**Old-Fashioned Southern Chicken Salad** **The Ingredients**
* **Chicken:** 3 cups cooked chicken (shredded or finely diced). Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut.
* **Eggs:** 2–3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped.
* **Crunch:** 1/2 cup celery, finely diced.
* **Flavor:** 1/4 cup red or green onion, finely minced.
* **The “Southern” Kick:** 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish (plus a splash of the juice).
### **The Tangy Dressing**
* 1 cup Mayonnaise (Duke’s is the Southern favorite if you can find it).
* 1 tbsp Yellow or Dijon mustard.
* 1/4 tsp Onion powder.
* Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
* *Optional:* A pinch of paprika or fresh dill for garnish.
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### **Instructions**
1. **Prep the Base:** In a large mixing bowl, combine your shredded chicken, chopped hard-boiled eggs, celery, and onions.
2. **Mix the Dressing:** In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickle relish, pickle juice, and onion powder until smooth.
3. **Combine:** Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture. Fold gently with a spatula so you don’t mash the eggs too much, ensuring everything is evenly coated.
4. **Season:** Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
5. **The Secret Step:** Cover and refrigerate for **at least 1 hour** (overnight is even better). This allows the flavors to meld and the chicken to soak up the dressing.
### **Serving Suggestion**
serve a generous scoop on a **toasted baguette or hoagie roll** layered with crisp green leaf lettuce and thick slices of ripe tomato. A side of sliced cucumbers adds a fresh, cool contrast to the rich salad.