This Poppy Seed Chicken Salad is the perfect combination of savory goodness from the chicken with pops of sweetness from the poppy seed dressing and fresh fruits. Take it to a family gathering, share it with friends, or make it ahead for some easy meal prep sandwiches. It is sure to satisfy everyone’s palate.

HOW TO MAKE IT

This is SUPER easy! Mix and assemble. That’s it!

WHISK– combine mayo, sugar, vinegar, and poppyseeds in a medium bowl to make the dressing

MIX– shredded chicken. relish and dressing together

ADD– blueberries, strawberries, and apples

GARNISH– add a little green onion or chopped pecans if you so desire

INGREDIENTS

SHREDDED CHICKEN: my favorite chicken to use is this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken but boiled, baked, rotisserie or canned chicken can be used as well.

SWEET PICKLE RELISH

POPPYSEED DRESSING

BLUEBERRIES

STRAWBERRIES

APPLE- any type of apple may be used. I tend to stick to more sweeter ones like fuji or gala but Granny Smith would add some delicious tartness.

POPPYSEED DRESSING

MAYO- any brand of mayo would taste good

WHITE WINE VINEGAR- this type of vinegar gives a delicious balance of zip to bring all the flavors together. Other varieties such as balsamic or distilled white vinegar could be substituted with a little different flavor outcome.

SUGAR

POPPYSEEDS

VARIATION OPTIONS

FRUIT– many different fruits would taste good with the poppyseed dressing such as mandarine oranges or pineapple

NUTS– add some walnuts, pecans, or almonds for some added crunch

RELISH– zucchini relish could replace sweet pickle relish for some added zip

CHICKEN– rotisserie or canned chicken could be used to make it even quicker. I like to make a big batch of Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and portion it out and freeze it so it’s always on hand for recipes such as this.

BUDGET/TIME-SAVING IDEAS

I am always looking for ideas to save money or time. Here are a couple of ways this could help you if this recipe is out of budget or you are on a time crunch:

• use canned chicken instead of fresh
• eliminate fruit or use what you have on hand
• meal prep- lasts up to 5 days in the refrigerator

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES

If you’re looking to cut a few calories, try using light mayo instead of regular. Also, use chicken breasts instead of thighs. Both options taste equally delicious.

This Poppyseed Chicken Salad recipe is sure to become a favorite in your home with refreshing ingredients for you to enjoy all year round.