Okay, friends, pull up a chair. We need to talk about chicken salad. For ages, I felt like I was missing out because, let’s be honest, celery and I just don’t get along. That stringy, watery crunch? Not my thing. At all. If you’re secretly (or not-so-secretly) nodding right now, you get it! So, I went on a mission – a delicious, slightly obsessive mission – to create the absolute best chicken salad recipe no celery. I wanted all that creamy, savoury goodness but with a crunch that I actually enjoyed. Let me tell you, there were many, many test batches (my family might stage an intervention if they see another bowl of chicken salad, haha!). But after tons of tweaking, tasting, and maybe a little bit of kitchen dancing, I nailed it. This version? It’s THE one. It’s got flavour, it’s got texture (the good kind!), and it’s become a regular lifesaver in my house. Forget boring chicken salad; this is the chicken salad recipe no celery that’ll make you wonder why celery was ever invited to the party in the first place. Get ready, you’re gonna love this!

What You’ll Need (Our Celery-Free Zone!)

Alright, let’s grab the good stuff for this amazing chicken salad recipe no celery. I’m all about tasty ingredients, but hey, I’ll give you swaps too, ’cause real life means using what you’ve got!

The Main Event:
- Cooked Chicken: You need about 3 cups, shredded or chopped up nice and small. My secret weapon? A leftover rotisserie chicken – seriously, it saves so much time and tastes amazing! But you can totally cook up 2 big chicken breasts (poached or baked are great) and shred ’em once they’re cool. Just make sure it’s tender!
The Creamy Goodness:
- Mayo: Somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 of a cup. Use the brand you love! I personally go for the full-fat stuff ’cause YUM, but light mayo works just fine. Maybe start with 1/2 cup and see if you want more creaminess.
- Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream (Optional, but SO good!): About 1/4 cup. This little addition brings a lovely bit of tang and makes it feel a little less heavy than all mayo. Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt is my jam here.
The Flavor Crew:
- Dijon Mustard: 1 tablespoon. Adds that little zing that makes everything pop. Seriously, don’t skip it!
- Lemon Juice: 1 to 2 teaspoons of the fresh stuff. It just brightens everything up like sunshine! Start small, taste, and add more if you like.
- Salt: About 1/2 teaspoon, but definitely taste and adjust. If your chicken (like a rotisserie one) is already salty, you’ll need less.
- Black Pepper: 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper makes a difference! Add more if you like things peppery.
- Garlic & Onion Powder (Your call): Maybe 1/4 teaspoon of each? They just add a nice background hum of savouriness.
The CRUNCH Bunch (Bye-Bye, Celery!):
- Red Onion: 1/4 cup, chopped really fine. Gives a nice sharp bite. Not a fan? Use shallots or green onions (scallions) for a milder vibe.
- Water Chestnuts: 1/3 cup, drained and chopped small. Okay, these are my heroes for celery-free crunch! They’re crisp, clean, and don’t fight with the other flavours. Can’t find them? Finely diced Jicama can work too!
- Toasted Nuts/Seeds (Optional Crunch): 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds. Toasting them for a few minutes brings out their flavour – game changer! Nut allergy? No worries! Stick with water chestnuts or add some diced apple instead.
Sweet & Fun Bits (Pick your faves!):
- Apple: Half a crisp apple (like Honeycrisp or Fuji), chopped small. Adds a hint of sweetness and more crunch!
- Dried Cranberries/Cherries: A small handful, maybe 1/4 cup? Little bursts of chewy sweetness are lovely. Or try: Halved grapes (red or green) are awesome too!
- Fresh Herbs: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley. Makes it look pretty and taste fresh! Chives are also delicious.

How Long Does It Take? (Spoiler: Not Long!)

We all want yummy food without being chained to the stove, right? This chicken salad recipe no celery is seriously speedy:

Prep Time: Honestly, about 15-20 minutes if your chicken is already cooked and cooled. That’s just chopping the fun bits and mixing the dressing. If you’re a ninja with a knife, you might even be faster!
Cook Time: Zero, zilch, nada (if you use pre-cooked chicken!). If you are cooking chicken breasts, add maybe 20-25 minutes plus time for them to cool down.
Total Time: Roughly 15-20 minutes using cooked chicken. Boom.

