This Tarragon Chicken Salad is simple, flavorful, and just might be my favorite chicken salad ever!!!
If you never buy tarragon and use it in recipes– you gotta start getting it! Tarragon is a leafy green herb widely used in French cooking (and the French know how to cook!!!) Its flavor is strong and has an anise/licorice taste to it. But don’t let that deter you if you hate licorice (because I hate licorice). Adding fresh tarragon to a dish can immediately elevate it and take something typically mundane and transform it into something magnificent. For example, this simple chicken salad is restaurant worthy– and I give all the credit to the tarragon!
If you are from Dallas or San Antonio and have had the Chicken Salad from Bird Bakery— that is where the inspiration for this salad came from. It’s savory, yet the touch of dried cranberries gives it a bit of sweetness and tartness that leaves you wanting MORE!
It may seem odd, but the key to making this salad mix so well to become so creamy and delicious is using a mixer. You can certainly just stir the heck out of it if you don’t have a mixer– but I love throwing mine in my Kitchen Aid mixer and letting that do the work. It makes the chicken shred ultra-fine and the end results are just so delicious!
Tarragon Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken, loosely shredded I use rotisserie chickeen
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 1/2 cup finely diced sweet onion yellow onion is ok, too
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 4 tbsp homemade mayo
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and using a paddle attachment, mix until very well combined and the chicken is finely shredded. Taste and add salt and pepper, according to your taste buds!*If you do not have a stand mixer no worries! Just be sure to shred the chicken really fine using your hands and then mix it *really well* when you stir to combine.
- Refrigerate to chill and serve as desired! I love to serve mine over a bed of lettuce with veggies for dipping!
57 Comments
Katy
August 24, 2022 at 2:46 amAnother home run!! This is a keeper and I’ve shared it with several people. I love the addition of the mustard. I’m a huge fan of tarragon chicken salads and so glad I tried this.
Susan Farley
April 29, 2022 at 5:17 pmDidn’t have fresh tarragon so I subbed basil from the garden with a little dried tarragon and it was delicious!
CLV
January 31, 2022 at 4:38 amAmazing recipe !!! I made this recipe last week for my husband and I ( I doubled it) and it was gone within 24 hrs lol I’m planning on doing it again this week.
I just can’t help but ask what are the yellow looking things I see in your salad? Lemon zest ???
Alex
January 31, 2022 at 6:43 pmyes, correct!! lemon zest! 🙂
Amanda
December 13, 2021 at 6:31 pmWhat would you sub for chicken to make vegan (aleks you have vegan mayo)?
Alex
December 14, 2021 at 12:46 pmI don’t cook Vegan much, so I am not a huge help here I am sorry; however, perhaps you could drain and rinse some chickpeas and mash them up with the recipe and use vegan mayo?
Sarah
October 27, 2021 at 8:51 pmLove this recipe! Always a favorite in our house. The recipe is very open for customization. Sometimes we throw in chopped jalapeño or dried cherries instead- whatever we have on hand!
Debi
August 29, 2021 at 11:28 amCan I use miracle whip ? Also dried tarigon if so how much
Alex
August 29, 2021 at 9:14 pmI don’t recommend using Miracle Whip, as it has such a different taste than most mayo. But if you like the flavor of it, than it should be fine to use. As far as dried tarragon– I really recommend using fresh here to liven up the chicken salad! But if you use dried, I think 1 tsp. should be good. 🙂
Liz
August 23, 2021 at 9:10 pmI order a $23 tarragon chicken salad with watermelon a couple of days a week b/c it is delicious. Clearly this is too much so I decided to fill my addiction at home by trying this recipe. Oh my lord, this salad (ex celery, which is the devil) + baby kale + homemade lemon dressing + cubed watermelon + feta + sliced almonds = dead, so good! I had it for two out of 3 meals today. YAAAAASSS
Alex
August 23, 2021 at 11:30 pmhaha, i’m so happy to hear– Except the celery is the devil part (hahaha) i am a celery LOVER!
Cynthia
July 12, 2021 at 10:49 pmSoooooo good! I had to sub canola mayo and sweetened cranberries, but it was so delish!
Bethany Graham
June 2, 2021 at 1:01 amWould this recipe freeze well?
Alex
June 2, 2021 at 11:54 amI don’t think that recipes that use mayo freeze well.
John
May 22, 2021 at 10:01 pmI had some zante currants I threw in in place of the cranberries. Great substitute! This was awesome!
Alyse Tucker
March 22, 2021 at 5:39 pmAny idea the nutritional information for this? I’m mostly curious how many calories are in a serving.
It’s delicious!!
Abby
March 22, 2021 at 1:11 amThis is DELICIOUS! I love the finely shredded style at Chicken Salad Chick, but have had trouble replicating it. I also HATE shredding chicken, so this is an amazing hack that will be helpful for many recipes.
Allie
March 12, 2021 at 6:05 pmWow wow wow! This was SO good, Alex! The tarragon adds such an interesting flavor and everything works together well. I’m not sure serves 4 people is accurate though because my husband and I could eat this in one sitting between the two of us haha. I will practice self restraint and save the rest for tomorrow’s lunch ;). Thanks as always for an amazing and creative recipe!
kari
February 10, 2021 at 8:16 pmloved this so much!!! added to the lunch rotation for sure. thanks, alex!
Robyn
February 6, 2021 at 5:30 pmThis is so delish and comes together quickly! Will be going in the regular rotation!
