Creamy Tarragon Chicken Salad Recipe Is Hearty and Full of Flavor: Here’s How To Make It in 35 Minutes

T arragon chicken salad deserves a spot in your lunch rotation — and it’s no secret why. The ingredients are combined in a bowl until a creamy and hearty salad forms. It boasts the right blend of pungent, tangy and herbaceous flavors, making it delicious smeared on bread or lettuce leaves. Preparing this ahead also creates a tastier salad by allowing the flavors to meld. Here’s how to make tarragon chicken salad as a filling and flavorful lunchtime delight!

The ingredients in tarragon chicken salad

This salad contains ingredients such as the cooked poultry, celery, grapes, mayonnaise, mustard and onions. Fresh tarragon is the standout ingredient in this salad as it gives it a subtle licorice taste that complements the other ingredients. (In fact, Liam Gray, who's credited with inventing chicken salad in 1863 , used tarragon in his original recipe.) The salad then sits in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, which allows the flavors from the ingredients to come together. Afterwards, the finished tarragon chicken salad can be enjoyed plain, made into a sandwich or placed inside of a lettuce cup .

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What is a good substitute for tarragon in chicken salad?

Although tarragon enhances the taste of this chicken salad, you can substitute another herb in a pinch. Fresh herbs like basil, fennel fronds, thyme and rosemary are great alternatives as their earthiness will balance the tangy dressing, sweet grapes and mild chicken. Chop the herb finely and then stir it into the mixture for an instantly tasty chicken salad.

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How to make tarragon chicken salad

Below, chef John Kanell , shares a Creamy Tarragon Chicken Salad recipe from his latest cookbook, Preppy Kitchen Super Easy . “A version of this salad was often on offer on the weekends when I was growing up," he says. "It would show up on sandwiches for picnics or for trips to the beach, or sometimes it would be scooped alongside greens if we had people coming over for lunch.”

For the cooked chicken, Kanell uses light and dark meat with the skin removed. The chicken can be shredded or chopped into bite-sized chunks before combining it with the remaining add-ins. Since this salad is ready in 35 minutes and rivals the store-bought kind, it's sure to become one of your weekly lunch staples! (Also, try this Cottage Cheese Flatbread recipe to make a batch of high-protein wraps for your chicken salad.)

Creamy Tarragon Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh tarragon leaves
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups (about 1 lb.) chopped or shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup halved red or green grapes
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup chopped toasted nuts (optional)
• Your favorite sandwich fixings or salad greens, for serving

Directions:

• Active: 5 mins
• Total time: 35 mins
• Yield: 6 servings

1. In large bowl, stir together mayo, yogurt, mustard, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Add chicken, grapes, celery, onion and nuts, if using, and stir until combined.
2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to a few days.
3. Before serving, season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Spread over bread for a sandwich or scoop over salad greens.

Best way to store homemade tarragon chicken salad

Any leftover chicken salad is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days. Enjoy the salad in your desired way for a quick and yummy meal.

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