Southern Style Chicken Salad (+Video!)

posted Sep 13, 2020 by Quin Liburd

Make this delicious southern-style chicken salad recipe that is so easy and simple. Bring together a few ingredients to make and pair with buttery croissants for an ultimate brunch, lunch, or weeknight dinner!

This post is sponsored by the folks over at BON V!V who I’m so excited to partner with; and all thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. I am so grateful for brand partnerships like this!

Lately I’ve been craving foods that have some semblance of nostalgia. Maybe it’s all the worldly calamities that leave me feeling heavy, ha! Idk. I just know that when I’m eating or making something special, my serotonin levels increase. The other day I made a little Caribbean-styled feast for my peeps; I’m talking about stewed oxtails, rice and peas, plantains, and more! Listen, there wasn’t a plate that was left full haha.

Good food will do that to ya…and good food that takes you back to happy memories is even better. That’s how I feel about chicken salad, too. It’s such a wildly simple and easy to make dish but so comforting. I remember eating chicken salad as a kid for lunch and/or dinner. We’d pair it with some crackers or any kind of sandwich bread that we had on hand. And till this day it remains one of my most favorite feel-good foods.

BON V!V is a premium spiked seltzer with a unique combination of bright and refreshing taste and great nutritional claims- 0 grams of sugar and 90 calories per 12-ounce can. I love that BON V!V is made using select ingredients including purified water and natural fruit flavors to create the 4.5% alcohol and a clean, crisp taste. With no barley or wheat, BON V!V Spiked Seltzer is also gluten-free. I’ll admit that I’m new to the world of spiked seltzers, but they have me hooked you guys!

I’m so happy to partner with the BON V!V team on this very meaningful campaign. With everything going on in the world right now, it’s important to take back the social moments that matter most to us. Trust me, I know how challenging it can be to find pockets of joy amongst the current noise. Furthermore, it’s also important to stay connected (safely)- because the way we do brunch has changed, the social aspect and fun doesn’t have to. I hope this post gives you some ideas and helps to elevate your own personal experience.

Tips + Tricks To Create The Perfect Picnic

A socially distanced picnic is one of the most creative and fun ideas that I’ve had in such a long time!

Location: Be sure to choose a very spacious park or area that has ample room for you and your loved ones to spread out and be within socially distant guidelines.
Food/Drinks: Pack up easily transportable food/treats that are made to travel. I chose my southern style chicken salad (which we’ll talk about soon!), fresh fruit, chips, and BON V!V spiked seltzers, yum. Additionally, you may need utensils like forks/spoons/knives and/or serving-ware like cups/plates.
Blanket(s): You sure don’t want to sit on the grass, so bring an extra large blanket to accommodate people, the food, etc. Extra blankets are nice just in case you live in an area that may be chilly!
Picnic Basket: A nice basket is super convenient (and cute!) to hold everything in but feel free to use whatever you have on hand like a large bag, cooler, etc.
Music Playlist: If you’ve been following me on Instagram for a while, you already know just how much I love me some music, ha! Therefore, a dope playlist is a must for my ultimate picnic vibes haha. On a serious note though, music adds some elevation and sets the tone for bustin’ a move!
Games/Books: Bring your favorite games to play with and also books to read.

I had the most fun planning out this picnic with my peeps, while being safe. Sometimes we forget just how much stress/anxiety we carry around on the daily. Taking these moments back to unwind, have fun, laugh, and just be, is so nice. We all ate, caught up, told jokes, danced, and each one of us picked out our favorite BON V!V flavors; mine of course, is the lemon lime, pear elderflower, and clementine hibiscus! Sooo good.

How To Make Southern Style Chicken Salad (Video)

Y’all…as previously stated above, I love me some chicken salad. It’s so easy! To begin, I usually buy a store-bought rotisserie chicken and shred up all the white meat. I always recommend saving the chicken carcass to make homemade chicken stock! After that, everything else is as easy as throwing ingredients into a bowl!

What Makes It Southern?

So, my chicken salad recipe has in a few ingredients that give it a little oomph and that true Southern flair. I’m using Dukes mayonnaise (which is a Southerner fave!), and additional elements such as hard-boiled eggs, sweet relish, and cajun seasoning. It tastes absolutely amazing you guys!

Ingredients To Make This Recipe

chicken: store-bought rotisserie or two cooked chicken breasts, shredded.
mayonnaise: use whatever you like, however, duke’s mayo is recommended!
celery hearts: two celery heart stalks, finely chopped up.
red onion: almost everything is great with onion, amiright?!
sweet relish: this cooked and pickled product adds a nice zippy zing.
hard-boiled eggs: just two…and you can prep them ahead of time too!
cajun seasoning: this spice blend is one of my faves but use regular seasoned salt if needed.
fresh cracked black pepper: love using freshly ground black pepper in my chicken salad.
garlic powder: an absolute must in almost everything, garlic adds more flavor!

How To Serve This Southern Style Chicken Salad

Serving up this chicken salad via sandwich-style is usually my go-to method. It’s the best!

I love to buy bakery-style butter croissants from my local grocery store and then pair it with some juicy tomatoes and crisp lettuce. In addition, you can serve this chicken salad in a variety of ways such as:

crackers
pita chips
on top of a salad
in between two slices of toasted bread
enjoy with veggies
bagel sandwich
in a wrap
…and much more!

How Long Will This Recipe Keep?

If kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator; this chicken salad recipe will last for 3-5 days. Since there is mayonnaise and hard-boiled eggs, this is not a recipe that will stay good for long amounts of time.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

Cheddar Scallion Biscuits
Spinach Salad with Chicken and Honey Dijon Dressing
Homemade Buttermilk Waffles
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken
Salmon Cakes with Quick Aioli
Chicken and Waffles
One-Pot Creamy Beef Pasta
Southern Collard Greens

This southern style chicken salad is so delicious, y’all. It’s perfect for brunch, lunch, and dinner alike. Not to mention that it is very easy to make, extra flavorful, and can be served in a variety of ways. Lastly, as we all navigate this new normal, don’t forget to reclaim your time by taking some moments back for yourself. Cheers to us all elevating our own personal experiences, staying safely connected, and finding joy!

Thank you again to BON V!V for sponsoring this post!

REMEMBER TO LEAVE A ⭐️STAR RATING⭐️AND TAG ME ON THE ‘GRAM IF YOU MAKE ANY OF MY RECIPES! I ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE IT WHEN YOU DO!

UNTIL NEXT TIME…LOVE AND BUTTER,

Q.