Pistachio Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

Pistachio Poppy Seed Chicken Salad is a spin on traditional chicken salad  with the addition of poppy seeds and a dash of a creamy Dijon-Buttermilk dressing.

This is great summer dish to make ahead and serve with Watermelon Salad at a luncheon, wedding, or baby shower.

Keep a fresh batch of this shredded chicken salad in the refrigerator during the summer months for a quick snack or entree!

This flavorful and light chicken salad is absolutely delicious on a spring or summer day! The Dijon-buttermilk dressing brings together the flavors and the crushed pistachios add a hint of savory and crunch!

Why you’ll love this!

• Different – the dressing and nutty pistachios give this salad a different flavor profile than traditional chicken salad
• Make ahead – you can easily make the dressing in advance; just refrigerate until ready to use
• Versatile – serve on a scoop of crisp lettuce, stuffed in an avocado, as a sandwich or serve with crackers as a spread

Here’s what you’ll need:

The ingredients are:

• Shredded chicken (bake your own or buy a rotisserie/deli chicken)
• Chopped celery, red onion and pistachios

The dressing ingredients are:

• Mayonnaise and
• Dijon mustard
• Buttermilk
• Poppy seeds
• Sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar

This recipe is inspired by Nordstrom’s chicken salad recipe. I had it a few years ago and thought I’d put my own spin on it! Enjoy!

How to make it:

Combine the dressing ingredients into a large mixing bowl

Add the cooked, shredded chicken, celery, onion and pistachios to the dressing; combine well; chill then serve

(If you prefer, you can chop the pistachios or pulse them quickly in the food processor)

What type of chicken? White or dark?

You can use dark or white chicken in this Pistachio chicken salad recipe. Some people like only white meat in their chicken salad while others prefer a combination of the two.

Dark meat seemingly has a little more flavor, but it’s really up to you and your personal preference.

How to cook the chicken:

There are a few methods for cooking chicken:

1. Bake: Lightly season meat with salt and pepper; place in baking dish and cover with foil; cook at 350ºF until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF
2. Boil: place chicken in salted water and bring to boil; cook until the center of the chicken parts reach 165ºF
3. Crock pot: place chicken and water in a slow cooker and cook on low 5 hours

After the chicken is cooked, shred the chicken using two forks.

If you elect to use a rotisserie  or deli chicken from the grocery store, simply remove the skin and shred the chicken.

Storage

Generally speaking, Pistachio chicken salad lasts 3-5 days in the refrigerator provided it is covered tightly and stored in an uncrowded refrigerator.

Freezing

Unfortunately, mayonnaise does not freeze well and separates when frozen. On the other hand, “salad dressings” (like Miracle Whip), are often used as a mayonnaise substitute because they can be frozen without separating.

 

You’ll love the tangy, yet creamy flavor of this chicken salad combined with the crunchiness and flavor of the pistachios!

Related recipes:

• Smoked Turkey Salad
• Classic Egg Salad
• Cold Dill Shrimp Salad
• Marinated Cucumber and Onion Salad
• Summer Broccoli Crunch Salad
• Vermicelli Summer Salad
• Seafood Cobb Salad with Remoulade Dressing

If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!