Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad Copycat Recipe

This Chick-fil-A chicken salad recipe brings back a menu item the chain discontinued in 2017, and it’s the kind of thing people still ask about. If you remember it, you know exactly why: creamy, a little sweet, packed with celery and egg, and great on a croissant or a bed of lettuce.

The good news is it comes together in about 20 minutes, and the ingredients are things you probably already have.

Why I Love This Recipe

The balance here is what keeps me coming back to it. The relish adds just enough sweetness and the hard-boiled eggs give it a richness that plain rotisserie chicken salad versions don’t quite hit.

It holds up well in the fridge for a couple of days, which makes it a solid choice for meal prep or a quick lunch through the week.

Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, finely chopped – The original used canned white chunk chicken; rotisserie or poached breast both work
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped – Adds richness and the texture you remember from the original
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced – Provides the crisp contrast; don’t skip it
• 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish – This is the flavor that makes it taste like Chick-fil-A, not generic chicken salad
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise – Full-fat gives the creamiest result; Duke’s or Hellmann’s both work
• 1 tsp yellow mustard – Just enough to brighten the mayo base without taking over
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder – Mild background flavor
• 1/2 tsp onion powder – Rounds out the savory notes
• 1/4 tsp salt – Adjust to taste at the end
• 1/4 tsp black pepper – Freshly ground if you have it

Variations / Substitutions

• Canned chicken – Using 2 cans (about 12.5 oz total) of white chunk chicken in water, drained well, gives the closest texture to the original.
• Greek yogurt – Replace up to half the 1/2 cup mayonnaise with plain full-fat Greek yogurt for a tangier, lighter result that still holds together.
• Dill relish – Swapping the 3 tbsp sweet relish for dill relish makes the whole salad sharper and less sweet, which works well on a croissant.
• Add heat – A pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce stirred into the mayo gives a mild kick without changing the overall character.
• Dairy-free – Use a vegan mayo like Hellmann’s Vegan and the recipe is naturally dairy-free.
• Apple cider vinegar – A splash, about 1 tsp, stirred into the mix brightens everything if the salad tastes flat after chilling.

If you like this style of creamy chicken lunch, you might also want to try a Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich Copycat Recipe.

How To Make Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad

Step 1: Chop the Chicken and Eggs

Finely chop the 2 cups cooked chicken breast and the 2 hard-boiled eggs so both are in small, uniform pieces, roughly the size of peas. The Chick-fil-A original was notably fine-textured, so resist the urge to leave big chunks. A few quick passes with a sharp knife is all it takes.

The chicken and egg should almost look like they’ve been processed, but you still want some texture. If the pieces are too large, the salad will feel uneven on a sandwich.

Step 2: Whisk the Dressing

In a large bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until everything is fully combined, about 30 seconds. You want a smooth, pale yellow dressing with the relish bits evenly distributed.

Taste the dressing before adding anything else. This is the easiest moment to adjust seasoning, before the chicken absorbs it.

Step 3: Fold in the Remaining Ingredients

Add the chopped chicken, chopped eggs, and 3 stalks finely diced celery to the dressing bowl. Fold everything together with a spatula until the chicken and eggs are evenly coated, about 1 minute of gentle mixing. Don’t stir aggressively or the eggs will break up too much.

The mixture should look creamy and cohesive, not wet or soupy. If it looks a little dry at this point, that’s fine. After 30 minutes in the fridge it loosens slightly as the chicken releases a little moisture.

Step 4: Plate and Serve

Scoop the chicken salad onto a croissant, a bed of lettuce, or crackers, and garnish with a few thin slices of celery or a light sprinkle of black pepper on top for color.

Recipe Tips

• Chill before serving. Thirty minutes in the fridge lets the flavors come together and gives the salad a better texture than serving it straight from mixing.
• Drain canned chicken very well. If you go the canned route, press it in a fine-mesh strainer. Extra water will thin the dressing and make the salad watery by the next day.
• Season after chilling. Cold dulls salt, so taste again after the salad has rested and add a pinch more if needed before serving.
• Uniform chopping matters. This one is worth the extra minute of knife work. Coarse, uneven pieces are the main reason homemade versions don’t taste quite right.

Bake times by pan are not applicable here, but this is a no-cook, cold salad, so scale it up easily:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The celery will soften slightly after day 2, but the flavor is actually best on day 1 or 2.
• Serve Cold – This is meant to be eaten cold, straight from the fridge. Don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours.

What To Serve With Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad

A buttery croissant is the classic move, and it works because the richness of the pastry matches the creamy dressing without competing with it. A lightly toasted wheat bread is a good alternative if you want something with a little more structure to hold the filling.

On the side, waffle fries or kettle chips add a salty crunch that cuts through the creaminess in a way a plain green salad wouldn’t. A cup of fruit, something bright and acidic like pineapple or green grapes, rounds the plate out nicely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this chicken salad the night before?

Yes, and it actually improves overnight. The flavors come together as it sits, and the texture firms up slightly in the cold, making it easier to serve on a sandwich.

Did Chick-fil-A use canned or fresh chicken in the original?

The original used canned white chunk chicken, which is why the texture was so fine and uniform. Using rotisserie or poached chicken gives a slightly more rustic result, but the flavor is very close either way.

Can I freeze chicken salad?

No. Mayo-based salads don’t freeze well. The emulsion breaks when thawed and the texture turns grainy and watery.

How do I know if I have the right consistency?

The salad should hold its shape when scooped with a spoon but not be stiff. If it’s too thick, stir in 1 tbsp more mayo. If it seems wet after mixing, the chicken wasn’t chopped fine enough or had too much moisture in it.

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Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad Recipe

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, finely chopped
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced
• 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method

 

1. Finely chop the 2 cups cooked chicken breast and 2 hard-boiled eggs into small, pea-sized pieces.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the chopped chicken, eggs, and 3 stalks finely diced celery to the bowl and fold together with a spatula until evenly coated, about 1 minute.
4. Scoop onto a croissant, lettuce, or crackers and garnish with a sprinkle of black pepper or thin celery slices.

Notes

For the closest result to the original, chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. If you’re using canned chicken, drain it very thoroughly or the dressing will thin out by the next day. Taste for salt after chilling, since cold tends to mute seasoning.