Name: Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. chicken tenderloins (around 2 cups of cooked chicken); ½ cup Duke's mayonnaise; 1 celery rib (minced); 1 lemon (juice and zest); 1/4 cup fresh basil (lightly packed and then rough chopped); 1/4 cup pecans (chopped); ½ tsp. onion powder; ½ tsp. garlic powder; ½ tsp. salt; ½ tsp. pepper

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Bursting with summer flavors like lemon and fresh basil, this lemon basil chicken salad is a fresh take on a classic. A copycat version of Chicken Salad Chick Lauryn's Lemon Basil chicken salad, it has loads of chopped basil and lemon juice, plus chopped pecans for a bit of crunch.

scoop of lemon chicken salad in a bowl of lettuce with lemon and basil for garnish.

Lemon and basil is one of my favorite flavor combinations. It is a main component of some recipes such as greek chicken meatballs, lemon pesto sauce, and baked mediterranean cod.

This lemony chicken salad is made with the same base ingredients as the Classic Carol, just with added basil lemon juice, zest, and chopped pecans.

While you can make this with just lemon juice, the lemon zest really takes it to the next level and cuts through the rich mayo base perfectly.

For more copycat chicken salad recipes, try Dixie Chick Chicken Salad Chick Copycat Recipe and Jalapeno Chicken Salad or try my favorite, Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad.

Ingredients

Dukes Mayo- Use Duke's mayonnaise for the classic restaurant taste. This is what Chicken Salad Chick uses, as it has extra egg yolks, giving it a richer, thicker taste.
Chicken Tenderloins- Chicken tenderloins are wonderful in chicken salad, as they are very soft moist when cooked properly. I prefer to poach the chicken tenderloins in chicken stock for a lovely texture and flavor. You can also use chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken.
Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest- Use the full juice and zest from one lemon.
Chopped Pecans- I like to buy whole pecans and chop them myself.
Celery- Mince it finely, so it is almost undetectable.
Spices- No one is privy to the restaurant's secret spice mix, but a simple blend of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper does the job with seasoning this copycat chicken salad.

How to Make Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

How to Poach Chicken Tenderloins

Boil 4 cups of chicken stock (or water). Gently place in chicken tenderloins. Cover with lid and remove from heat. Set a timer for 25 minutes. The carryover residual heat will cook the chicken perfectly, while keeping them very moist.

Preparing the chicken salad

Step 1. Add cooked chicken tenderloins to the bowl of the food processor. Turn on low speed for ten seconds. Make sure there are no large pieces leftover.

unmixed bowl of lemon basil chicken salad.

Step 2. Add shredded chicken to a bowl with mayo, celery, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped pecans, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

mixed chicken salad in clear glass bowl.

Step 3. Stir well to combine. I suggest allowing the chicken salad to chill for an hour in the fridge before serving.

scoop of chicken salad in a bowl of lettuce.

Step 4. Serve with lettuce or on toast.

Recipe Tips

Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled for a better overall flavor.
The pecans are optional, but give a nice crunch to the salad.
Chop the chicken by hand with a sharp kitchen knife if you do not have a food processor.

scoop of lauryns lemon basil chicken salad in a bowl.

How to serve

Serve chicken salad as a lettuce wrap, on a sandwich, alongside toast, or with crackers, or a croissant.

You can even add tomato slices, lettuce, or a dash of hot sauce.

Storage

Store any leftover chicken salad covered in an airtight container the fridge for up to 4 days. It may get a little watery after a day or two, but the flavor will still be delicious.

I don't recommend freezing chicken salad.

More copycat recipes

Did you enjoy this Lemon Basil Chicken Salad? I would love for you to let me know by leaving a comment and star rating. I can't wait to hear from you!

Lemon Basil Chicken Salad