Straub’s Chicken Salad contains cooked poultry, mayonnaise, celery, green onions, and seasonings. St. Louis gourmet grocery Straub’s Market made it.
Straub’s Chicken Salad, a local delicacy, has been a tightly guarded secret for decades. The creamy, spicy salad is served on sandwiches or as a side.
Straub’s Chicken Salad Recipe
I’m always looking for a creamy-savory chicken salad recipe. That’s why Straub’s Chicken Salad intrigued me. St. Louis has loved this recipe for years, but its ingredients and preparation have always been a secret.
I attempted to recreate this legendary chicken salad. I found Straub’s Chicken Salad’s secret in the sauce after some trial and error. This dressing gives chicken salad its flavor with the right mix of mayonnaise, lemon juice, and spices.
Straub’s Chicken Salad Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 carrot, cut into chunks
- 1 rib celery, cut into chunks
- 1/2 medium yellow onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 to 5 whole black peppercorns
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1.5 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp finely diced celery
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Directions To Make Straub’s Chicken Salad
Bring the chicken stock, water, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Add the chicken breasts, ensuring enough liquid to cover them completely, by an inch or so. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until chicken is done.
Remove chicken breasts and set aside to cool. Save broth for other uses (or, you can save it and use it to make chicken salad again!)
When cool, shred the chicken into 1-inch pieces (you should have about 4 cups worth, more or less) and mix with the mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery seed, salt, diced celery, and white pepper.
Place in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours.
When ready to serve, stir the salad well, and taste and adjust for seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Enjoy!
Variations You May Try
Straub’s Chicken Salad is excellent on its own, but there are a few ways to customize it. Some ideas:
Chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts add texture to chicken salad. This adds crunch and depth to your chicken salad.
Diced chilies or hot sauce can add heat to the dressing. This adds depth and spice to your poultry salad.
Diced apples, grapes, or dried cranberries can sweeten poultry salad. This makes your poultry salad fruitier and more refreshing.
Straub’s Chicken Salad uses green onions and celery, but you can try other herbs and vegetables to change the flavor. For variety, try fresh dill, parsley, or cilantro.
To make a meatless chicken salad, use turkey or tofu instead of chicken. Make sure to season and wear to match your protein.
Straub’s Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 carrot cut into chunks
- 1 rib celery cut into chunks
- 1/2 medium yellow onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 to 5 whole black peppercorns
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2 pounds
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1.5 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp finely diced celery
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Instructions
- Bring the chicken stock, water, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Add the chicken breasts, ensuring enough liquid to cover them completely, by an inch or so. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until chicken is done.
- Remove chicken breasts and set aside to cool. Save broth for other uses (or, you can save it and use it to make chicken salad again!)
- When cool, shred the chicken into 1-inch pieces (you should have about 4 cups worth, more or less) and mix with the mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery seed, salt, diced celery, and white pepper.
- Place in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours.
- When ready to serve, stir the salad well, and taste and adjust for seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Enjoy!
