Creamy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad with Mayonnaise
Calling all dill pickle lovers! This creamy dill pickle chicken salad with mayonnaise is made with rotisserie chicken and a scrumptious mayo-based dressing that includes hints of Worcestershire sauce and smoked paprika. This salad can be prepared in advance and makes an excellent deli-style sandwich.
Recipe Mood: Quick and Satisfying Lunch
Indulgence Level: Medium
Effort Level: Easy
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As a Long Island native and former long-time NYC resident, I rarely ate a chicken salad that wasn’t prepared with a generous amount of mayo. This creamy dill pickle chicken salad with mayonnaise was created with that indulgence in mind and, of course, includes plenty of dill pickles.
The delicious mayo-based dressing is made with Dijon mustard, pickle juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and dashes of smoked paprika and Worcestershire sauce. You’re not supposed to taste the Worcestershire sauce and paprika; they’re essentially “secret” ingredients to add depth of flavor.
Enjoy this dill pickle chicken salad as a sandwich, in a wrap, in lettuce cups, with crackers, or straight from the bowl. You can’t go wrong.
Did you know?
One of the earliest American recipes for chicken salad is found in Sarah Rutledge’s 1847 book, The Carolina Housewife.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad with Mayonnaise
Quick and convenient: This recipe relies on rotisserie chicken, so it comes together in minutes.
Flavor-packed: Ingredients like dill pickles, Dijon mustard, and smoked paprika give this chicken salad a tangy, slightly smoky, and well-seasoned flavor that's anything but boring.
Versatile: Great on bread, stuffed into a soft tortilla, over lettuce greens, or eaten straight from the bowl.
Key Ingredients
- Pickles: You can’t make dill pickle chicken salad without pickles!
- Pickle Juice: This adds more pickle flavor to the dressing.
- Garlic Powder: This adds flavor beyond just salt and pepper.
- Onion Powder: Same as the garlic powder. It helps enhance the dressing.
- Smoked Paprika: You don’t really notice it, as its purpose is to deepen the flavor of the dressing.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Like the smoked paprika, we’re adding just enough to enhance the overall taste.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Recipe
- Prepare chicken: Place shredded rotisserie chicken in a medium-sized bowl with chopped dill pickles and sliced scallions. Set aside.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, pickle juice, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Combine: Pour dressing over chicken and mix until evenly coated.
- Serve: Enjoy on bread, on a soft tortilla, or as desired.
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Pro Tips
Make the chicken salad in advance: This will allow the flavors to really come together, and the chicken salad will taste even better. You can make it from a few hours in advance to the day before.
Variations & Substitutions
-Add fresh dill for even more pickle flavor and freshness.
-Add fresh tarragon to the chicken salad for a unique flavor.
-Add some red onion with the scallions (use only or mainly the green part of the scallions if you do this).
-Instead of using all mayo, mix equal parts mayo and Greek yogurt for more protein.
-Toss in diced celery for some crunch.
-Mix in diced avocado for even more creaminess. You can likely reduce the amount of mayo if you do this.
-Squeeze fresh lemon juice into the dressing for more acidity and brightness.
-If you want to enhance the underlying flavors, add more smoked paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Just be sure to add a little at a time, as they can overpower the other ingredients if used liberally.
-If you don’t have pickle juice, use a splash of white vinegar or the juice from a jar of banana peppers. If you don’t have any liquid substitutes, just add a few more chopped dill pickles to the chicken salad.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but mixing the ingredients for the dressing separately allows it to combine better and coat the chicken more thoroughly.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing anything made with mayo, which can separate upon defrosting.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this creamy dill pickle chicken salad on a crispy roll, in a soft tortilla, on whole grain bread, or rye bread. You can also serve it in lettuce cups or with an assortment of crackers.
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Creamy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad with Mayonnaise
Ingredients
For the Chicken Salad
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken dark and white meat
- ¾ cup dill pickles diced
- ⅓ cup scallions white and green parts
For the Dressing
- ⅓ cup full-fat mayonnaise (Note 1)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice from the jar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the shredded chicken in a medium-sized bowl, and add the dill pickles and scallions to it. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the dressing. Pour the dressing over the chicken and mix well; taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve the chicken salad on your favorite bread or soft tortilla, or enjoy it however you'd like.
Makes such a satisfying lunch or even a quick dinner when I don’t feel like cooking.