The cat is out of the bag! (Or should it be the chicken?) Either way, I am so excited to share my Grandma’s Secret Ingredient Chicken Salad Recipe with you today! One of her most requested recipes, this simple, versatile chicken salad is perfect for every brunch, lunch, shower and potluck!
One of my favorite things about this blog is being able to record our family recipes.
My Aunt Lori’s Apple Jelly Crockpot Meatballs and her Sloppy Joes for a Crowd.
My father-in-law’s rock star recipe for Roasted Turkey Breast.
My mom’s Calico Beans aka the best baked beans EVER.
My grandma’s Strawberry Shortcake is legendary in our family. I kid you not. These empty bowls from my recent trip to Ohio don’t lie. (This was just round 1!)
So, her chicken salad recipe – with a surprising ingredient that has changed my chicken salad world forever – is most definitely a keeper.
Grandma’s Secret Ingredient Chicken Salad Recipe
Lots of tender cooked chicken.
Crisp diced apples.
Fresh celery.
Crunchy pecans.
All stirred in a creamy combination of slightly tangy sour cream, rich mayo and … Cool Whip!!
*Mic drop.*
There you have it. Cool Whip. Crazy, right?
I was understandably skeptical when I jotted down her chicken salad recipe.
Cool Whip?
Really?
But after my aunt and cousins returned from a bridal shower where everyone RAVED about this chicken salad (and everyone else wanted to know if there were any leftovers), I knew I had to give it a try.
The additional of the Cool Whip keeps the chicken salad moist and the creamy mixture bright and white. But don’t worry … the Cool Whip does not make this chicken salad overly sweet. I am not really a mega fan of sweet flavors + meat and I ate this for 5 days in a row for lunch.
I love this recipe because it so versatile! Switch it up to include your favorite flavors:
- Sub in halved grapes if that is what you have in your fridge.
- Toasted almonds would be a great replacement for the pecans.
- And if you like onions in your chicken salad, throw some in.
But whatever you do … don’t skip the Cool Whip!
Serve it with crackers, on a croissant, in crispy wonton cups, or even over a lettuce leaf or salad if carbs aren’t really your thing.
But if carbs are your thing? A buttery croissant piled high with my Grandma’s Secret Ingredient Chicken Salad Recipe? Is pretty fantastic.
More recipes from my grandma’s kitchen!
- Hawaiian Rice Pudding
- Baked Brats & Sauerkraut
- Tangy Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Waldo Burgers {or Grilled Bologna Burgers}
- Calico Beans – The BEST Baked Beans
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My Grandma’s Secret Ingredient Chicken Salad Recipe is one of her most requested! This versatile, creamy chicken salad is packed with fresh flavors!
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken (diced)
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced apples or grapes
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, apples and pecans.
- Stir in mayonnaise, sour cream and Cool Whip and combine well.
- Add salt & pepper to taste and stir again.
- Refrigerate until serving.
- Serve over lettuce, with crackers or on croissants.
Keywords: chicken salad
Dawn Reeser says
Chicken Salad was out of this world! Added grapes pineapple tidbits, onion and honeyed Pecans to it . Had to decrease the dressing to 1/3 cup of both the mayo and sour cream and 2/3 cup of cool whip as it would have been too much otherwise. This will be my go to recipe for future brunches!
Sandy says
Have you ever had bacon added to this recipe?
Keri says
I haven’t but I imagine it would be delicious! Bacon is a fairly dominant flavor, so I would chop it very small and maybe add just 1/4 cup? I’d love to hear back if you make a bacon version 🙂
Joan Bohannon says
Can’t you add bacon to just about anything?
Melissa Riker says
Yes, always!
Katalin says
Is this best after its sat a bit?
I’m thinking of making it a day ahead of the event.
Would that be ok?
Eileen Black says
Living in Australia we do not have”coolWhip” is it just whipped cream?
Keri says
Hi Eileen – Cool Whip is basically an imitation lightly sweetened whipped cream but I haven’t substituted regular whipped cream in this recipe. If you do I would love to hear how it turns out. Thanks so much for stopping by from Australia!
Tonya says
How many does this recipe serve if serving on croissants?
Cari says
How many does it serve? About???
Vivian says
How many does this serve? I would be putting it on croissants.
Kim says
I have always made my chicken salad with just a tad bit of honey. We like the sweetness in chicken salad. I ran across your recipe and thought I would try it. What a hit! My bunch likes it as much as my own recipe. Thanks for sharing! This is a big hit at my house. 10 Star recipe.
★★★★★
Gwen says
My family is not a fan of sour cream. Can you definitively taste sour cream in this? I love chicken salad and would love to try this.
Keri says
Hi Gwen – I honestly don’t think the sour cream is too forward, but you could certainly reduce the amount and add a little more mayo or Cool Whip. Hope your family loves it as much as mine does – thanks SO much for stopping by Shaken Together today!
Stephanie says
How many people does this serve?
Tammy says
Can this be made ahead of time and frozen? I’m preparing food for a week long vacation on a houseboat.
Charlotte says
I made this for lunch when my daughters and her two children came for lunch. My grandson said it was the best chicken salad he’d ever had. It was excellent and it seemed even more flavorful when I had the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Erin Gagnon says
Can you clarify just how much Cool Whip is used? Am I using 4 ounces, or just 2? I’m not sure why the directions are confusing me. Maybe it’s Soon-to-Be-a-Grandma Brain.
Keri says
Hi Erin! It’s 4 oz (or half of a small 8 oz tub) of Cool Whip. I’ve updated the recipe card for this post so it’s a little more clear. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you enjoy this family favorite!
Melissa says
delicious!
★★★★★
D Moore says
This is EXCELLENT! Best I’ve ever eaten! My husband is not fond of any chicken salad, but he loves this!! So far I’ve used left-over grilled chicken & left-over baked chicken. DELICIOUS!! Thanks for sharing your recipe! ♥️
Melissa Riker says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Cindy Hanenkratt says
OH MY!! DELCIOUS doesn’t cover it!! Best chicken salad I have ever had! DEFINITELY will make time and time again!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I’m so glad you liked it Cindy!!
Kristin says
This is a really good recipe for chicken salad! I’ve never made it before but with the temp being so hot like it is, it sounded so good to make today. And then to really take it to the next level, I thought I’d toast the pecans and left them in the oven a little too long so I had to toss those out. Heated up the oven and the house for nothing!! But will definitely be making this again! ❤️
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, toasting the pecans sounds delicious!
Denise says
Made this and didn’t tell my family of the secret ingredient they loved it I will definitely make again
★★★★
Melissa Riker says
That’s awesome, I’m glad it went over well!