Dill Pickle Chicken Salad Cups (Printable version)

Creamy chicken salad with tangy dill pickles and fresh vegetables served in crisp butter lettuce cups.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 2 medium breasts)

→ Salad Components

02 - 1 cup dill pickles, finely chopped
03 - 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
04 - 1/4 cup celery, finely diced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

→ Dressing

06 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
07 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (or additional mayonnaise)
08 - 1 tablespoon pickle juice
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - Salt to taste

→ To Serve

13 - 8 large butter lettuce leaves (or romaine hearts)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, finely chopped dill pickles, diced red onion, diced celery, and chopped fresh dill. Mix thoroughly to distribute ingredients evenly.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, and a pinch of salt until smooth and fully incorporated.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the chicken mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt or additional seasoning as needed.
04 - Arrange the large butter lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon the chicken salad mixture evenly into each lettuce leaf, mounding slightly for presentation.
05 - Serve immediately for crisp lettuce, or refrigerate the chicken salad for 1 hour to allow flavors to develop before assembling. For best results, assemble just before serving to maintain lettuce texture.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The combination of cool crisp lettuce and tangy creamy salad feels like summer on a plate
  • Ready in under thirty minutes but tastes like you put real thought into it
02 -
  • Chilling the salad for an hour lets the flavors meld together beautifully
  • Butter lettuce works best because its sturdy yet tender and forms perfect cups
03 -
  • Toast your nuts if adding them for deeper flavor
  • The salad tastes even better the next day in the fridge
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