Real Talk: It usually takes me longer to figure out how I want to devour this chicken salad (Crackers? Sandwich? Spoon?) than it does to actually whip it up. It’s genuinely one of my top tricks for a fast, satisfying, real-food meal. Forget waiting for delivery – you can have this ready way faster!

Step-by-Step: Let’s Make Some Magic!

Ready to whip up the tastiest chicken salad recipe no celery you’ve ever had? Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Get Your Chicken Ready

First things first, shred or chop your cooked, cooled chicken into pieces you like. I’m team shred – feels like it grabs the dressing better – but neat little cubes are great too! Toss it into a big bowl. My little trick: Use two forks pulling away from each other to shred chicken super fast. Works like a charm!

Step 2: Mix That Creamy Dressing

Grab a smaller bowl. Whisk up the mayo, Greek yogurt (if you’re using it), Dijon, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and the garlic/onion powder if you fancy it. Now, give it a little taste. Need more salt? A bit more lemon zing? Fix it now! Getting this dressing perfect is half the battle.

Step 3: Bring it All Together

Pour that gorgeous dressing over your chicken. Gently fold it all together – think gentle stirring – until every piece of chicken is happily coated. Try not to go crazy mixing, especially with shredded chicken, or it can get a bit pasty. We want lovely coated pieces!

Step 4: Add the Fun Stuff (Crunch & Extras!)

Okay, now gently fold in your chosen crunch heroes (that minced red onion, chopped water chestnuts, maybe some toasted nuts?) and any of the extras like apple, dried fruit, or fresh herbs. Stir just enough to get everything mixed in. This is where your chicken salad recipe no celery becomes uniquely yours! Quick tip: I like adding the crunchy bits last so they stay as crisp as possible.

Step 5: Let it Chill (If You Can Wait!)

Cover the bowl up and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you dig in. This little rest lets all those yummy flavours mingle and get even better. Seriously, it makes a difference! But hey, if you’re starving (I get it!), you can eat it right away. It’ll still be delicious, just even more delicious after chilling.

Want a Healthier Vibe? Easy Tweaks!

Loving this recipe but aiming for something a bit lighter? No problem! This chicken salad recipe no celery is super easy to tweak:

Mayo Swap: Use half Greek yogurt, half mayo. Or go all Greek yogurt for a protein boost! Mashed avocado is another cool swap for healthy fats (it might make it greenish, just FYI!).
Veg Out: Add more finely chopped veggies! Think colourful bell peppers, grated carrots, even tiny bits of steamed (and cooled!) broccoli. More nutrients, more fibre, win-win!
Lean Machine: Stick with skinless chicken breast for the leanest protein option.
Seed Power: Instead of nuts, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds offer great crunch and are awesome for nut allergies.
Sweetness Check: Using unsweetened dried fruit or skipping it altogether helps if you’re watching sugar. Let the apple or herbs carry the flavour load.
Salt Smarts: Go for low-sodium mayo, and taste before adding salt, especially with rotisserie chicken. Amp up flavour with herbs, lemon, and pepper instead.

How to Serve It Up (Think Outside the Bread Box!)

So you’ve made this fantastic chicken salad recipe no celery… now what? Oh, the possibilities!

The Obvious (and Awesome): Slap it between slices of soft bread, pile it on toasted whole wheat, stuff it in a fluffy croissant, or tuck it into a pita with some crisp lettuce. Can’t go wrong!
Light & Fresh: Spoon it into big lettuce leaves (butter lettuce or romaine are perfect) for crunchy, low-carb wraps. So refreshing!
Scoop & Dip: Serve a mound with your favourite crackers, sturdy pita chips, or crunchy veggie sticks like cucumbers and bell peppers. Perfect for snacking or easy apps.
Fancy Pants (but easy!): Fill avocado halves or hollowed-out ripe tomatoes with the chicken salad. Looks gorgeous, tastes amazing.
Salad Topper: Put a big scoop right on top of a bed of mixed greens. Maybe a tiny drizzle of vinaigrette if you’re feeling it.
My Go-To Weird (but Wonderful) Way: Warm it just slightly and serve it on thick, crusty toasted sourdough. Seriously, the warm toast with the cool, creamy salad is incredible. This chicken salad recipe no celery is just that good, any way you serve it!

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Storing Leftovers (If You Have Any!)

