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A Black folks chicken salad recipe is a must-have for anyone who loves good, homestyle soul food meals that are also quick and easy to make.

This Southern-style recipe is creamy, luscious, and flavorful. Everything you love about Southern cuisine, all in one bite!

Black Folks Southern Chicken Salad Recipe

What is a Black folks’ chicken salad recipe?

Are you craving the perfect chicken salad? A chicken salad that goes beyond the mayo and chicken chunks, packed with a perfect balance of flavor, savory, and sweetness. And not just mushy—there’s texture to each bite. Even a little crunch. You can expect that in a Black folks’ chicken salad recipe!

In a Southern soul food chicken salad recipe, the creamy dressing is balanced with just the right amount of tang and sweetness from the fruit. While the seasoned chicken breast adds a savory flavor combined with the perfect blend of seasonings and spices and a delicious pecan crunch.

Ingredients

Creating this salad isn’t just about following a recipe. It’s about preserving tradition and cherishing the comforting embrace of family recipes and laughter that fills rooms during soul food feasts. It’s a celebration of Black folks’ cooking, capturing the essence of Southern cuisine with flavorful ingredients such as grapes, apples, pecans, salt, and pepper that defy bland chicken salad recipes. This salad is a testament to the joy of sharing a meal prepared with love.

Salt and black pepper – These seasonings enhance and tie together the flavors, ensuring the salad sings with taste.
Chicken breasts – Cooked and seasoned, this protein-rich foundation offers a tender, lean canvas for the flavors.
Get The Soul Food Pot whole chicken recipe HERE!
Mayonnaise (Miracle Whip or plain Greek yogurt) – Binds the ingredients, adding a creamy texture and the necessary moistness to elevate the salad.
Red grapes – Their sweet juiciness contrasts the savory elements, introducing a burst of freshness.
Red apple – Adds a crisp, fruity sweetness that complements the grapes.
Celery – Its crunchiness creates textural contrast, balancing the softer elements.
Green onions – These offer a mild, peppery bite that brightens the overall flavor profile.
Pecans – Their earthy richness adds depth and a delightful crunch.

How to make Southern chicken salad the Black way

Wondering how to make the best chicken salad?

This chicken salad recipe calls for a generous amount of salt, pepper, diced celery, onions, apples, and pecans for the perfect balance of savory and sweet. In addition, the best chicken salad is made with pre-seasoned chicken. Chicken that is pre-cooked and likely flavored with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and onion powder. It’s the soul food way.

Start with pre-cooked and seasoned chicken breast.
Then, shred or chop the chicken into bite-size pieces.
Pro tips: In Southern cooking, the chicken is typically shredded by hand! However, if you prefer larger pieces, you can use a knife to cut the chicken instead. Another simple method for shredding chicken is to use a stand mixer to break it into shreds.
Cut the grapes in half or quarters if you’re working with large grapes.
Dice the apple, celery, and onions.
Note: If celery is not your jam, it’s OK to remove the celery altogether from this recipe. Likewise, if anyone has a nut allergy, excluding the pecans is acceptable. The apples and celery will still provide a delightful crunch!
Combine all the ingredients (chicken, mayonnaise, grapes, apple, celery, onions, chopped pecans, salt, and pepper) with a small rubber spatula.
Serve on sandwich bread or with crackers, and enjoy!

Watch the recipe video with key moments.

How much chicken do you need per person for chicken salad?

This recipe calls for 3 cups of cooked shredded chicken and will yield enough to make 6 chicken salad sandwiches—about half a cup each.

You’ll have more chicken salad left over if you enjoy it only with crackers and not as sandwiches.

Preventing chicken salad from getting watery

Ensure your vegetables are not wet and completely dry before dicing them to add to a Southern chicken salad recipe.

Also, a leftover chicken salad sitting in the fridge for an evening will absorb water from the celery and onions. It’s best to stir it well before serving so your deliciousness is not diluted.

How to fix dry chicken salad

Chicken salad is perfect when it’s not drenched in mayo or pickle juice (for those who add relish)! The celery and onions in this recipe naturally add moisture. Still, if you want to add more, add extra lettuce or tomato to your chicken salad sandwich. You can also add cilantro and a splash of fresh lemon juice for additional flavor and moisture.

How many days can you keep this chicken salad recipe?

This chicken salad, made with a mayonnaise-based blend of fresh fruits and vegetables, should be refrigerated in an air-tight container and consumed within 3-5 days. Due to the inclusion of mayonnaise and perishable ingredients, it’s best not to keep this salad for longer periods.

Serving Black Southern chicken salad

From easy snacks to side dishes, there are many options for serving chicken salad. You can start with French fries, potato chips, or a bowl of fresh fruit.

Chicken salad can be served on a bed of lettuce as an entrée or with charcuterie. It can also be paired with soul food side dish favorites like Southern potato salad, macaroni salad, or macaroni and cheese.