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Whip & Wander

French Chicken Salad

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French Chicken Salad

Keep it simple, keep it seasonal

In my opinion, the best dishes are always those which are simply prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients. In Portland, I am lucky to have access to several great farmers markets and also keep a small herb and veggie garden at home. As a result, my cooking evolves with each season, depending on what looks particularly good at the market or what is ready to be harvested from my own garden.

French Chicken Salad

Inspiration from my travels

Other sources of food inspiration come from my travels. In a recent post titled “Eating our Way Through Paris,” I wrote about some of the delicious meals my fella and I consumed in Paris this time last year and how they shaped some of our favorite memories of the trip. My French Chicken Salad is one of my favorite ways to pay homage to the light floral and citrus notes that were so prevalent on our trip to Paris, while also eating seasonally in the Northwest.

As spring is in full force, our market is chock full of the green onions, celery, and fresh herbs that are used in this dish. Currently, my own herb garden is producing ample amounts of fresh chives and French tarragon which I love using to amplify simple dishes like this French Chicken Salad, as well as toss into marinades, dressings, and even eggs.

I generally use an organic dried Herbs de Provence mix in lieu of making my own because I use such a small amount in this recipe. However, all of the herbs found in the mix should be plentiful at most farmers markets should you wish to make your own. A typical mix is made up of herbs typical of the Provence region of southeast France, including basil, fennel, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, lavender, tarragon, and thyme, though you may see some with oregano, bay, and mint as well.

French Chicken Salad

Put the ballpark mustard down!

The other item I use in both this French Chicken Salad recipe and consistently in my cooking is a good Dijon mustard, which I feel is too often lumped in with the yellow squeeze bottles hanging out in the refrigerator door. On our last day in Paris, I purchased a large jar of Edmond Fallot Dijon Mustard for around 6 euros (~ 7 US dollars). By no means was this an expensive or indulgent purchase, but it ended up being one of my favorite things we brought back from our entire trip because it really opened my eyes to how much a really good Dijon mustard could elevate a simple dish.

You can find Edmond Fallot mustard at some specialty markets and online at Amazon. My pantry always has an embarrassingly large stock of their classic Dijon Mustard and Dijon with Horseradish because I go through it so quickly.

Is one mustard really different from another?

In its essential form, Dijon mustard is a paste made from finely ground brown mustard seeds and verjuice (the juice of unripe grapes) or white wine, though some varieties may include additional spices. It is often spicier than a traditional yellow mustard owing to both the spice level of the brown mustard seeds and the low-acidity of the verjuice or white wine.

The bright yellow squeeze bottle of mustard, popular at ballparks and BBQs gets it’s bright hue from a mix of yellow mustard seeds and turmeric, which are mixed with vinegar, water, and other spices. This mustard is generally considered to be pretty mild because the spice level of the yellow mustard seed is on the low end and the acidity brought on by the vinegar also helps to mellow any heat reaction.

Essentially, a small amount of good Dijon will often offer a bit of complex spiciness to your dishes without overpowering the flavor with acid. Whereas a classic yellow mustard will allow your dish to take on a milder spice level and a vinegary flavor. For this French Chicken Salad, I highly suggest you use a good Dijon mustard as the vinegar in the yellow mustard will very much overpower the other great flavors of the dish.

French Chicken Salad

To grate or to zest?

If you want to make things easy on yourself, a microplane will make quick work of zesting your orange. For years I zested fruit using a traditional fine grater and hated every second of it until I finally broke down and bought this one from Amazon; I use it weekly for things like oranges, lemons, limes, and ginger. If you don’t have one yet or aren’t interested in adding one more thing to your pantry drawer, the fine side of a grater will work, but there will likely be a little more elbow work involved.

My favorite ways to serve this dish

If you’re grain-free, this French Chicken Salad is great over a bed of salad greens or eaten simply on its own. If you’re not gluten-adverse or have a favorite gluten-free bread, this makes for a wonderful sandwich. I also love the idea of this topped on a grain-free baguette or cracker with a bit of extra orange zest on top for a gorgeous hors-d’oeuvre. This recipe should keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, but good luck making it last that long!

French Chicken Salad

 

A note for special diets

This French Chicken Salad is grain-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, nightshade-free and friendly for Paleo, SIBO, Keto, Low-FODMAP, and Whole30 diets.

Print
a white bowl with chicken salad and a bunch of lavender next to it

French Chicken Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 35 reviews
  • Author: Whip & Wander
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 7 1/2 cups 1x
  • Category: Mains, Salads & Dressings
  • Cuisine: French
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Ingredients

  • 3 large chicken breasts (about 2lbs), cooked and diced or shredded
  • 1/2 cup celery finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green grapes, halved or quartered
  • 1/2 cup green onion, chopped (just the green part if you are SIBO or Low-FODMAP)
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 3/4 cup Paleo mayo
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh orange zest, plus more to top if desired
  • 1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence

Instructions

For the chicken:

I generally cook my chicken breasts in my pressure cooker first, 10-12 minutes on high pressure with 2 c broth or water (refer to the recommended minimum liquid for your machine). If you don’t have a pressure cooker, boiling or baking is totally fine. If you want to make this dish really easy, shredded rotisserie chicken works wonderfully.

  1. In a large bowl, add the chicken, celery, grapes, green onion, and almonds. Reserve to the side.
  2. In a medium bowl mix mayo, Dijon mustard, chives, tarragon, orange zest, and Herbs de Provence.
  3. Add this dressing to the chicken and stir gently to combine.