Lucky you if there’s extra! Here’s how to keep your chicken salad recipe no celery happy in the fridge:

Seal it Tight: Pop it into an airtight container. This keeps it from drying out or tasting like… well, fridge.
Chill Fast: Get it into the fridge within two hours of making it (or one hour if it’s been sitting out somewhere warm).
Use it Up: It’s best eaten within 3-4 days for top flavour and safety.
Don’t Freeze! Mayo just doesn’t freeze well, folks. It gets weird and watery when it thaws. Trust me on this one.
Smart Prep Tip: Want to prep ahead? Cook and shred your chicken. Chop the onion, water chestnuts, and nuts. Mix the dressing. Keep everything separate in airtight containers in the fridge. Then, just mix it all together when you’re ready to eat (or up to a day before). This keeps your chicken salad recipe no celery super fresh and crunchy!

Why I’m Kinda Obsessed With This Recipe

Okay, “obsessed” might sound dramatic, but I really, really love this chicken salad recipe no celery. Here’s why it totally rocks my world:

No More Celery Drama: Finally! A chicken salad that’s crunchy and delicious without the ingredient I don’t like. Those water chestnuts (or nuts/apple) are way better, in my humble opinion.
It’s SO Darn Easy: Especially if I cheat with a rotisserie chicken (shhh!). It comes together crazy fast.
It Goes With Everything: Seriously. Sandwiches, salads, crackers… it just fits in anywhere, anytime. Lunch, light dinner, party food – check, check, check.
Make It YOURS: Want it spicy? Add jalapeños! Different crunch? Go for it! More herbs? Yes, please! It’s so easy to customize.
It Just Tastes GOOD: Every single time. It hits all the right notes – creamy, tangy, savoury, crunchy. It’s just plain delicious.

Now it’s your turn! I seriously hope you give this chicken salad recipe no celery a try. It’s saved me on busy weekdays more times than I can count and it’s always a crowd-pleaser.

Tell me what you think! If you make it, please pop back and leave a comment below. I’d love to know if you liked it! Did you try any fun twists? What’s your favorite way to get that crunch without using celery? Let’s swap ideas!

Happy Cooking, everyone!

Chicken salad recipe no celery

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Craving a creamy, easy chicken salad recipe no celery? Get amazing crunch & flavor without celery! Perfect for quick lunches or meal prep. Discover!

Ingredients

Cooked Chicken: You need about 3 cups, shredded or chopped up nice and small. My secret weapon? A leftover rotisserie chicken – seriously, it saves so much time and tastes amazing! But you can totally cook up 2 big chicken breasts (poached or baked are great) and shred ’em once they’re cool. Just make sure it’s tender!
Mayo: Somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 of a cup. Use the brand you love! I personally go for the full-fat stuff ’cause YUM, but light mayo works just fine. Maybe start with 1/2 cup and see if you want more creaminess.
Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream (Optional, but SO good!): About 1/4 cup. This little addition brings a lovely bit of tang and makes it feel a little less heavy than all mayo. Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt is my jam here.
Dijon Mustard: 1 tablespoon. Adds that little zing that makes everything pop. Seriously, don’t skip it!
Lemon Juice: 1 to 2 teaspoons of the fresh stuff. It just brightens everything up like sunshine! Start small, taste, and add more if you like.
Salt: About 1/2 teaspoon, but definitely taste and adjust. If your chicken (like a rotisserie one) is already salty, you’ll need less.
Black Pepper: 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper makes a difference! Add more if you like things peppery.
Garlic & Onion Powder (Your call): Maybe 1/4 teaspoon of each? They just add a nice background hum of savouriness.
Red Onion: 1/4 cup, chopped really fine. Gives a nice sharp bite. Not a fan? Use shallots or green onions (scallions) for a milder vibe.
Water Chestnuts: 1/3 cup, drained and chopped small. Okay, these are my heroes for celery-free crunch! They’re crisp, clean, and don’t fight with the other flavours. Can’t find them? Finely diced Jicama can work too!
Toasted Nuts/Seeds (Optional Crunch): 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds. Toasting them for a few minutes brings out their flavour – game changer! Nut allergy? No worries! Stick with water chestnuts or add some diced apple instead.
Apple: Half a crisp apple (like Honeycrisp or Fuji), chopped small. Adds a hint of sweetness and more crunch!
Dried Cranberries/Cherries: A small handful, maybe 1/4 cup? Little bursts of chewy sweetness are lovely. Or try: Halved grapes (red or green) are awesome too!
Fresh Herbs: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley. Makes it look pretty and taste fresh! Chives are also delicious.