Better Chicken Salad Sandwich

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Feb 1

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Spruce up the classic chicken salad with this **Better Chicken Salad Sandwich!** This recipe is my take on the classic chicken salad sandwich that’s so easy to whip up! This better than classic chicken salad sandwich is sure to be the talk of the picnic or a go-to for a quick lunch to bring to the office!

Chicken Salad is an American classic that’s served at picnics or is a quick ensemble to take to lunch for school or work. When you’ve got leftover veggies and chicken laying around, what do you do? Make a chicken salad! All you do is mix and serve, it can be done in under five minutes! A no-brainer right! Chicken salad lovers not only love the convenience of it, but of course the flavours it brings! A chicken salad is awesome because of that crunch factor! It’s mushy but crunchy goodness!

So then, if the classic is so good, why am I making this recipe? Why do I think it’s better than the classic you probably grew up with? Am I biased? Yeah, probably! But if you keep reading, perhaps you’ll give this recipe

Better than the classic Chicken Salad Sandwich?

Calling this a Better Chicken Salad Sandwich may be a bold statement on my part, but there’s a reason behind this name! I’ve made some classic chicken salad sandwiches for lunches and to be quite honest haven’t enjoyed them very much! Why is this better than a classic chicken salad sandwich? Well, in my opinion, for a few reasons!

I don’t like raw celery. It’s so strong! When I follow recipes for classic chicken salad sandwiches, I just can’t stand that flavour. The crunch is good, but jeeze, the taste is so strong! No thank you!
I don’t like raw onions. Again, they’re very strong! I see why we need them, but I just don’t like raw onions! Back in India, my family would have raw onion on the side with many dishes, such as with Masaledar Chana Dal, or yellow split pea soup. I was the only one who didn’t have the raw onion on the side! What can I say, it’s just not for me.

Those are the two main reasons why I don’t like traditional chicken salad sandwiches, though I know they are probably one of the most important ingredients! That’s okay, although we’re not going to use raw onions or celery in this recipe, this will still be extremely flavourful and crunchy! We’re just going to modify the classic my way!

To maintain that chicken salad-ness we know and love, I’m going to substitute the raw celery with celery salt. You’ve still got the essence of the celery there but it’s much milder! Additionally, I’m going to use green onion, and to keep the crunch factor in there, I’m adding grated carrots and a bit of chopped jalapeño pepper. For some awesome flavour, we’ll be using smoked applewood mustard! If you don’t have this, you can use regular Dijon mustard or any Dijon mustard of your choice!

Ingredients for Better Chicken Salad Sandwich

Let’s go over what we need to make this Better than Classic Chicken Salad Sandwich! Remember, all measurements can be found in the detailed PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD at the bottom of this post!

Sliced bread of choice. Here I’m using country round bread, which has been my recent favourite! Other options I recommend are sourdough, rye or ciabatta.
Chicken breast to make Simple Poached Chicken, or pre-cooked chicken. You can use leftover chicken from last night’s dinner, use some leftover rotisserie chicken you picked up from the store, or make the poached chicken fresh and then shred it for the sandwich.
Condiments. Here we’re using sour cream, mustard, and mayonnaise. The mustard I’m using is BBQ smoked Applewood mustard. I’m LOVING this mustard lately! Otherwise, any Dijon mustard will work!
Herbs. I’m using green onions. This will add a nice tanginess and a bit of crunch that is usually found from using diced red onion!
Jalapeño. For the crunch factor and to add a little bit of heat!
Carrots. Shredded. Our main source crunchiness here, replacing the chopped celery and chopped onion that are traditionally used!
Greens. I’m using a spring mix here, but you can use spinach if you’d like!
Spices. A pinch of celery salt. This will replace the raw celery that’s not going in this recipe, but will still have that classic chicken salad flair!
Seasoning. I’m using salt and pepper to taste.

How to Make BeSt Chicken Salad Sandwich

If using raw chicken, poach your chicken, as described in my Simple Poached Chicken recipe. If your chicken is already cooked, skip to the next step.
With the help of two forks, shred the chicken and add to a large bowl.
Add rest of the prepared ingredients, jalapeño, carrots, green onions, mayo, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper. Add celery salt if using as well.
Mix thoroughly to combine and taste to adjust for seasoning.
Evenly spread the mixture on one slice of bread and top with half the portion of greens mix. Top with another slice of bread and press down lightly.
Slice sandwich in half and serve right away, or chill in refrigerator to server later.

