This chicken salad recipe is delicious! It all starts with marinating chicken thighs and then baking them to perfection, resulting in tender and juicy meat. To top it off, the chicken is combined with a creamy and herb-infused dressing, along with crunchy vegetables, creating a delightful combination of flavors and textures.
How to Prepare the Chicken
By marinating the chicken beforehand, we're setting the stage for an incredibly flavorful chicken salad. Also, it's a brilliant way to kickstart the process and guarantee a mouthwatering outcome.
Make the Marinade
In a large bowl, incorporate the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Then, vigorously blend until a tangy dressing is achieved.
Add the Chicken to the Marinade
Thoroughly coat each piece with the dressing, ensuring that every bite is packed with flavor.
Marinate in Fridge
Marinating the chicken for at least 15 minutes in the fridge will enhance the flavor, allowing it to become even more delicious. Also, you can choose to leave the marinated chicken in the fridge overnight if you prefer.
Bake with Confidence!
Place those marinated chicken thighs in a baking dish and let the magic happen at a temperature of 375 F for 35-40 minutes. Wonderfully, the chicken will reach its peak perfection at an internal temperature of 165 F.
Dice the Chicken
Set the chicken aside to cool. For faster cooling, it would be ideal to place the chicken in the refrigerator.
Finally, once the chicken has cooled, go ahead and dice it up. You have a couple of options for how to do this. Dice it into cube-like shapes, or if you prefer, use two forks to shred the chicken. Either way, you'll end up with deliciously diced or shredded chicken ready to use for the chicken salad.
Make the Chicken Salad Dressing
This dressing for the chicken salad is creamy and herby and more importantly, really quick to put together. Here's what you'll need.
- Mayo
- Dijon mustard
- Olive oil
- Dried Oregano
- Paprika
- Zest and juice of a lemon
- Salt & Pepper
Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl and with every swirl of the whisk, the seasonings come together harmoniously, creating a mouthwatering symphony of flavor.
Put it All Together
In a large bowl, add the diced chicken, chopped celery, onions, and parsley, drizzle in the dressing, toss to combine, and enjoy cold.
How to Make the Best Chicken Salad Recipe
- Firstly, marinate the chicken. Create the marinade by combining aromatic garlic, bright lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt & pepper in a bowl.
- Afterward, place the marinated chicken in the fridge
- Next, bake the marinated chicken thighs in a baking dish in a preheated oven set at 375 F for 30-40 minutes.
- Next, allow the chicken to cool, and in the meantime, make the dressing. With a whisk mix the mayonnaise with Dijon mustard, a little lemon, and herbs until you have a smooth and creamy sauce.
- After that, add the veggies to the diced chicken.
- Then, pour the dressing over the veggies and chicken.
- Afterward, carefully toss to combine all the ingredients.
Finally, serve the chicken salad over a bed of lettuce leaves or as a sandwich.
How to Serve Chicken Salad
Serve this INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS chicken salad over a bed of crisp lettuce leaves or generously stuff it between two slices of your favorite bread to create an indulgent and mouthwatering sandwich experience.
How to Store Chicken Salad
Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Crave-Worthy Recipes
Lemon Chicken Recipe. Lemon-marinated chicken thighs are cooked to perfection using a zesty marinade. Ideal for a meal on any given night of the week.
Roasted Chicken and Potatoes. A succulent roast chicken and potatoes coated in a delicious cider-based rub with garlic, paprika, and earthy oregano.
Chicken Salad Recipe
Chicken salad with crisp vegetables and a creamy, herby dressing prepared with marinated roasted chicken.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
- Category: Lunch, Main Course
- Cuisine: Chicken, Chicken Salad, Salad
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large lemon juice and zest
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 6 pieces chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
Salad Dressing
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch of salt and pepper
Vegetables
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Roast the Chicken
- In a large bowl, add the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to incorporate ingredients.
- Add the chicken to the marinade. Toss to ensure each piece is thoroughly coated. Cover and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the marinated chicken in a baking dish.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until an internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Once cooked, place aside to cool.
- Once cool. Dice the chicken. Place aside.
Chicken Salad Dressing
- Add mayo, dijon mustard, remaining ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and oregano. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Put it all together
- In a large mixing bowl, add the onion, celery, and cooled chicken. Pour the dressing over the chicken. Toss to combine ingredients.
- Add parsley and give one final toss.
- Serve cold in lettuce cups, wraps, or as a sandwich.
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