely chop the water chestnuts. • Don’t dice but coarsely grate the Swiss cheese. Serve this to guests and you will get a lot of requests for the recipe.

Very good as is, enjoyed it a lot. I served it to friends for a light lunch and it was a great hit.

This is a great recipe. The grapes add alot to this recipe.

This has become a summer staple in our house! I love the flavor and have had fun playing by adding additional veggies to it. Very good and simple to make.

Excellent! I took a taste of it right after I made it and all I could taste was the poultry seasoning and thought "what was all the fuss about how great this recipe was" ... I thought it was horrible. But then I put it in my fridge and let it sit for a few hours and WOW ... very yummy!!! I saved some time by cutting up already cooked chicken (bought two of those cooked chicken strip packages in the deli section). I'll definately make this again!!!

This really hit the spot. I've been craving chicken salad, but I wanted something more than just throwing in mayo. The seasoning for this was really good.

I agree! This is a great recipe! I love the seasonings in the dressing along with the Swiss cheese...delish! Like many other reviewers, I swapped the waterchestnuts for pecans and the green grapes for red. The only other change I made was to make the dressing as directed, but then I also made a bit more by making 1/2 the dressing recipe and adding it to the salad. In my opinion, the salad was just a little too dry, and it's such a tasty dressing that adding a bit more made the salad even better. Plus, I made it the night before serving it, and the salad stayed moister this way. Great recipe all around!

Tried this recipe for my daughter's grad party. It was very good. Definitely different than traditional chicken salad but I would make this again. Good flavor.