Chicken Salad with Sundried Tomatoes & Basil

This chicken salad with sundried tomatoes and basil is one of my favorite lunches to make. It’s flavorful, easy to put together, and tastes way more special than your average chicken salad.

The sundried tomatoes and kalamata olives give it a nice Mediterranean vibe. Add some fresh basil and parmesan cheese, and you’ve got something that feels almost fancy but takes almost no effort.

The dressing is creamy and tangy with just the right amount of seasoning. It coats the chicken perfectly without being too heavy.

You can serve this on bread, in a wrap, or just on its own with a side salad. It works great for meal prep too since it keeps well in the fridge.

If you’re tired of plain chicken salad and want something with a lot more flavor, this one is definitely worth trying.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Mediterranean Flavors in Every Bite – The sundried tomatoes and kalamata olives give this chicken salad a rich savory depth you will not find in a basic version.

Incredibly Creamy Dressing – The mix of mayo and sour cream with a squeeze of lemon creates a tangy and smooth coating that clings perfectly to every piece of chicken.

Amazing Texture Contrast – Tender chicken meets toasted pine nuts for a satisfying crunch that makes each bite interesting and keeps you coming back for more.

Ingredients

• 3 cups Cooked Chicken Breast, diced
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Sour Cream
• 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 cup Sundried Tomatoes in Oil, drained and chopped
• 1/4 cup Kalamata Olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
• 1/4 cup Fresh Basil, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp Pine Nuts, lightly toasted
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Directions

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lemon juice, italian seasoning, and garlic powder until the dressing is smooth and well seasoned.

Step 2

Season with salt and black pepper. Give the dressing a quick taste and adjust as needed.

Step 3

Add the diced cooked chicken breast and toss until every piece is evenly coated.

Step 4

Fold in the chopped sundried tomatoes and sliced kalamata olives. Stir gently until they are distributed throughout the salad. The oil from the sundried tomatoes adds extra richness to the dressing as you mix.

Step 5

Sprinkle in the grated parmesan cheese and toss to combine.

Step 6

Add the sliced fresh basil and toasted pine nuts. Give the salad one final gentle fold so the basil stays fresh and the pine nuts stay whole.

Step 7

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to a few hours. This salad is delicious on ciabatta bread, in a wrap, or served alongside a simple arugula salad.

Pro Tips

Don’t Skip Draining the Sundried Tomatoes

Take the sundried tomatoes out of the jar and pat them dry with a paper towel before chopping them. If you skip this, all that extra oil will thin out the dressing and make the whole salad greasy instead of creamy.

A little bit of oil will still come through when you fold them in, which is actually a good thing. It adds richness without going overboard. You just don’t want all that jar oil flooding the bowl.

Toast the Pine Nuts in a Dry Pan

Put the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-low heat with no oil. Shake the pan every 20-30 seconds and watch them closely because they go from golden to burned in under a minute.

Once they turn light golden and smell nutty, pull them off the heat and move them onto a plate right away. If you leave them in the hot pan they’ll keep cooking and turn bitter.

Toasted pine nuts give this salad a warm, buttery crunch that raw ones just can’t match. It’s a small step that makes a real difference.

How to Get Perfectly Cooked Chicken for This

If you’re cooking the chicken breast specifically for this salad, poaching is the way to go. Place the chicken in a pot, cover it with cold water, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it gently simmer for about 15 minutes until it’s cooked through.

Poached chicken stays tender and moist, which matters a lot in a cold salad like this. Dry, overcooked chicken will stand out since there’s nothing to hide behind.

Let the chicken cool completely before you dice it and mix it in. Warm chicken will soften the mayo and make the dressing runny.

Related Recipes

• High Protein Chicken Caesar Wrap
• High Protein Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• High Protein Greek Chicken Bowl
• Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to cook the chicken for this salad?

You can use any method you like – poaching, baking, grilling, or even using a pressure cooker all work great. Poaching tends to give you the most tender and juicy result, which is perfect for chicken salad since you want the meat to stay moist once it’s mixed with the dressing.

Rotisserie chicken from the store is also a fantastic shortcut if you want to save time. Just shred or dice it up and you’re good to go.