Bagel shop chicken salad makes the best sandwich! Or the best filling for a bagel or pita. You could also serve it on lettuce, or just eat it straight out of the bowl. I certainly have!
This recipe is a scaled-down version of a wonderful chicken salad from the long-closed local bagel shop. Husband used to have lunch there frequently, and his favorite was this salad on focaccia bread.
After the business sadly closed, we were able to get our hands on this recipe. The original recipe was large, starting with 7 pounds of chicken. I went to work scaling down the recipe for a meal for the two of us. We have been very pleased with the results.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast: Tender bites of baked chicken is the base of the salad.
Cayenne Pepper: Just a tiny amount. Not enough to bring the intense heat that Cayenne pepper is known for, but enough to add a little spark.
Salt and Pepper: Essential for the chicken and dressing to bring out the flavor.
Lemon Juice: So delicious with chicken. Adds brightness to the salad.
Garlic: Roasts as the chicken bakes to become extra wonderful.
Sliced Almonds: Nuts are great in salad, and almonds are perfect in this salad. They add crunch and flavor.
Onion & Celery: The quintessential salad veggies.
Parsley, Tarragon & Thyme: The best herbs to compliment the chicken.
Mayo & Sour Cream: Together provide the base of the dressing. The mayonnaise adds a tangy flavor, while the sour cream adds richness.
Olive Oil: Helps the dressing coat the ingredients and provides a nice texture.
Honey: Just a hint of sweetness. The honey really adds a nice touch.
Instructions
You will start by baking the chicken. This process infuses the chicken with garlic and lemon flavors.
Once the chicken is done, pull apart or chop it into bite-sized pieces. I like to use two forks and keep the pieces jagged. I just like the texture this gives the salad.
Place the chicken into a small bowl with a cover. Add the almonds, vegetables, and herbs to the chicken pieces.
Stir together the dressing ingredients and slowly fold into the chicken mixture.
At this point, I taste for flavors before placing in the refrigerator until mealtime. After four hours in the refrigerator, the flavors will be combined and the salad is ready to enjoy.
Enjoy this bagel shop chicken salad as a sandwich or pita, or as filling in a bagel!
For other yummy sandwiches, try tuna melts or turkey sloppy joes!
Bagel Shop Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Chicken Mixture
- 1 large boneless chicken breast
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ fresh lemon juiced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 Tbsp sliced almonds
- ¼ cup onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup celery finely chopped
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp tarragon
- 1 tsp thyme
Dressing
- ¼ cup mayo
- 1 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉
- Sprinkle chicken with cayenne, salt, pepper lemon juice and garlic. Bake approximately 30 minutes. Let cool.
- Use two forks to pull chicken into small strips or chop into bite-sized pieces. Add to a medium-sized bowl with a cover. Add almonds, onion, celery and all the herbs.
- In a small bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Gently fold the dressing into the chicken mixture.
- Place cover on the bowl and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The chicken salad should be refrigerated for several hours prior to serving.