Summer may be all about lighter recipes, but that doesn’t have to mean light on flavor! I made this recipe at my first job and fell in love with the combination of the buttery flakiness of a toasted croissant with a creamy filling that makes it a perfect comfort food for the warmer seasons. I love the way the two textures combine with summer ripe Roma tomatoes, hot cherry pepper relish and a balsamic glaze to create serious #sandwichgoals.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Four 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 scallions, white and pale green parts only, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
- Romaine lettuce leaves, for serving
- 4 fresh croissants, sliced and lightly toasted, cut-side up, in the broiler
- Sliced Roma tomatoes, for serving
- Hot cherry pepper relish or giardiniera, for serving
- Balsamic glaze, for drizzling
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, stir 1 tablespoon salt into 6 cups cold water. Add the chicken and heat over medium heat until the water hits a temperature of 170 degrees F. Take the pot off the heat, cover, and let the chicken sit in the warm water until its internal temperature hits 165 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to paper towels to dry. Once cool enough to handle, pull the chicken apart with your hands or forks until shredded but still chunky.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the celery, scallions, cherries, mustard, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Let this mixture sit for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour to extract all that flavor. Add the mayo and mix until incorporated. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Add the shredded chicken and walnuts to the mayo mixture. Adjust the seasonings. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving, overnight preferred.
- Place a piece of lettuce on the bottom half of a croissant followed by a scoop of chicken salad, one or two tomato slices, a spoonful of hot cherry pepper relish or giardiniera and a little drizzle of balsamic glaze. Close the top of the croissant. Assemble 3 more sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches in half and eat!
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 910 |
| Total Fat | 66 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Protein | 51 g |
| Cholesterol | 186 mg |
| Sodium | 949 mg |
Reviews
I love this chicken salad. I used a mix of mayo and sour cream for the dressing and added a bit more Dijon. I cheated by using grilled chicken strips from Aldi, coarsely chopped. Don’t skip Step 2!
This was the best chicken salad! I didn’t make the sandwich just the chicken salad and it was phenomenal on its own. I accidentally bought chicken thighs and it came out just fine. I will definitely make this again!
The chicken salad tasted amazing before the last hour when it chills – I’m drooling waiting to eat it! I can’t wait to make the actual sandwiches! I will say I didn’t have walnuts (I’m allergic) so I used pecans.
So update – sandwiches were made – just as Jeff instructed – wow!!! Absolutely fantastic! I’ve loved chicken salad since I was a kid – this was amazingly elevated adult chicken salad sammie!
So update – sandwiches were made – just as Jeff instructed – wow!!! Absolutely fantastic! I’ve loved chicken salad since I was a kid – this was amazingly elevated adult chicken salad sammie!
Made this with dried cranberries and rotisserie chicken. Chix breasts are not tasty on their own, sometimes ver “chewy.” Definitely NO nuts!
We didn’t like the cherries or walnuts..
Every time I bring home fried chicken, I know we’ll never finish all of it. It’s my perfect excuse to make this. I simply adjust it for smaller amount.
Today I am adding grapes and cannot wait to eat. Such a perfect recipe as you never have dried chicken to start with, which is the problem with chicken salad to begin with normally.
Today I am adding grapes and cannot wait to eat. Such a perfect recipe as you never have dried chicken to start with, which is the problem with chicken salad to begin with normally.
Delicious BEST chicken salad I, or my family has had.
I cheated by using leftover rotisserie chicken. Still delicious!
I cheated by using leftover rotisserie chicken. Still delicious!
We used dried cranberries instead of cherries. Sandwich was VERY good!
I’ve made chicken salad sandwiches with chopped celery for years, but this is oh so much better. All the flavors blend perfectly for such an outstanding sandwich. My family is already asking for it again. Thank you so much Jeff Mauro!!!
Worth the extra effort