This tarragon chicken salad recipe is easy to make and full of flavor! Made with chicken breast, tarragon, parsley, capers, celery, and onion in a creamy dressing. Serve it as a sandwich or over a bed of greens!
The first time I had a really good chicken salad was in Paris. It was studded with fresh tarragon and was bright and lively and creamy, but not overly heavy. Of course, it was piled on the best croissant ever… but that is a story for another time. 🙂
Ever since that first bite, I have been recreating it, testing it, and serving it in my catering business- and it remains one of the most requested recipes by our clients! After years of adjusting and perfecting this recipe, here is our best version for you to enjoy!
Want to know the secret to the best chicken salad? The two ingredeints that elevate our chicken salad recipe are fresh tarragon and capers. And with these, I may be biased, but I think this is the best chicken salad recipe out there!
While catering, we often served it over a bed of dressed greens or as a chicken salad sandwich (and yes, it’s delicious piled into a croissant). Either way, I know you’ll be pleased with it!
Make it with leftover Rotisserie Chicken, Baked Chicken or Roasted Whole Chicken.
Tarragon Chicken Salad Ingredients
- Cooked chicken breast (baked chicken breast, leftover roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken)
- Celery- add depth and crunch!
- Onion- use diced red onion, white onion, sweet onion, or green onion
- Mayo- homemade mayo or storebought
- Mustard- whole grain mustard is nice, or use dijon mustard.
- Vinegar- red wine, AC, or rice wine vinegar to add a little acidity.
- Fresh Herbs: parsley and tarragon leaves (a must for the best flavor.)
- Capers – the secret to flavorful chicken salad.
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make Tarragon Chicken Salad
Step one: It truly is as easy as this: place everything in a bowl and mix.
Step two: Taste and adjust salt and pepper. For a looser consistency, add 1-2 teaspoons of water, readjusting the salt and pepper.
Storing Chicken Salad
Leftover chicken salad will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Make ahead and meal prep
What I love about this recipe is you can make it with leftover rotisserie chicken and serve it up for midweek lunches.
Serving suggestions
Serve over a bed of dressed greens with veggies. This makes a tasty entree salad.
Make a Chicken Salad Sandwich or wrap. Use whole grain toast, sourdough bread, English muffins, brioche, croissants, buns, pita, tortillas or ciabatta bread. Add avocado and top with microgreens.
Unique Chicken Salad Variations
- Try fresh grapes (cut them in half)
- Add raisins, dried currant, craisins or chopped dried apricots
- Sprinkle in nuts- cashews are nice, or almonds or pecans.
- Add curry powder! This pairs well with dried raisins and cashews.
- Try different herbs- cilantro, basil, dill!
- Use half yogurt and half mayo for the dressing. 🙂
I hope you enjoy this chicken salad as much as our clients have. Please leave your comments and ratings below. xoxo
More chicken salad recipes!
The Best Chicken Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4-6
- Category: sandwich, salad, wrap
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: American
Description
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves ( or try dill, basil or cilantro)
- 1 tablespoon capers, more if you like!
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1– 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon vinegar- red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Serve over lightly dressed greens or make a sandwich with it. See variations above!
Instructions
- Cut or shred chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a medium bowl.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix, incorporating all.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over simply dressed greens, or as a sandwich on toasted bread with lettuce and micro greens
Notes
The chicken salad will keep up to 4 days in the fridge.
Please read through the variations in the post above!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 359
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 550.8 mg
- Fat: 24.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.7 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 32.8 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg
Loved this! Followed the recipe as is, then added in a 1/3 cup of quartered red grapes.
Glad you enjoyed Ainsley!
so delicious! I used 1/2 plain Greek yogurt & 1/2 mayo as you suggested. it really was one of the best chicken salads I have had!
Great to hear Annie!
Yummy! I added some toasted slivered almonds. I served it with my go-to Sylvia’s no knead sourdough bread and butter lettuce and a friend suggested using the lettuce for a wrap! Will definitely make this again!
Love it Karen!
Fantastic! I had to substitute Dijon, and it was fine. I love tarragon, so used extra!! Served over bed of mixed greens. Will definitely be adding this recipe to my short list😊
Thanks so much Heather- glad you liked this! I really like this one too!
My husband love this salad. I make it into wraps for him using whole wheat tortillas. The tarragon makes it!
is this good to make?
Everything about this sandwich looks delicious. Those greens. That crusty bread. The creamy salad. Can’t wait to make this, and to someday check out that special place in Spokane. Mmm.