Brittany K
January 31, 2021 at 5:29 pmThis was my first time making chicken salad and my husband and I are obsessed!! We have made it three weeks in a row. We serve it over spinach with Simple Mills crackers. Or we scoop it up right out of the container 🙂 Insanely delicious!!
Catherine
January 26, 2021 at 8:31 pmSO GOOD! This is my first time making chicken salad and I was surprised at how easy it was. I do not have a mixer so I used my vitamix which shredded it perfectly. I also subbed halved grapes for the cranberries!
rmc
January 26, 2021 at 5:58 pmSuch a delicious chicken salad! I’ve been making one like this for years from an old recipe I found in Southern Lady magazine, it’s a favorite! I added sliced almonds to your recipe, so good! Thank you Alex 🙂
Leesh
January 25, 2021 at 2:39 amMy faith in humanity is restored.
Michelle
January 4, 2023 at 6:51 pmCan you sub yogurt vs Mayo? Thanks!!
Alex
January 4, 2023 at 7:21 pmYes!! Yogurt works well here.
Monica S.
January 20, 2021 at 10:10 pmAmazing! Ive already made it twice. Great with crackers, in a wrap or on a bed of greens. Don’t skip the fresh tarragon. Sooo good!
Alex
January 20, 2021 at 11:20 pmYes!!! so glad, and NEVER skip that delightful tarragon. it’s just so good.
Stephanie Masta
January 19, 2021 at 5:38 pmI made this (along with the homemade mayo) and it is amazing! So so good. And it feels very light and healthy. Thank you!
Ellie Heidorn
January 18, 2021 at 11:56 pmDANG SO GOOD. I did 2 chicken breasts in the oven and shredded them with my mixer before making! I ate it wrapped in lettuce and with carrot sticks. I also used Primal Kitchen Garlic Mayo (they were out of the regular at my store) and surprisingly loved it! 10/10 will make this dish again! Super easy to meal prep too- I made it Monday and kept it in the fridge until it was gone on Friday!
Hannah
January 14, 2021 at 2:26 amWonderful! My little family loved it, even my picky 8 year old! Thank you Alex! Also, cranberries with no sugar added are REALLY hard to find!
Ellie Heidorn
January 18, 2021 at 11:53 pmI had to specialty order them from Thrive Market!! So tough to find no sugar added. I did recently find them at Trader Joes however!
Alex
January 19, 2021 at 12:30 pmit is so tough to find dried cranberries without added sugar! I also find them at Natural Grocers in their bulk section.
EJ
January 12, 2021 at 9:06 pmHow many calories would you say one serving of this is?
Alex
January 12, 2021 at 10:40 pmI am not sure but someone may have calculated already and can share!
Pam
January 12, 2021 at 5:52 pmI’m not normally one to comment on recipes, but HOLY $#!&$^ this is good! Can’t wait to add it to my normal meal prep rotation.
Katherine
January 11, 2021 at 6:11 pmsuper delicious and actually really light amount of mayo for how much it makes which is awesome
Kelsey
January 9, 2021 at 5:18 pmCan you use dried tarragon? Apparently Raleigh is either having a tarragon shortage or everyone already bought it all to make this recipe.
Alex
January 10, 2021 at 3:24 amhaha, yes I am sure you can!! I am not sure how much, I haven’t really cooked with dried tarragon much to be honest.. But i’d start off with 2-3 teaspoons and you can always add more if it’s not coming through.
Alison
January 7, 2021 at 1:09 amMade this recipe for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delish! I love your recipes and cookbook! ❤️
Wendy Zogg
January 6, 2021 at 11:21 pmJust made this and the Mayo! Delicious 😋
Kate Dejana
January 6, 2023 at 2:54 amAny store bought mayo substitution you can recommend?
Alex
January 6, 2023 at 7:45 pmI recommend Sir Kingsington Avocado Oil mayo
Erika
January 5, 2021 at 3:12 amWhere can I find the homemade mayo recipe?
Alex
January 6, 2021 at 3:09 pmhttps://thedefineddish.com/homemade-mayo/
Alex T.
January 5, 2021 at 2:39 amThink it would taste equally as good using Primal Kitchen Mayo, or do you recommend home making it? Love ALL your food so want to do it right 🙂
Alex
January 5, 2021 at 2:40 amYou can totally make it with PK mayo– i just love the clean taste of homemade. The PK mayo is a great option, but I find it has a unique after taste that can be strong!
Julie
January 4, 2021 at 10:08 pmWhere do you find unsweetened cranberries?
Alex
January 5, 2021 at 2:41 amI have bought mine from both Thrive Market + Natural Grocers!
Kristen
January 4, 2021 at 6:27 pmCan you make it without the tarragon?
Alex
January 4, 2021 at 8:44 pmyes, but it wouldn’t taste near as delicious.
Lauren Serra
January 4, 2021 at 5:49 pmHow do you think this would work with Tuna?
Alex
January 4, 2021 at 8:43 pmyes for sure!
Ann
January 4, 2021 at 5:41 pmDo you have the nutrition information?
Alex
January 4, 2021 at 8:43 pmI do not!
Dani
January 4, 2021 at 5:03 pmWhere do you find whole30 compliant rotisserie chicken?
Leslie
January 4, 2021 at 8:53 pmWhole Foods Original rotisserie chicken is compliant -just salt, pepper and chicken. And on sale every Saturday!