Notes

If you’re grain-free, this French Chicken Salad is great over a bed of salad greens or eaten simply on its own. If you’re not gluten-adverse or have a favorite gluten-free bread, this makes for a wonderful sandwich. I also love the idea of this topped on a grain-free baguette or cracker with a bit of extra orange zest on top for a gorgeous hors d’oeuvre. This recipe should keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, but good luck making it last that long!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
  • Calories: 318
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 227 mg
  • Fat: 23 g
  • Carbohydrates: 4 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 28 g

 

French Chicken Salad
French Chicken Salad

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Leslie

    This is quite a switch from my usual chicken salad. It never occurred to me to use that combination of herbs. I love it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  3. Kat Jeter

    Wow, you managed to pack so much flavor into this chicken salad. I eat chicken salad several times a week for lunch and I’m excited to change things up a little with this recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  4. Elaine @ Dishes Delish

    This chicken salad looks excellent! Hubby loves the yellow mustard, I love dijon. Funny how that is. Dijon is so much more flavorful! I love the nice crunch of the almonds that you put in this salad and the much loved tarragon! I am going to be making your recipe soon!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  5. Chef Markus Mueller

    I am also a huge fan of growing my own food whenever possible and using it to cook delicious food. The whole premise behind Earth, Food, and Fire actually!

    Not sure if I have ever put mustard into my chicken salad, its an intriguing idea, and I like the flavor combo with the celery and herbs. I’ll have to try this for lunch this week!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  7. Ginny

    What a nice idea to make a mixed dressing like this one. I would also think the grapes really set it apart for a delicious salad.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  11. Rachel

    This reminds me of a version of chicken salad that my mom sometimes makes, but better! I’m pinning this one for later!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  13. lauren

    Ahhh! This makes me miss Paris so much. We had the most wonderful time and ate ALL the tasty things there. The addition of tarragon, chives and orange zest sounds SO good.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  15. Julie

    I love seasonal cooking, too! We joined a CSA several years ago and it completely revolutionized the way I cook, as sad as that sounds. It’s so easy to buy whatever you want, whenever you want it, from the grocery store, but eating close to home and in season is both a fun challenge and so much better for the environment.

    Reply

    • Whip & Wander

      I totally agree, Julie! I was just chatting with another blogger about CSAs. I used to use one years ago in college and I don’t remember why I ever quit. In summer we have ample farmers markets and veggies in our own garden, but I would really like to start using one again in the cooler months. I also really love the idea of the meat and egg CSAs because the quality is usually better than anything I can find at the store.

      Reply

  16. Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens

    I totally agree with you about how wonderful it is to cook with fresh, local, seasonal ingredients! And lucky you in Portland – I’m kinda jealous! 😉 Really great tips in this post about things like choosing a perfect mustard (drooling over that Edmon Fallot!) and using that microplane grater! And ya know what – tarragon is my favorite “secret ingredient” for great chicken salad, too! What a fantastic post and recipe!

    Reply

  18. Cindy

    Thanks for reviving simple French cooking at its best. Is it best to eat with a fork, or can we make sandwiches out of it too.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  21. Natalie

    I love chicken salad! It’s always such a great idea for dinner or lunch you can make quickly. This French chicken salad looks and sounds delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Whip & Wander

      Good question! It’s very common for regular, commercial mayo to include additives that aren’t Paleo-friendly, such as sugar or soybean oil. A good Paleo mayo would include a super limited ingredient list, like egg yolk, avocado oil, salt, and lemon. If you don’t have dietary restrictions that would make additives a problem, you can definitely use regular mayo in this the same way.

      Reply

  24. Sara

    This sounds so delicious–and is so beautiful, too! Love all this thorough information; totally agree that a zester is a must–SO MUCH better than a grater!

    Reply

  26. Wanda

    I love all mustards – it must be the German in me! Love adding fresh herbs to everything these days. Your salad sounds perfect and one I will have to try. Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  37. Keating

    This looks so yummy for this time of year! I’m going to a few family events next month so I’ll have to try this out and see how everyone likes it.

    Reply

  39. Iryna

    I agree that recipes with fresh seasonal ingredients are the best. I’m obsessed with French food and this salad is definitely something I new to make soon.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  41. Claudia Lamascolo

    I just have loved chicken salad for years but never found a great one like this. I am so excited to read the ingredients and think this is what I have been looking for! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  51. Jenni

    I normally stick to my “normal” plain jane chicken salad recipe, but this one looks so amazing! Love all the vibrant and fresh flavors! Totally going to give this a try this weekend!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  53. Caroline

    Wow, this looks and sounds incredible!! I’ve never had this salad before but look forward to giving it a go. Thanks for sharing all the tips too.

    Reply

  59. Lori Geurin

    This French Chicken Salad looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it! I’m curious if you made your own Paleo Mayo or if it’s store-bought? I’ve made it before but was wondering if you have a favorite brand you recommend. Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Whip & Wander

      Thanks! I like to make my own if I have the time, but that’s not always the case. For premade mayos, Primal Kitchen makes a good Paleo one which you can find at Whole Foods. If you aren’t strict Paleo but want a really good mayo without all of the extra junk in it I highly recommend Sir Kensington’s. All of their condiments are low in sugar and have really clean ingredient lists.

      Reply

  62. Marysa

    This combination of flavors sounds wonderful! I’ve never had something like this, between the citrus and the grapes. It’s nice to have some unique recipes to try and for when we serve company.

    Reply

  63. Marisa F. Stewart

    What a delicious salad. We eat lots of chicken and frequently buy rotisserie chicken. This would be a great way to enjoy it this summer. I love the dressing for it. So yummy and creamy. I’m printing out this recipe now.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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