Chicken salad is one of those perfect solutions for what to do with leftover chicken. The good thing about using leftover chicken in chicken salad is that it is already seasoned, which adds to the overall flavor of a pretty simple salad. Whenever I have leftover smoked chicken or grilled chicken, I usually end up making this particular Chicken Salad with Capers and Tarragon. Aside from being easy to throw together, it makes for a healthy and delicious light lunch.
To make this chicken salad with capers you only need a few ingredients – capers (or olives), pickles (sweet or dill), tarragon, a little celery and onion, and mayonnaise. Throw everything in a bowl, combine and serve. To serve, place on a lettuce leaf and serve as a salad, make a chicken salad sandwich or wrap, or use it in a pita pocket.
Hope you enjoy!
A great chicken salad for leftover chicken, especially grilled or smoked. A little sweet, a little salty, easy to make and quite delicious.
*See Kitchen note for more information, substitutions and related links.
- 1 ½ – 2 cups leftover chicken*, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish*
- 2 heaping tsp. capers*, minced
- ¼ – ½ tsp. crushed dried tarragon
- ¼ – ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 – 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- 2 – 3 tsp. caper brine
Put all ingredients into a large bowl and mix to combine.
Taste for seasoning. Adjust to your taste.
See Kitchen Notes for serving suggestions.
Chicken – I prefer to use leftover smoked chicken or grilled chicken, but you could also use leftover rotisserie or any leftover, well-seasoned chicken you have on hand.
Sweet Relish – Substitute diced sweet pickles or even dill pickles if you prefer.
Capers – Substitute with minced green olives.
Serving Suggestions – Serve as a salad on a large lettuce leaf, wrap in a lettuce leaf, on toasted whole grain bread as a sandwich, as an open-faced sandwich, stuffed into pita bread, or wrapped in a tortilla.
Chicken Sandwich – For another layer of flavor, spread Dijon or a creole mustard on one or both of the bread slices.
Here is another unique chicken salad that one can make with leftover chicken – Curried Chicken Salad from The Cozy Apron. It calls for 3 cups of chicken, but you can use can easier cut this recipe back depending on how much chicken you have.
Leftovers from any of the following chicken recipes would be great to use in this chicken salad with capers.
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Heel erg bedankt voor de backlink en zo’n lieve reactie! Groetjes, MJ
It is springtime! Bring on the salads. Your chicken salad with capers and tarragon are delicious flavors to compliment. Like how you added a little of the brine of the capers to the dressing to flavor- great idea. Thinking of starting up a spice herb planter for the spring. Need to add tarragon seeds to the list.
Thanks Darlin. Definitely need to grow tarragon, It’s one of my favorites and one of the few herbs that winters over well. It seems to be able to handle freezing temps because I’ve had the same pot of tarragon going on about 10 years now, Good luck!
I love a good chicken salad, MJ, and the flavours you have used here really appeal to me. Pinning to share and to try! Congratulations on your 10 year blogging anniversary! Where does the time go? I always enjoy your recipes and the glimpse into life in New Mexico that you share. Take care and again, Congratulations!!
Thanks April and thanks for pinning and for your very nice comments through the years. Looking forward to our sharing for years to come,
I don’t think I’ve ever had smoked chicken. That sounds interesting. I love tarragon in chicken salad, though. I think it adds something elegant. And capers – yes!
Thanks Jeff! Smoked chicken is excellent! My husband smoked 3 chickens several times a year. We put them in the fridge for already prepared meals when I don’t feel like cooking, They are pretty much a staple in this house. In a chicken salad, the smoked chicken just gives the salad another layer of flavor,
I love tarragon, especially in spring and summer when I have it fresh in the garden. I always seem to have some leftover chicken or turkey, so I will keep this salad in mind.
Thanks Adina. I raise tarragon as well and always dry some to help me through the winter. I love tarragon in so many things. 🙂
We just love chicken salad and I know that we’d devour yours, MJ. We also like tuna salad and I’ve prepared it almost like yours, except for the capers, which now I agree that it adds a delicious new tang to the salad. I just added rotisserie chicken to my grocery list so that I can try this!
