Chicken Salad with Pickles & Fresh Dill

This chicken salad with pickles and fresh dill is one of those recipes you’ll want to keep on repeat. It’s creamy, tangy, and has the perfect crunch.

What makes it so good is the pickle brine in the dressing. It adds this subtle tang that ties everything together really well.

The whole thing comes together in about 10 minutes, not counting the time the chicken needs to chill in the fridge. Super simple, no fancy steps.

You can serve it on bread, crackers, or wrapped in lettuce if you want something lighter. It works great for lunch, meal prep, or a quick dinner.

It also tastes even better after it sits in the fridge for a bit, so making it ahead of time is actually a plus.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

The Flavor Is Unbelievably Good – The tangy pickle brine and Dijon mustard take this chicken salad way beyond basic and boring.

It Gets Better as It Sits – The pickle flavor deepens the longer it chills so every bite becomes more flavorful over time.

The Texture Is Spot On – Crunchy diced pickles and red onion mixed with tender shredded chicken give you the perfect bite every single time.

Fresh Dill Makes All the Difference – The fresh dill adds a bright herby flavor that makes this taste like something from a fancy deli.

Ingredients

• 3 cups Cooked Chicken Breast, shredded
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Dill Pickle Brine
• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 3/4 cup Dill Pickles, finely diced
• 1/3 cup Red Onion, finely diced
• 3 tbsp Fresh Dill, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Directions

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, dill pickle brine, and dijon mustard. Whisk until the dressing is smooth and well blended.

Step 2

Stir in the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

Step 3

Add the shredded cooked chicken breast to the bowl and toss thoroughly so every strand is coated in the tangy dressing.

Step 4

Fold in the finely diced dill pickles and red onion. Mix gently until they are evenly distributed throughout the salad.

Step 5

Sprinkle in the chopped fresh dill and fold it through one final time.

Step 6

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The salad tastes even better after an hour or two as the pickle flavor deepens. Serve on bread, crackers, or lettuce cups.

Pro Tips

Squeeze the Moisture Out of Your Pickles

After you dice the pickles, give them a good squeeze in a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to get rid of the extra liquid. Pickles hold a lot of moisture and if you skip this step, your chicken salad will get watery after it sits in the fridge.

You’re already adding pickle brine to the dressing, so that pickle flavor is covered. The diced pickles are there for crunch and little bursts of tang, and they do that job way better when they’re not dripping wet.

Poach the Chicken for the Best Texture

If you haven’t cooked your chicken yet, poaching is the way to go for chicken salad. Place the chicken breasts in a pot, cover with water by about an inch, add a pinch of salt, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the internal temp hits 165°F.

Poached chicken stays really moist and tender, which makes it shred easily and absorb the dressing better. Baked or grilled chicken can work but it tends to be drier, and dry chicken in a salad means you’ll need more mayo to compensate.

Let the chicken cool down completely before you shred it. Warm chicken mixed with mayo is not something you want.

Shred the Chicken Instead of Chopping

Use two forks to pull the chicken apart into thin shreds rather than cutting it into cubes. Shredded chicken has way more surface area, so every little strand picks up that tangy dressing and holds onto it.

Cubed chicken tends to sit in the dressing without really absorbing it. You end up with bland bites of chicken and a pool of dressing at the bottom of the bowl. Shredding fixes that completely.

Related Recipes

• High Protein Chicken Caesar Wrap
• High Protein Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• High Protein Greek Chicken Bowl
• High Protein Baked Salmon with Lemon Dill
• High Protein Tuna Melt

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use rotisserie chicken for this salad?

Absolutely – rotisserie chicken works perfectly here and is actually one of the easiest shortcuts. Just shred the breast meat with two forks and you are good to go.

The seasoning already on rotisserie chicken adds a little extra flavor, so you may want to taste the salad before adding the full amount of salt.