Neiman Marcus Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- Chicken Salad:
- 4 cups cooked chicken breast diced
- 1 cup celery finely diced
- 1 cup red grapes halved
- ¾ cup pecans toasted and chopped
- ½ cup pineapple chunks drained and chopped
- ¼ cup red onion finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- Dressing:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prep chicken: Dice cooked chicken into ½-inch cubes. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Toast pecans: Toast in dry skillet over medium heat 4-5 minutes until fragrant. Cool and chop.
- Prep ingredients: Dice celery finely. Halve grapes. Mince onion. Chop pineapple, draining well.
- Make dressing: Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, pineapple juice, lemon juice, honey, salt, white pepper, and garlic powder until smooth.
- Combine: Mix chicken, celery, grapes, pecans, pineapple, onion, and parsley in large bowl.
- Dress: Pour dressing over mixture. Fold gently until evenly coated.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate minimum 1 hour for flavors to meld.
- Serve: Stir before serving. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve on croissants, bread, or lettuce cups.
Notes
- Dry chicken thoroughly—prevents watery salad
- Toast pecans—intensifies flavor and crunch
- Chill minimum of 1 hour—flavors improve significantly
- Rotisserie chicken is perfect—saves time without sacrificing quality
- Make ahead—tastes better after 1-2 days
- Store 4 days refrigerated—don't freeze
- Pineapple is secret—adds unique sweetness. Uniform dice—½-inch pieces for best texture