Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

It’s just too hot to turn on the oven. And when that happens its all too tempting to skip dinner all together and just have ice cream. Not that that’s a problem, but eventually real food needs to be eaten, preferably something cold, crunchy, tasty and satisfying.

Dill pickle chicken salad checks all those boxes and more. Chicken salad is the perfect summer meal because its endlessly adaptable depending on your mood and the ingredients on hand in your fridge. A classic chicken salad with celery and apples is always a crowd pleaser but if you have dill pickle fanatics in your house, this is the recipe for you.

I made a double batch of this chicken salad last week, thinking it would last several days. Surprise surprise, the second my teenagers discovered the bowl in the fridge, it didn’t last two days. We made wraps and sandwiches for dinner with crunchy romaine lettuce from the garden and our first ripe tomato. The last of it was eaten straight from the bowl, standing over the sink, like the animals they are.

Shredded chicken, cold crunchy celery and cucumbers are mixed together with a combination of greek yogurt and mayonnaise for the perfect blend of richness and flavor without being too heavy. For ease, grab a container of the Grillos Pickle de Gallo at your local grocery store. Its a dill pickle relish with great flavor. If you can’t find it, don’t sweat it, just swap that ingredient for your favorite dill pickles and a little splash of brine from the jar. The final step is a big handful of fresh herbs and a healthy pinch of salt and pepper.

The end result is a creamy, crunchy, dill pickle flavor bomb (in the best way) perfect for eating straight from the bowl with your favorite cracker or piled high on a piece of toasted bread for an epic sandwich. For maximum flavor, don’t forget to layer a few dill pickle potato chips on your sandwich.

If you’ve got a boat day ahead of you this summer, or maybe a hike in Rainier National Park, this is the perfect recipe to make ahead and bring with you. Just pack it in a cooler to keep it nice and cool on a hot day.

Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

• 1 pound shredded cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken works great)

• 3 stalks celery, washed and finely diced

• 3 green onions, washed, white parts removed, diced

• 1/2 English cucumber, finely diced

• 1 15-ounce container Grillos Pickle de Gallo, drained

• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced

• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1-2 teaspoons dijon mustard

• Kosher salt and black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, celery, English cucumber, green onion and DRAINED pickle de gallo. Give the mixture a good stir to combine. Stir in the mayo and greek yogurt along with the dijon mustard, starting with just one teaspoon, mixing, having a taste and then adding more depending on your preference.

Gently stir in the fresh herbs and a liberal pinch of salt and pepper.

If you can’t find the Grillos Pickle De Gallo at the grocery store, swap it out for one cup dill pickles, finely diced along with one tablespoon pickle brine from the jar. Either option is going to be flavorful and work great.

To make a great sandwich, lightly toast two pieces of sourdough bread. Lightly spread mayo across one side of the toasted bread. Scoop a heaping spoonful of chicken salad on top of the bread and top with crunchy green leaf lettuce and dill pickle potato chips. A garden tomato, sliced and salted would be a lovely addition as well. Top your sandwich with the other slice of toasted bread, cut in half and enjoy.

Store extra chicken salad in the refrigerator for up to three days. Perfect for quick and tasty summer lunches.