Dill Pickle Chicken Salad (So Tangy!)

by Heidi Published: Feb 11, 2025

This isn’t just another chicken salad recipe—it’s Dill Pickle Chicken Salad—your new go-to for quick lunches, picnics, and potlucks. The combination of tangy pickles, dill pickle juice, celery, and perfectly shredded chicken makes this recipe stand out from all the rest.

Dill Pickle Chicken Salad Recipe in bowl with spoon foodiecrush.com

This creamy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad recipe is everything you love about classic chicken salad but with a zippy pickled twist that’ll make your taste buds dance with happiness. Quick-to-make and packed with tender shredded chicken breast, crunchy dill pickles, and fresh dill, it’s the perfect protein-packed lunch that gets better with time. I’ve made plenty of chicken salad recipes (including my favorite classic Chicken Salad recipe) but this dill pickle version is a game-changer. The secret? A generous helping of chopped dill pickles and a splash of pickle juice in the mayo and sour cream dressing that takes this from good to extraordinary.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

First, it’s ridiculously versatile. I use shredded poached chicken breast in this recipe but baked chicken breast, Instant Pot chicken breast, or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken (minus the skin) means maximum flavor with minimum fuss.
Second, it’s both crunchy and creamy. Every bite delivers the perfect balance of tender chicken, crisp celery, and chunky dill pickles in a smooth and tangy dressing.
Third, it’s a meal prep superstar. Make it once, eat it all week. Trust me, this one actually gets even better after a day in the fridge.

What’s in Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

Chicken breast: Poached chicken breast keeps things light and clean-tasting while rotisserie chicken brings convenience and rich flavor. Baked chicken breast works well too. Make it a well-seasoned, moist chicken that will shred easily.
Dill pickles: Dill pickles deliver that bold, briny kick that only dill pickles can. Whether they’re from the store or my homemade spicy dill pickles, choose a crisp pickle with zippy brine. No soft or mushy pickles here.
Celery: Thank you, celery for your crunch and hint of green to make this salad look as good as it tastes.
Mayonnaise: Mayo brings richness and creaminess. Choose a full-fat mayo because while you may think you’ll save by choosing a low-fat version, the salad may turn watery due to its stabilizers.
Sour cream: Sour cream lightens up what would otherwise be a mayo-heavy dressing, adding a subtle tang that makes everything pop.
Pickle juice: That splash of pickle brine double-downs the pickle power.
Onion powder: No harsh raw onion bite here—this dried spice adds depth without being overwhelming.
Fresh dill: Fresh dill brightens the salad and bolsters that dilly flavor.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: Keep them fresh for proper seasoning that accents the whole shebang.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Chicken and pickles in food processor foodiecrush.com

How to Make Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

Start with shredding the chicken. I like using the food processor method or shredding in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment because it gives you perfectly shredded chicken in seconds. Just don’t overprocess—we want shreds, not paste.
Next up, chop the pickle and celery. A few quick pulses in the food processor ensures everything’s evenly chopped without turning mushy. Of course, you can chop them up with your favorite chef’s knife, but the food processor is such a time saver.

Salad dressing plus dill pickle chicken salad ingredients in bowls foodiecrush.com

Mix the dressing. Whisk the dressing separately so that every bite gets perfectly seasoned.
Sauce it up. Stir everything together until combined and get ready to enjoy. I like to add extra snips of dill to the top for the pretty factor.

FAQ and Recipe Tips

I’ve found refrigerated cooked chicken shreds easier than just cooked, warm chicken. If using just-cooked chicken, pat it dry before shredding.
Pickles vary in saltiness and brininess so give the salad a taste test and adjust the dressing’s seasoning if needed.
If you aren’t eating this the day it’s made, use full-fat mayonnaise and sour cream so the salad doesn’t get watery after refrigerating.
If you like an extra saucy chicken salad, double the dressing ingredients and add more to your taste.
If you have time, let the finished salad chill for at least an hour before serving for the flavors to meld.

How to Serve Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

Pile it high on whole wheat or toasted sourdough with potato chips on the side
Use butter lettuce leaves to make a lettuce wrap for a low-carb option
Make it a girl dinner when you eat it with sturdy crackers
Pile it into pita pockets with fresh greens
Serve it over a bed of mixed greens or stuffed into ripe tomatoes

Dill Pickle Chicken Salad Sandwich on wheat bread stacked in a line foodiecrush.com

Ingredient Substitutions

Substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream
If eating the same day, you can use light mayonnaise or sour cream
No fresh dill? Use 1 teaspoon dried dill instead
Add chopped green onion or red onion for extra heat
Use other tangy pickles like cornichons or try chopped pepperoncini or capers
Use canned chicken in a pinch (though fresh is best!)

Storage Tips

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
I don’t recommend freezing chicken salad because of the mayo sauce.

What to Serve With Chicken Salad

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.

Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

This Dill Pickle Chicken Salad recipe with tangy pickles, dill pickle juice, celery, and shredded chicken stands out from all the rest.

Print
Save Saved!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 6 cups

Calories 290kcal

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds poached chicken breast , baked chicken breast or rotiserrie chicken
1 cup roughly chopped dill pickles
¾ cup roughly chopped celery
½ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons pickle juice
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs fresh dill , chopped

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Shred the chicken with two forks or cut the cooked chicken into 1-inch chunks, place in a food processor, and pulse 3-4 times until shredded. Or, place the chunked chicken in the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with a paddle and mix on low until the chicken is shredded. Transfer the shredded chicken to a large bowl and set aside.
Add the dill pickles and celery to the food processor and pulse 3-4 times until chopped then add to the shredded chicken.
In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, onion powder, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until mixed. Pour the dressing over the chicken, pickles, and celery then sprinkle with the fresh dill. Mix well until combined. Serve over a bed of lettuce or on bread as a sandwich.

Notes

Refrigerate Dill Pickle Chicken Salad in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
To avoid the chicken salad turning watery, I recommend regular mayonnaise and sour cream instead of low-fat options containing thickening agents that alter their composition.

Nutrition

More Salad Recipes for Sandwiches

We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.