This Amish Chicken Salad keeps the traditional creamy, sweet-and-savory base but introduces a “Bluegrass Twist”—adding toasted pecans for a Southern crunch and a splash of apple cider vinegar to brighten the classic heavy dressing.
The Heritage Hearth “Bluegrass Twist” Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups Cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed (rotisserie works great)
- 1 cup Celery, finely diced
- 1/2 cup Red grapes, halved
- 1/2 cup Toasted pecans, roughly chopped (The Twist!)
- 3 Hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1/4 cup Green onions, thinly sliced
The Dressing:
- 1 cup Real mayonnaise (Duke’s or Hellman’s preferred)
- 2 tbsp Sugar (adjust for desired sweetness)
- 1 tbsp Yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar (The Twist!)
- 1/2 tsp Celery seed
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, diced celery, halved grapes, sliced green onions, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.
- Toast the Pecans: In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pecan pieces for 3–5 minutes until fragrant. Let them cool completely before adding to the bowl to ensure they stay crunchy.
- Whisk the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and celery seed until smooth.
- Combine: Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture. Use a large spatula to fold everything together gently so you don’t mash the eggs or grapes.
- The Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Amish chicken salad is always better once the flavors have had time to “marry” and the dressing has thickened.
- Serve: Pile it high on a thick slice of fresh-baked rye bread or serve in a scooped-out tomato for a classic deli presentation.