Gordon Ramsay Chicken Salad Recipe (Easy & Creamy)

Gordon Ramsay Chicken Salad is made with tender poached chicken, crisp celery, green onions, crunchy toasted pecans, and fresh tarragon. The dressing is a rich blend of mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The result is a cool, refreshing dish with a perfect balance of savory, tangy, and nutty flavors. It is perfect for a light summer lunch or a filling sandwich on a busy weekday.

Try More Recipes:

• Gordon Ramsay’s Foolproof Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe
• Gordon Ramsay Burger Seasoning Recipe
• Gordon Ramsay Madeira Sauce Recipe

Why You Will Love This Chicken Salad:

• Lighter and Tangier: Unlike heavy, mayo-only salads, this recipe uses Greek yogurt and fresh lemon juice. This gives the dressing a bright, zesty flavor that feels fresh and doesn’t weigh you down.
• Incredible Texture: It isn’t just soft mush. The toasted pecans and crisp diced celery add a satisfying crunch in every bite that contrasts perfectly with the tender chicken.
• Elevated Flavor: The addition of Dijon mustard and fresh tarragon takes this from a boring lunchbox staple to a meal that tastes like it came from a high-end bistro.
• Perfect Use of Leftovers: This is the absolute best way to use up a leftover Sunday roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie bird. It transforms “old” meat into a completely new and exciting meal.

Gordon Ramsay Chicken Salad Ingredients

The Salad Base:

• 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (poached or rotisserie works best)
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
• 1/2 cup red grapes, halved (optional, for sweetness)

The Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (high quality)
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon or parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How To Make Gordon Ramsay Chicken Salad

1. Prepare the chicken: If you are not using rotisserie chicken, poach two large chicken breasts in salted water or chicken broth for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Let them cool completely, then chop them into bite-sized cubes or shred them with two forks.
2. Toast the nuts: Place the chopped pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast them for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they are fragrant and slightly darker. Remove them from the pan immediately to cool.
3. Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, fresh tarragon (or parsley), salt, and pepper until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
4. Combine the ingredients: Add the chopped chicken, diced celery, sliced green onions, toasted nuts, and grapes (if using) to the bowl with the dressing.
5. Toss and coat: Gently fold everything together until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated in the dressing.
6. Chill and serve: Taste the salad and add more salt or pepper if needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Toast the Nuts: Do not skip toasting the nuts. This simple step releases their natural oils and makes them much crunchier and more flavorful, which adds a necessary texture contrast to the soft chicken.
• Use Fresh Herbs: Gordon Ramsay always emphasizes fresh herbs. Fresh tarragon has a slight anise (licorice) flavor that pairs perfectly with chicken. If you dislike tarragon, fresh dill or parsley are great substitutes.
• Don’t Overcook the Chicken: If poaching your own chicken, remove it from the water as soon as it hits 165°F (74°C). Dry, rubbery chicken will ruin the texture of the salad.
• Let It Rest: Letting the salad sit in the fridge for 30 minutes allows the dressing to soak slightly into the meat, making the dish more flavorful than if served immediately.

What To Serve Chicken Salad?

This versatile salad is delicious served on buttery croissants or toasted sourdough bread for a classic sandwich. For a lighter, low-carb option, pile it into crisp Bibb lettuce cups or hollowed-out avocados. It also pairs beautifully with a side of fruit salad or potato chips for a quick lunch.

How To Store Leftovers Chicken Salad?

• Refrigerate: Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator it will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. Give it a quick stir before serving, as the dressing may settle.
• Freeze: Do not freeze this chicken salad. The mayonnaise and yogurt in the dressing will separate and become watery when thawed, and the celery will lose its crunch.

Why You Should Not Reheat It:

• The Dressing Will Break: This salad uses a mayonnaise and yogurt-based dressing. If you heat it in the microwave or on the stove, the oil will separate from the egg and dairy, turning the sauce into a greasy, curdled mess.
• Soggy Vegetables: The celery, green onions, and grapes are there to provide a fresh crunch. Heating them will make them soft, limp, and unappetizing.

How to Serve Leftovers: This salad is best served cold, straight from the refrigerator.

If You Prefer It Less Cold: If the salad is too cold for your liking straight out of the fridge, simply scoop a portion into a bowl and let it sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes to take the chill off before eating.

The Only Exception: The “Chicken Melt” If you really want a hot meal, you can turn this into a “Chicken Melt.”

1. Scoop the cold salad onto a slice of toasted bread.
2. Top it with a slice of Cheddar or Swiss cheese.
3. Place it under your oven’s broiler for 2-3 minutes just to melt the cheese. (The salad underneath will stay mostly cool/warm, while the top gets bubbly).

FAQs

ore Recipes:

• Gordon Ramsay’s Crunchy Coleslaw Recipe (Creamy & Tangy)
• Gordon Ramsay’s Crispy French Fries Recipe
• Gordon Ramsay Perfect Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Chicken Salad Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

• Calories: 280 kcal
• Total Fat: 20g
• Saturated Fat: 3.5g
• Cholesterol: 65mg
• Sodium: 320mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 6g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 3g
• Protein: 22g

Gordon Ramsay Chicken Salad Recipe (Easy & Creamy)

Recipe by Sophie LaneCourse: Salads, Dinner, LunchCuisine: American, BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

280

kcal

Gordon Ramsay Chicken Salad is made with tender poached chicken, crisp celery, green onions, crunchy toasted pecans, and fresh tarragon. The dressing is a rich blend of mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The result is a cool, refreshing dish with a perfect balance of savory, tangy, and nutty flavors. It is perfect for a light summer lunch or a filling sandwich on a busy weekday.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (poached or rotisserie works best)

• 2 stalks celery, finely diced

• 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted

• 1/2 cup red grapes, halved (optional, for sweetness)

• The Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (high quality)

• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon or parsley, chopped

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

• Prepare the chicken: If you are not using rotisserie chicken, poach two large chicken breasts in salted water or chicken broth for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Let them cool completely, then chop them into bite-sized cubes or shred them with two forks.
• Toast the nuts: Place the chopped pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast them for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they are fragrant and slightly darker. Remove them from the pan immediately to cool.
• Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, fresh tarragon (or parsley), salt, and pepper until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Combine the ingredients: Add the chopped chicken, diced celery, sliced green onions, toasted nuts, and grapes (if using) to the bowl with the dressing.
• Toss and coat: Gently fold everything together until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated in the dressing.
• Chill and serve: Taste the salad and add more salt or pepper if needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld before serving.

Notes

• Toast the Nuts: Do not skip toasting the nuts. This simple step releases their natural oils and makes them much crunchier and more flavorful, which adds a necessary texture contrast to the soft chicken.
  Use Fresh Herbs: Gordon Ramsay always emphasizes fresh herbs. Fresh tarragon has a slight anise (licorice) flavor that pairs perfectly with chicken. If you dislike tarragon, fresh dill or parsley are great substitutes.
  Don’t Overcook the Chicken: If poaching your own chicken, remove it from the water as soon as it hits 165°F (74°C). Dry, rubbery chicken will ruin the texture of the salad.
  Let It Rest: Letting the salad sit in the fridge for 30 minutes allows the dressing to soak slightly into the meat, making the dish more flavorful than if served immediately.