Is Chicken Salad Sandwich Healthy?

I don’t know why not! While I am using sour cream and mayonnaise, I’m not using too much of either. I’m just using enough to add creaminess to our chicken mixture. You can lighten it up by using reduced fat sour cream and mayonnaise. The mayonnaise I’m using is actually reduced fat! I personally like full fat sour cream because I find it has the best texture and reduced fat sour cream is a bit more liquidy. However, if you are adamant of cutting down the calories, then by all means use the reduced fat sour cream! If you want to omit the fat from the mayonnaise altogether, then substitute with plain Greek yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt has no sugar and is high in protein, so it will increase the satiety of the sandwich.

I’m also adding some greens to this sandwich. I used a moderate amount, but if you want to load up on the greens, then definitely go for it! I’ve also got the shredded carrots here for some additional veggie goodness. Overall, some fat from the sour cream and mayonnaise combined with vegetables and protein from the chicken, served with some bread, I’d say this can be a very balanced meal! If you want an additional nutritious boost to this sandwich, then use a whole grain or multi-grain bread. I personally prefer the taste of white bread, but that’s just me!

What to do with Leftover chicken mixture

I find using the chicken salad in a sandwich the most satisfying way to enjoy! However, you can definitely get creative with leftovers, and I guarantee they’ll be gone in no time! Here are some ideas with how you can serve this chicken mixture:

In a wrap
Get a mound of leafy greens, add some extra veggies, and toss in your chicken mixture for a healthy satisfying salad
On a slice of bread, then grate some mozzarella cheese on top. Melt your cheese under the broiler and you have a chicken salad grilled cheese! I actually did this with my leftovers after I made this!
Refresh this with some BBQ sauce, and make it an entirely new sandwich or wrap
Add onto some pita bread for some pita pizzas
Cook up some pasta and mix it in for a creamy pasta salad

Storing Leftovers

Leftover chicken salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for about 3-4 days.

Watch How to Make Chicken Salad Sandwich Here:

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!

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Sandwiches & Wraps, Lunch, Poultry

American

Better Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe | Easy Chicken Salad Sandwich w/o Celery | Chicken Salad Recipehttps://youtu.be/wG0E7V1m4RgBetter than the classic chicken salad sandwich, you'll fall head over heels for this easy recipe! Not a fan of raw celery or raw onions? No problem! I'm not either, which is why I made this recipe! I've tried plenty of chicken salad sandwiches and while I love how quick and easy they are to prepare, I don't like the raw onions and celery! This recipe uses shredded poached chicken, creamy mayonnaise, sour cream, and Dijon mustard. To keep the crunch, I've got shredded carrots, green onions, and jalapeno. We'll keep the essence of a classic chicken salad sandwich by seasoning with celery salt!2021-02-01

Yield: 2

Author: Anadi

Better Chicken Salad Sandwich

Spruce up the classic chicken salad with this Better Chicken Salad Sandwich! This recipe is my take on the classic chicken salad sandwich that’s so easy to whip up! This better than classic chicken salad sandwich is sure to be the talk of the picnic or a go-to for a quick lunch to bring to the office!

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Ingredients

For the chicken salad

1 Jalapeño, finely chopped
2 Cups carrots, finely grated
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 medium chicken breast, poached (recipe here)
4 heaping Tbsp mayonnaise
3 Tbsp sour cream
1 heaping tsp BBQ mustard (or mustard of choice)
salt and pepper to taste
optional: celery salt to taste

For the sandwich

4 slices of bread (I recommend sourdough or rustic country style bread)
1 packed Cup greens mix

Instructions

If using raw chicken (simple poached chicken recipe)

To prepare poached chicken, add chicken in a cold pot and fill the pot with water. Add enough water to cover the chicken by at least 1 inch. Season with salt, turn heat to medium and cover with a lid
Once the water starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool slightly.

To prepare the chicken salad

Shred the chicken with the help of two forks and add to a large bowl.
With the help of two forks, shred the chicken and add to a large bowl.
Add rest of the prepared ingredients, jalapeño, carrots, green onions, mayo, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper. Add celery salt if using as well.
Mix thoroughly to combine and taste to adjust for seasoning.

To assemble the sandwich

Evenly spread the mixture on one slice of bread and top with half the portion of greens mix. Top with another slice of bread and press down lightly.
Slice sandwich in half and serve right away, or chill in refrigerator to server later.