Bright, herb-packed, and layered with flavor, this chicken salad gets a fresh twist from crisp, locally grown radishes and tangy pickles. Pile it onto bread or tuck it into lettuce cups—perfect for lakeside snacking.
- Serves 4
- Prep time: 1 hour, plus cooling time
For a vegetarian option, make it an egg salad instead by substituting 6 more local hard-boiled eggs for the chicken. For a vegan option, substitute a 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and smashed, for the chicken, sub veganaise for the mayo, and omit the eggs.
Ingredients
For pulled chicken:
- 2 large Minnesota Grown chicken breasts or 5 thighs (approximately 1 pound boneless or 1 1/3 pounds bone-in)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Transforming the chicken into chicken salad:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon Champagne or white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup finely minced local chives
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh local dill
- 1/2 cup diced dill pickle
- 7-8 medium Minnesota Grown radishes, cut into matchsticks
- 2 hard-boiled local eggs, roughly chopped
- 2 cups of the prepared pulled chicken
For serving:
- 8 slices bread if making sandwiches
- Lettuce or arugula (optional, use any local leaf lettuce if making lettuce cups)
Instructions
- To make the pulled chicken (can be made up to a day in advance), begin by preheating oven to 375 degrees F. Place chicken in 9”x13” baking pan. Brush with oil and season evenly on all sides with salt and pepper. Cover pan with foil and bake for 25-40 minutes, until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F in the center of the thickest part of the meat. Let cool enough to handle comfortably, then use two forks to shred the chicken. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the dressing, or up to one day.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs until well combined.
- Add the diced dill pickle and radish matchsticks and stir to incorporate.
- Ensuring the chicken is cooled to room temperature or colder, fold in the pulled chicken and chopped eggs to distribute evenly. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- For sandwiches, spread on fresh or toasted bread and top with peppery arugula or a leaf of fresh lettuce and another slice of bread. For lettuce cups or wraps, scoop into a lettuce leaf, roll, and use toothpicks to secure if desired.
Make it a Minnesota Grown meal!
Planning your perfect lake day spread? This recipe is part of our July Lake Day Menu, Made Local—a lineup of easy, packable, and seasonally-inspired dishes made for sunny days and good company. Don’t miss the other recipes:
- Raspberry Rosemary Smash Mocktail
- Broccoli and Kohlrabi Salad with Fennel Vinaigrette , and
- Blueberry Cornbread Muffins with Local Honey Butter
Stock up on local ingredients with help from the Minnesota Grown Directory—and bring the freshest flavors of Minnesota to your next lake day.
