Description
Neiman Marcus Chicken Salad is a creamy, flavorful chicken salad made with diced cooked chicken, crunchy celery, sweet red grapes, and slivered almonds, all combined with mayonnaise and whipped heavy cream for a light and fluffy texture. This classic salad is perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or served on a bed of greens.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Salad
- 3 cups diced cooked chicken breast
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 cup red grapes, quartered
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, cold
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, combine 3 cups diced cooked chicken breast, ½ cup chopped celery, 1 cup quartered red grapes, ½ cup slivered almonds, and 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley. Mix well to distribute all ingredients evenly.
- Add mayonnaise: Stir in ¾ cup mayonnaise until the mixture is thoroughly combined, ensuring the chicken and other ingredients are well coated.
- Whip heavy cream: In a separate bowl, pour ⅓ cup cold heavy cream. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form, which usually takes about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Fold whipped cream into chicken mixture: Gently fold the whipped cream into the chicken mixture using a spatula. This adds lightness and fluffiness to the salad without deflating the whipped cream.
- Season: Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to the mixture. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if necessary for balance and flavor.
- Chill and serve: For best flavor, refrigerate the chicken salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve chilled as a sandwich filling, on a bed of lettuce, or with crackers.
Notes
- Use cold heavy cream to ensure it whips properly to soft peaks.
- The diced cooked chicken breast can be leftover roasted chicken or poached chicken for tenderness.
- Quartered grapes add a sweet burst and texture; seedless grapes are best.
- Slivered almonds add crunch, but can be toasted lightly for extra flavor if desired.
- Adjust salt and pepper according to taste after folding in whipped cream, as the cream can mellow the seasoning.
- This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days when stored in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Neiman Marcus chicken salad, chicken salad recipe, creamy chicken salad, chicken salad with grapes and almonds
