Southern Chicken Salad is deceptively simple and delicious in that way that all great Southern cooking tastes. The chicken is cooked in herby chicken broth to ensure the savory flavor is the richest and deepest it can possibly be. The mayo is creamy and tangy, the celery is crunchy, and the lemon juice is bright and electric. It’s all good with Southern Chicken Salad, as with all Southern cooking!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, bone-in and skin-on
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup mayonnaise
Directions
Step 1 –In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the chicken breasts, the chicken broth, and the thyme sprigs and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 2 –Boil the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15-25 minutes.
Step 3 –Transfer the Dutch oven from the heat and allow the chicken mixture to cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes-1 hour.
Step 4 –Transfer the chicken from the broth to a cutting board.
Step 5 –Remove and discard the skin and the bones from the chicken, then shred the chicken meat.
Step 6 –In a medium bowl, combine the celery, the lemon juice, the salt, the black pepper, and the mayonnaise and stir to combine.
Step 7 –Add the shredded chicken to a bowl and fold it into the mayonnaise mixture.
Step 8 –Refrigerate the chicken salad, covered, until chilled.
Step 9 –Serve.