Tarragon Chicken Salad
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Creamy, bright, and packed with fresh tarragon, this tarragon chicken salad is anything but ordinary. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and ready in 10 minutes! This is the lunch or light dinner upgrade you didn’t know you needed.
You’ll also love my Grilled Chicken Sandwich Recipe. Great served on No Knead Ciabatta Bread.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (uses cooked chicken)
- Total Time: 15 minutes + chill time
- Servings: 8
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free (serve appropriately), high-protein
- Method: Mix and chill
- Technique: Balanced creamy base with fresh herbs
- Flavor/Texture: Creamy, bright, crunchy, herbaceous
Why you’ll love this 10-minute chicken salad!
Most chicken salad recipes are either too heavy or too bland. This one balances richness and freshness perfectly.
I make this tarragon chicken salad recipe once and enjoy it all week. It’s creamy but bright, herby but balanced, and it tastes even better the next day. The fresh tarragon is the star here, slightly sweet, lightly licorice or anise-scented, and so elegant.
I love making a big batch on Sunday and turning it into easy lunches: stuffed into buttery croissants, tucked into lettuce cups, or piled high on toasted whole wheat bread. Serve at your next baby shower, weekday lunch, or as a protein-packed snack.
You’ll love my Greek Style Pasta Salad and Easy Shrimp Salad Recipe.
Made With Amore,
Table of Contents
Chicken Salad With Tarragon Ingredients
- Cooked Chicken – Tender diced or shredded chicken breasts, rotisserie, or thighs for the best flavor and texture. Leftover chicken recipes: Baked Chicken Thighs at 375°F, Juicy Baked Chicken Breasts (30 minutes!), and Baked Chicken and Potatoes, Juicy Oven Roasted Chicken.
- Mayonnaise – Classic creamy base that gives richness and structure.
- Full-Fat Greek Yogurt – Adds tang and lightness while keeping it thick and luscious.
- Dijon Mustard – A subtle sharpness that deepens the flavor.
- Fresh Lemon Juice – Brightens everything and balances the creaminess.
- Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper – Essential for seasoning and bringing all the flavors together.
- Garlic Powder – A gentle savory note without overpowering the herbs.
- Celery Sticks– Petite diced for fresh crunch in every bite.
- Slivered Almonds – Lightly toasted for warmth and texture.
- Fresh Tarragon – The star ingredient; fragrant, slightly sweet, and beautifully herbaceous.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap almonds for toasted pecans or walnuts.
- Add halved red grapes, apples, or dried cranberries for sweetness. If you like sweet salads, you’ll like my Berry Goat Cheese Salad with Honey Citrus Dressing and Fall Harvest Salad with Apple and Butternut Squash.
- Stir in a tablespoon of finely diced shallot or red onion
- Add a spoonful of capers for a briny twist
- Replace half the mayo with mashed avocado for a lighter version. Try the avocado variation of my Easy Shrimp Salad Recipe with Old Bay next!
How To Make Tarragon Chicken Salad
This is a step-by-step photo overview of this super easy and tasty chicken salad recipe; the full instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step #1: Prep the chicken: Dice or shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. If using rotisserie chicken, remove skin and finely chop for even texture. Make the creamy dressing: In a large mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until smooth.
Step #2: Whisk until combined.
Step #3: Add texture and flavor: Stir in the diced celery, slivered almonds, and chopped fresh tarragon.
Step #4: Add the chicken.
Step #5: Gently fold until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
Step #6: Chill for best flavor: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to marry beautifully. You can also eat it right away! Serve: Spoon into lettuce cups, spread on croissants, make a chicken salad sandwich, or enjoy straight from the bowl.
How to Serve Chicken Salad
- Straight from the fridge for a protein-packed lunch
- Stuffed into warm croissants
- Layered on whole-grain bread with butter lettuce
- In crisp romaine or butter lettuce cups
- Over arugula with extra lemon
- In a wrap with sliced cucumber
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Chicken: A mix of breast and thigh gives the best texture and flavor. If poaching your own, salt the water well.
- Tarragon: Fresh is best. Dried tarragon won’t give the same delicate aroma.
- Greek Yogurt: Full-fat keeps it creamy and prevents a watery salad.
- Almonds (optional): Lightly toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until fragrant. Cool before adding.
FAQ’s
– To meal prep, portion into small containers for grab-and-go lunches.
– Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
– Stir before serving if any separation occurs.
– Do not freeze (the dressing will separate).
More Chicken Recipes
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Tarragon Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded (rotisserie, poached breasts, or roasted thighs)
- ¾ cup good-quality mayonnaise
- ¾ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ribs celery, petite diced
- ½ cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted for best flavor
- 6 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped
- For serving, optional: Lettuce cups, croissants, whole wheat bread, crackers, or over mixed greens
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Dice or shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. If using rotisserie chicken, remove skin and finely chop for even texture.
- Make the creamy dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until smooth.
- Add texture and flavor: Stir in the diced celery, slivered almonds, and chopped fresh tarragon.
- Fold in the chicken: Add the chicken and gently fold until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
- Chill for best flavor: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to marry beautifully. You can also eat it right away!
- Serve: Spoon into lettuce cups, spread on croissants, make a sandwich, or enjoy straight from the bowl.
Notes
- Use a mix of breast and thigh meat for the best flavor and moisture.
- Let the chicken cool completely before mixing so the dressing stays thick.
- Toast the almonds for a deeper, richer flavor.
- Chop the tarragon fresh right before adding for maximum aroma.
- Chill at least 1 hour, then taste and adjust salt or lemon before serving. This is even better the next day!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cannot get fresh tarragon where I live… can I substitute for dry? how much?
Hi! Yes, you can absolutely use dried tarragon 😊
Since dried herbs are more concentrated, use about 1 teaspoon dried tarragon for every 1 tablespoon fresh.
One tip, let it sit for a bit before serving so the dried tarragon has time to soften and infuse the flavor into the dressing.
It will still be delicious! 💛 Mangia!
This chicken salad is one of those recipes that is so much better the longer it sits…. perfect for meal prep
Yes, it is so versatile and great for meal prep! I am happy you loved it.
Love to make this with leftover chicken!