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Chunks of tender chicken, crunchy pickles and celery, and fresh herbs are tossed with a creamy, tangy dressing to make this hearty Dill Pickle Chicken Salad. I have eaten this for more snacks and meals that I want to publicly admit. It’s good, alright? Don’t judge me.
I’ve had to accept that I love dill pickles more than the average person. And, that’s ok. I just adore playing with recipes that highlight this tangy, sour ingredient. That’s why dill pickle soup has been on the blog for as long as it has. But, that said, this chicken salad with dill pickles is special, even for a girl who has seemingly tried all the chicken salads.
Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
I don’t always put a twist on every classic dish. But, sometimes it can be fun to watch my sons eyes grow wide as they realize there’s something unexpected going on. The payoff when they smile and dig in to a surprisingly good combination makes it all worth it.
And, while I am still a fan of a classic chicken salad, I have opted lately to make this dill pickle version, more often than not. Who doesn’t like a fresh take an old familiar dish?
Ingredients and Substitutions
Salad Ingredients
Chicken – My favorite option here is actually canned chicken, for the tender texture and consistent flavor. But, you can also swap in rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken.
Pickles – Make way for the dill pickles. They’re getting the VIP treatment in this recipe, and these little divas know it. The contrast of tender meat and crisp, juicy pickle is what makes this salad pop.
Celery – To bring up the crunch factor, you’ll want to include the celery. You can skip it if you want, but the flavor and texture won’t be quite the same.
Green Onions – I like the added bite that green onions bring to the mix.
Parsley – Italian parsley is one of my favorite herbs to use when finishing a salad like this. It’s a final touch that adds a bit of freshness, and helps keep it from feeling heavy.
Dressing Ingredients
Mayonnaise – Well, obviously you know that we can’t skip the mayonnaise here. It’s the creamy body of this salad dressing. Well, technically, you can swap this one out (check the FAQ). But, I think mayo gives you the best, richest result.
Pickle Juice – Say goodbye to lemon juice and vinegar this time around. We’re going dill pickle, all the way. This introduces the necessary acidity and also thins the dressing just enough for it to be smooth and creamy.
Dill – While “grassy” may not be the most appealing descriptor, it does technically apply. I include it here because it brings this dressing into a more familiar space. This is like ranch’s weird cousin. And, if you like pickles, you’re going to love it!
Garlic – For a savory note, I add some granulated garlic.
Salt & Pepper – I always use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in my cooking, unless otherwise stated.
Notes on Equipment
- Chef’s knife. This is my all-time favorite knife. The weighting makes it an absolute dream to use for food prep, which really helps on jobs like this chicken salad. And, it holds an edge incredibly well. If you’re ready to graduate to a higher quality knife, this one is my pick.
- Cutting board
- Glass measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls. I have a borderline absurd number of them. It’s a thing. But I love knowing I have the right sizes for any task, and this recipe wants two at once, a larger one for the salad and a smaller one for the dressing. I’ve been using this set daily for the last 8 years and they’re still going strong.
How to Make Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
Chopping: We’re going to start by chopping all the ingredients. I roughly chop the chicken into ½”-inch pieces, or just use a fork to break apart the canned chicken (my preference for this salad). All the rest of the ingredients, the pickles, celery, green onions, and parsley get diced into smaller pieces about ¼-inch to ⅛-inch in size.
Mixing the Ingredients: Transfer the chopped ingredients to a medium size mixing bowl. Give them a quick stir to mix them up.
Making the Dressing: In another bowl, I whisk together the mayo, pickle juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and dill. Give the dressing a check and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Combine The Two: Now you’ll just pour the dressing over the salad and stir well to coat.
Serving: You can either serve immediately, or chill it in the refrigerator until ready.
Expert Tip
The majority of the work with this recipe is done at the cutting board. And, while there’s a bit of chopping involved, it’s worth going the extra step to make sure that you’re chopping things uniformly and to the right size. The chicken chunks should be larger than the rest, since it’s the central texture of the salad. But, the supporting cast of ingredients should be smaller. This will get you a balanced bite, every time.
Adjust the Consistency – Depending on how you like your dressing, you can thin it out by adding another splash of pickle juice. Or, if you want it a bit thicker, you can just add another spoonful of mayonnaise.
Let It Sit – I have to admit that I violate this tip very often. Because if I’m throwing together a quick lunch or snack, I am not about to put it in the fridge to wait. But, this chicken salad does well with an hour or two in the refrigerator so that the pickle flavor can infuse everything. So, it’s a fantastic make ahead and meal prep recipe!
Coat With Care – This is the kind of recipe where it’s worth learning how to fold the ingredients together. If you stir with force, you’ll blow up the chicken into tiny little bits. It will still be delicious, but the texture won’t be the same. Be gentle.
Serving Suggestions
If you have pickle people in your life (and you probably know exactly who they are), then please build a spread for them. This dill pickle chicken salad, plus some fresh vegetables to pair with dill pickle dip and dill pickle ranch will make them very happy campers.
Or, put the whole thing on a board if you’re feeding a crowd. My notes on cheese board making 101 (a.k.a. how to make a cheese board) will make it easy. And if you want to see who is truly committed, finish the meal with pickle ice cream. You wouldn’t have to invite me twice!
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: Oh yes, this salad can be made in advance. It’s a recipe that I like to meal prep and use for simple lunches and snacks.
How to Store: It’ll keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Chicken Salad Recipes
- Poppyseed Chicken Salad
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Street Corn Chicken Salad
- Waldorf Chicken Salad
- Cashew Chicken Salad with Grapes
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m not the boss of you. But, I would point out that this technically isn’t a ranch dressing, even though it has dill. You can definitely swap in whatever dressing makes it easiest for you. But don’t skip the extra dill and depending on how thick your ranch dressing is, try to add the pickle juice too, if it won’t make the dressing too thin.
I wouldn’t recommend making a complete substitution, but you could swap to 50% mayo and 50% sour cream for a lighter dressing. And, while I personally do not care for the Greek yogurt swap, I hear from people occasionally who think it’s great. And, if there’s a place where that level of sourness would work, it’s probably a dill pickle recipe. As for me and my house, we’ll stick with mayonnaise.
You can eat it however you want. I like to make it an easy sandwich with a croissant and some leafy greens, sometimes. But, there’s a really good reason that the picture for this post has crackers in it. Don’t overcomplicate it. Keep it simple!
Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 3 large dill pickles diced very small, about 1½ cups
- 1 large celery rib sliced very thin, about 1 cup
- 2 green onions sliced thin, about ¼ cup
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
Dressing Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
Optional Ingredients
- crackers
- croissants or the bread of your choice
- green leaf lettuce, baby spinach, or arugula
Instructions
- Chop the chicken into ½ inch pieces. Dice the pickle into tiny pieces, about ⅛ – ¼ inch. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the chicken, pickles, celery, onions, and parsley.
- In a smaller bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the mayonnaise, pickle juice, salt, pepper, dill, and garlic. Stir until combined and then pour over the salad ingredients. Stir well until everything is combined.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. This will keep nicely for up to 3 days.
- To make sandwiches, split the croissants in half. Layer greens, if desired, on one half of the croissant and scoop chicken salad over the greens. Top with the second half of the croissant. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 9/18/24 – recipes notes and photos updated 10/12/26}
