Lemon Basil Chicken Salad is the perfect picnic lunch this summer. Fresh flavors and so easy to put together. Serve on your favorite toasted bread, buns, or croissants.
I’m definitely a traditional chicken salad kind of gal. There’s nothing better than throwing together some chicken salad sandwiches for a day outing. I roast my own chicken and shred it before mixing in a little mayo, dijon mustard, sliced grapes and toasted almonds. But this particular weekend I decided to throw in some fresh chopped basil, lemon juice, pine nuts and chopped cherry tomatoes. It was an instant winner. The bright flavors of the tomatoes, combined with the fresh basil and nutty savory pine nuts was perfection.
I served these open faced on some toasted 9 grain bread and we had ourselves a picnic in a local park. Serve with a cool glass of Sauvignon Blanc for a total game changing picnic. I was just saying the other day that picnics are so underrated and especially when you bring wine into the mix.
So break out your picnic basket and big blankets, go find a nice shady spot in the park and have yourself a delightful afternoon with some chicken salad.
Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
One of the fastest and easiest ways to put together chicken salad in minutes is to buy a whole rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it yourself.
Ingredients
- 1 whole Roasted Chicken, skin removed and shredded
- 2/3 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 whole Lemon, juiced
- 1 bunch Basil, about 2 cups packed
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 dry pint Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 ounces Pine Nuts
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
- Toasted Bread, for serving
Directions
- Step 1 In a large bowl add shredded chicken.
- Step 2 In a mini food processor add mayonnaise, lemon juice and basil, pulse a few times until basil is combined and chopped.
- Step 3 Add lemon basil mayo to the chicken with dijon mustard, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, kosher salt and ground black pepper. Fold together until combined.
- Step 4 Serve immediately on toasted bread of your preference or chill for up to 2 hours before serving.
Serve and Enjoy!
