This post may contain affiliate links.
The beauty of any chicken salad is it comes together in one bowl and within 15 minutes. But the beauty of this chicken lies in the flavors it combines while still maintaining that ease. Fresh tarragon and fennel create a chicken salad that simply feels more elevated than others. And don’t get me wrong, mayo and mustard are still present here, but the combination of fresh flavors make it worthy of guests while still being easy enough for a last-minute lunch.
I’ve been tweaking and honing this tarragon chicken salad for years. And it wasn’t until recently, when I had a ton of leftover Roast Chicken on hand, that I finally landed on something worth sharing.
Through the many iterations, I found celery—while added a nice crunch— overpowered the other flavors. Fennel is the perfect substitution for celery, offering crunch and a soft, aromatic flavor. Plus, fennel is a great two-for-one ingredient where you get the crunchy bulb and the fronds which can be used like an herb.
When it comes to the dressing, I’m not a purist. I’m always willing to challenge the status quo like I do in my Sour Cream Potato Salad or Mediterranean Tuna Salad. But here, the classic really is the way to go. Mayo and stone ground mustard just can’t be beat.
Just 7 Ingredients Needed
All you need for this chicken salad is cooked chicken (shredded or diced), mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, fresh tarragon, fennel bulb (with fronds), green grapes, and stone-ground mustard.
Step-by-Step Images
This recipe is easy, it’s a chicken salad after all! But here are a few step shots to guarantee success.
- To ensure this is a one-bowl recipe, the first step is to whisk together the dressing in a large mixing bowl.
- Dice the fennel bulb then mince the tarragon and fennel fronds.
- Add the salad components to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine.
5 Ways to Serve Chicken Salad
I’m an eat-chicken-salad-with-a-spoon kind of person. But I understand you may prefer it served as a sandwich or a full salad. Here are some ideas for serving:
- Over a bed of chopped romaine or spring greens.
- Open-faced on toasted whole grain bread.
- As a sandwich between two slices of bread or a croissant.
- In a wrap.
- On it’s own with crackers and carrots for scooping it up.
15-Minute Tarragon Chicken Salad (No Celery!)
Description
Video
Save This Recipe!
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 cups (12-ounces) shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup finely diced fennel bulb + 1 tablespoon minced fennel fronds (1 small fennel bulb)
- 1 cup halved green grapes
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons mustard, 1 tablespoon tarragon, 2 teaspoons vinegar and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add 3 cups chicken, 1 cup fennel bulb, 1 tablespoon fennel fronds, and 1 cup grapes. Toss to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper; serve as desired.