Stay safe, healthy and warm my friend,
Roz
Thanks so much Roz. I think you’ll be surprised how much the capers add to the oversall taste of this salad. Enjoy!
I don’t have smoked chicken on hand, but plenty of frozen chicken from when I made some chicken broth. This will be a perfect weekend lunch!
Thanks Liz. Any precooked chicken works great. Enjoy!
I love tarragon and I love capers. Not to mention the chicken that goes with it!
Thanks Abbe!
That’s my favorite way to make chicken salad — the commenters’ variations are also great ideas.
be safe… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Thanks Mae.
I always enjoy chicken salad and the addition of capers here sounds really good! I frequently have an opened jar of capers hanging around in my fridge looking for ways to be used up, too, so this is perfect.
Thanks Amy. I hope you enjoy.
Wonderful idea to add capers and tarragon ! Perfect office lunch to make with roast leftovers !
Thanks Darlin! The capers add a real bite to this salad. We love it.
This salad is everything that my family loves, especially that smoked chicken
Thanks Taruna. My husband keeps us stocked with smoked chicken year round. We love it as well.
oh yum this would make a fabulous sandwich MJ! I do love me some chicken and mayo etc. Hope all is well with you.
cheers
sherry
Thanks Sherry. It’s one of our favorite chicken sandwiches. Enjoy!
Love the capers, not so much the pickle relish. I usually go more the route of some grapes, maybe walnuts, and some curry spices. I can’t wait to try the capers!
thanks Mimi. My husband isn’t a big fan of sweet relish but he likes the balance with the capers in this salad and as a result loves the salad. But grapes would work as well.
I love the combo of flavours. The salad looks so appetizing and moreish, MJ.
Thanks Angie. You gave me a smile with the use of “moreish”. It’s not a word I see used a lot in these parts. 🙂
I’m a sucker for anything with capers! Lover their tangy flavor. Like the idea of using them in chicken salad, too — neat way to zip up the flavor of an old favorite. Very nice recipe — thanks.
You and me both John! Capers are so good. Thanks!
*smile* Don’t know there is much chicken ever left over here as I usually prepare thighs and legs ‘by the number’ . . . but it is so easy to steam fresh for the salad. I also like the idea of capers and especially tarragon which is one of my favourite herbs. Do not use mayonnaise but Greek yogurt always comes to the rescue . . . thank you snd be well !
Thanks Eha. I’m one thoee that cooks and plans to have leftovers. 🙂 Of course that’s easy to do when you’re cooking for two. But yea, it’s quite easy to cook up chicken just for a salad. Glad to see another tarragon fan. I think it is a very unappreciated herb. 🙂
I love capers in anything and I’ve become to like tarragon quite a lot lately. Now, if my tarragon plant has lived through the winter…that remains to be seen. I’ll save the recipe until then. Thanks, M.J.
Thanks Debra. My tarragon always makes it through the winter, so hopefully yours will as well. It’s easy to dry so you can have some year round.
I love Chicken Salad specially on bread. My favorite one is the Indian variety where they add chillies, adds a nice zing and the mayo helps keep it cool down.
Thanks Raymund. I’ll have to check out the Indian chicken salad with the chillies. Of course anything with chillies is yummy. 🙂
Oh I love adding capers to chicken salads and tuna salads. It adds just the right pop!
Thanks Susan. Agree about the capers. It doesn’t take many to add that pop.
We have chicken more than any other meat and nearly always there is some leftover. I always save it for lunch the next day and this would be perfect to make and wrap in a tortilla for an easy bite! It will give me an excuse to try capers, something I’ve never tried to this day, imagine that!!
Thanks Jan. I know what you mean about always have extra chicken. I think we all do it on purpose. 🙂 This salad is good wrapped in a tortilla BTW. Hope you enjoy.
Love the addition of savory capers and sweet pickles for a delicious treat. Actually thanks so much for this idea as this is a great lower card idea for this week. Stay well and take care
Thanks Bobbi! If you like sweet and salty this is a salad for you. My husband doesn’t like sweet that much in a chicken salad, but he loves it in this one because of the balance with capers.