Chicken Salad Chick Classic Carol is the simplest chicken salad on the menu: very finely shredded chicken, tiny bits of celery and creamy mayonnaise, with a light, savory seasoning. There is no fruit, no nuts and no pickles. What makes it special is the texture, which is soft and almost fluffy. This copycat is one home version of it, made with five everyday ingredients in about 15 minutes. Scoop it onto crackers, a croissant or a bed of lettuce.
How to make Chicken Salad Chick Classic Carol at home: Simmer chicken tenderloins in water for 8 to 10 minutes, until they reach 165°F. Cool them, then shred them finely with a hand mixer or food processor. Dice celery very finely. Stir the chicken and celery together with mayonnaise, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Why You’ll Love It
- That fine, creamy texture. A mixer does the shredding in seconds.
- Short and plain. Chicken, celery, mayonnaise and seasoning.
- Quick. The chicken cooks in 10 minutes.
- Good for lunches. It keeps for days in the refrigerator.
- A blank canvas. Eat it plain, or use it as the base for your own add-ins.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken tenderloins. One pound. They cook quickly and shred easily.
Celery. One rib, diced very finely. The pieces should be barely visible.
Duke’s mayonnaise. Three-quarters of a cup. It is a Southern mayonnaise with a tangy flavor and no added sugar.
Onion powder and garlic powder. Half a teaspoon of each.
Salt and black pepper. A pinch of each, or to taste.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- 1 rib celery, finely diced
- 3/4 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt, or to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper, or to taste
How to Make Chicken Salad Chick Classic Carol
1. Start the chicken. Fill a large pot with water, add the chicken tenderloins and bring the water to a boil.
2. Cook the chicken. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Check with a food thermometer. The chicken must reach 165°F.
3. Shred it finely. Remove the cooked chicken from the water and let it cool. Use a hand mixer or food processor to shred it finely.
4. Prepare the celery. Use a food processor to dice the celery into fine pieces.
5. Combine and serve. Add the mayonnaise, celery, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the shredded chicken. Stir well and serve.
How Do You Get That Fine Classic Carol Texture?
It is all in how small everything is. A chunky chicken salad has cubes of meat and slices of celery you can see. Classic Carol is the opposite. The chicken is shredded so finely that it turns soft and spreadable, and the celery is cut so small that you get its fresh crunch without really seeing it.
| Ingredient | Tool | What to aim for |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | Hand mixer, in a deep bowl | Fine, fluffy shreds with no large chunks |
| Chicken, another way | Food processor, in short pulses | Fine shreds. Stop before it turns to paste |
| Celery | Food processor or a sharp knife | Tiny pieces, barely visible in the salad |
| Everything together | A spoon or spatula | A creamy, even mixture that holds on a cracker |
A hand mixer is the easiest way to get the chicken right. Put the cooled tenderloins in a deep bowl and run the beaters on low. In a few seconds the meat falls into fine threads. A food processor works too, but pulse it. A long run turns chicken into a spread.
Copycat versions of this salad do not all agree on the seasoning. The seasoning here is a little onion and garlic. You will also see it made with dry ranch mix. No one outside the restaurant knows the real formula, so treat this as one good home version.
Tips for Success
How do I confirm the chicken is cooked?
Check the thickest tenderloin with a food thermometer. It should read 165°F. Whether the chicken shreds easily is not the test.
Should the chicken be warm or cold when I shred it?
Let it cool first, so it does not warm the mayonnaise. It should still be fresh from cooking, not cold from the refrigerator. Just-cooled chicken shreds most easily.
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes. Any plain cooked chicken works, as long as it is shredded finely.
Does the mayonnaise brand matter?
Duke’s has a tangy flavor that suits this salad. Use your favorite if you cannot find it.
Should I chill it before serving?
You can eat it right away. An hour in the refrigerator lets the flavors blend, if you have the time.
How Long Does It Take?
About 15 minutes of work: 5 minutes of prep and 10 minutes to cook the chicken. Allow a little extra for the chicken to cool before you shred it.
Is Dry Ranch Mix Required?
No. Copycats of this salad are seasoned in different ways. Some use dry ranch mix, and some use only onion powder. Here the seasoning is kept to two pantry powders, onion and garlic, for a clean, simple flavor.
Storage
Keep chicken salad in a covered container in the refrigerator and eat it within 3 to 4 days. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours. It does not freeze well, because mayonnaise separates when thawed.
What to Serve With It
Serve a scoop with buttery crackers, on a croissant, in a lettuce cup or with fresh fruit on the side. For a different chicken salad, try the Asian chicken cranberry salad. To cook a batch of chicken for salads all week, use 4-ingredient slow cooker chicken. And for warm, creamy chicken dinners, there are the Ritz cracker chicken casserole, the chicken broccoli Alfredo pasta bake, chicken and dumplings with biscuits and slow cooker cream cheese chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
How finely should I shred the chicken and cut the celery?
Very finely. The chicken should be in fluffy threads with no chunks, and the celery pieces should be barely visible.
Is dry Ranch mix required, or do copycat recipes season Classic Carol differently?
It is not required. Copycats vary, and this salad is seasoned without it.
How do I confirm the chicken is cooked, and how long can I refrigerate the salad?
The chicken should reach 165°F on a food thermometer. The salad keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
What is in Classic Carol chicken salad?
In this copycat: shredded chicken, celery, mayonnaise, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Final Notes
I shred the chicken in the same deep bowl I mix the salad in, so the mixer does its job and there is one bowl to wash. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Chicken Salad Chick Classic Carol
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- 1 rib celery finely diced
- 3/4 cup Duke's mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt or to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add the chicken tenderloins and bring the water to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Check with a food thermometer. The chicken must reach 165°F.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the water and let it cool. Use a hand mixer or food processor to shred it finely.
- Use a food processor to dice the celery into fine pieces.
- Add the mayonnaise, celery, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the shredded chicken. Stir well and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Made this recipe? Tap a star to rate it.
