Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cooked chicken (Rotisserie or poached), shredded or diced
  • 3/4 cup full-fat mayonnaise (or avocado oil based)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion or shallot, minced
  • 1/3 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped
  • Salt, pepper, and garlic powder (to taste)

Instructions:

  1. Shred or dice the 3 cups of cooked chicken (rotisserie or poached) into uniform pieces (about 1/2 inch cubes). Pat the chicken dry, which is critical for avoiding a soggy salad.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Fold in 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary. Let this binder sit for about 3 minutes to allow the rosemary flavor to 'bloom'.
  3. Add the 1/2 cup finely diced celery and 1/4 cup minced red onion or shallot to the binder mixture. Stir until coated. Then gently fold in the 1/3 cup chopped, toasted pecans.
  4. Gently add the shredded chicken to the creamy mixture. Use a rubber spatula to FOLD the ingredients together. Do not aggressively stir or mash. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
  5. Cover the finished chicken salad and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes. Chilling allows the fat to firm up and the rosemary flavor to fully develop. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.