Dill Pickle Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups (Print View)

Protein-packed chicken salad with tangy dill pickles and fresh vegetables, served in crisp lettuce cups for a light, refreshing meal.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Salad

02 - 1 cup dill pickles, finely chopped
03 - 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
04 - 1/4 cup celery, finely diced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

→ Dressing

06 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
07 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
08 - 1 tablespoon pickle juice
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - Salt to taste

→ To Serve

13 - 8 large butter lettuce leaves

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the chicken, dill pickles, red onion, celery, and fresh dill.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, and a pinch of salt until smooth and well combined.
03 - Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter. Spoon the chicken salad evenly into each leaf.
05 - Serve immediately, or chill the salad for 1 hour for more developed flavors before assembling.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under half an hour, even on your most chaotic evenings.
  • The pickle juice in the dressing gives it a bright, addictive tang you won't find in typical chicken salad.
  • Serving it in lettuce cups keeps it light and makes cleanup ridiculously easy.
  • It's endlessly adaptable, you can add nuts, swap yogurt for more mayo, or toss in a hard boiled egg.
02 -
  • Don't overdress the salad, you can always add more mayo or yogurt, but you can't take it back once it's soupy.
  • Pat the pickles dry with a paper towel before chopping them, otherwise they'll release too much moisture and water down the dressing.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the salad and lettuce separate until just before serving so the leaves stay crisp.
03 -
  • Use cold chicken straight from the fridge, it keeps the salad crisp and refreshing instead of warm and soggy.
  • Chop the pickles by hand instead of pulsing them in a food processor, you'll get better texture and avoid turning them into mush.
  • If you love pickle flavor, add an extra tablespoon of pickle juice to the dressing, it makes the whole thing sing.
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