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.
Best Straub’s Chicken Salad
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.
I first cooked a juicy chicken breast. I shredded the chicken after it cooled. I made the dressing by mixing mayonnaise, celery, green onions, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. I mixed the dressing with the shredded chicken to coat it.
The next step was crucial: I covered the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerated the chicken salad for a few hours. The chicken salad was precisely chilled and the flavors blended.
Chicken salad time. I served it on greens for a refreshing lunch. I couldn’t stop eating the juicy chicken and creamy dressing (and maybe even thirds).
Straub’s Chicken Salad Ingredients
- 2 lbs. cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
How To Make Straub’s Chicken Salad
Cook the chicken breast: Start by cooking 2 pounds of chicken breast. You can use either boneless, skinless chicken breast or bone-in chicken breast, whichever you prefer. You can cook the chicken breast by boiling, baking, or grilling it. Make sure to cook it thoroughly until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Shred the chicken breast: Once the chicken breast is fully cooked, let it cool for a few minutes before shredding it with a fork or your hands. The chicken should be shredded into small, bite-sized pieces.
Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, celery, green onions, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Mix everything together until it’s well combined.
Combine the chicken and dressing: In a larger mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken breast and the prepared dressing. Mix everything together until the chicken is fully coated with the dressing.
Chill the chicken salad: Once the chicken and dressing are fully combined, cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This will allow the flavors to meld together and for the chicken salad to become chilled.
Serve and enjoy: After the chicken salad has been chilled, it’s ready to be served. You can serve it as a sandwich, on a bed of greens, or as a side dish. Enjoy!
Straub’s Chicken Salad Variations
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.
Best Straub’s Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. cooked chicken breast shredded
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Instructions
- Start by cooking 2 pounds of chicken breast. You can use either boneless, skinless chicken breast or bone-in chicken breast, whichever you prefer. You can cook the chicken breast by boiling, baking, or grilling it. Make sure to cook it thoroughly until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Once the chicken breast is fully cooked, let it cool for a few minutes before shredding it with a fork or your hands. The chicken should be shredded into small, bite-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, celery, green onions, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Mix everything together until it’s well-combined.
- In a larger mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken breast and the prepared dressing. Mix everything together until the chicken is fully coated with the dressing.
- Once the chicken and dressing are fully combined, cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This will allow the flavors to meld together and for the chicken salad to become chilled.
- After the chicken salad has been chilled, it’s ready to be served. You can serve it as a sandwich, on a bed of greens, or as a side dish. Enjoy!
