It’s made with an olive oil-based dressing, and it’s delicious! It also keeps well in the fridge for several days. I love the classic chicken salad. I like the creamy mayonnaise-based dressing and the crunch from the celery. But if you’re not a fan of mayonnaise-based dressing or just feel like trying something new, this salad is perfect for you. The medley of textures and flavors is exquisite. Instead of mayonnaise, the dressing is based on olive oil and wine vinegar. With olives, red onions, and crumbled feta cheese, this is a unique, fresh-tasting salad.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days (but consider how old the chicken you used was). Stir it again before serving it.
For the Dressing
Olive oil: I like to use extra-virgin olive oil in the dressing, but if you prefer light and fruity olive oil, that should be fine, too. White wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar works too. I don’t recommend using distilled white vinegar. It’s too acidic. Mustard: I add Dijon mustard to the dressing for its wonderful flavor and also because it helps emulsify the dressing. Warm water: Added to help mellow out the sharp flavors of the vinegar and mustard. To season: Garlic, salt, pepper, and dried thyme.
For the Salad
Red onion: Make sure it’s finely minced - no one wants to bite into a large chunk of raw onion! Pitted olives: Black, green, or a mix of both. Whatever you like and enjoy! I find that Kalamata olives work well in this salad. Cooked chicken: I normally use chicken breasts. Rotisserie chicken works, too - just be sure to remove the skin. If you need to cook the chicken, you can use one of my recipes for baked chicken breasts, poached chicken breasts, grilled chicken breasts, or broiled chicken. Feta cheese: You can crumble it yourself or buy it already crumbled. Cilantro: If you’re not a fan of cilantro, fresh chopped parsley is also good.
Use basil instead of cilantro. I love the flavor it adds! You can use fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar. Try crumbled goat cheese instead of feta. I tried both versions, and both are very good. Add a tablespoon of capers. I love the tang they add. If you like spicy food, add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the dressing. Add colorful veggies such as tomatoes or (pictured below) orange bell peppers.
Cook the chicken breasts, cool them, and cube or shred them. Prepare the dressing: In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add olive oil, vinegar, water, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Seal the jar well. Shake until the ingredients emulsify into a dressing. Alternatively, use a small hand whisk to whisk the vinegar, water, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking, until the dressing emulsifies. Serve the salad immediately, or let it rest in the fridge for an hour to allow the flavors to meld. Since this salad is a full meal, there’s really no need to serve it with anything on the side. But if you wish, you can serve it with toasted and buttered almond flour bread. You can also stuff the salad inside lettuce wraps.
Recipe Card
