I Can’t Stop Making Dolly Parton’s 5-Minute Chicken Salad

My family lives close to a Fred Meyer, so I often send my mother out on grocery runs (so she gets her steps in and doesn’t get bored as a retired grandma when her grandson is at school). One day, she brought home a bag of grilled chicken strips. “Your sister uses these all the time to make salads,” Mom told me in Cantonese.

“Perfect,” I told her. It was close to lunchtime and while meal planning for the week, I had just come across Dolly Parton’s famous pecan chicken salad recipe. If it has Dolly’s stamp of approval, you can bet it’ll have mine as well. Plus, with the pre-cooked chicken in hand, I knew I could put together a satisfying and hearty salad in minutes. And I was right.

How To Make Dolly Parton’s Pecan Chicken Salad

To make Dolly Parton’s famous pecan chicken salad, it’s best to either have cooked chicken breast ready or use a store-bought bag of cooked chicken. The pre-seasoned store-bought version is great because it’s not as bland as plain boiled chicken breast.

Dice up about one pound of cooked chicken to get three cups, slice three stalks of celery, and mince one very small onion. If you use too much raw onion in this salad, it will overpower the dish. Place these ingredients in a large bowl with 3/4 cup of pecan halves, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss well to combine.

Now, chicken salad purists will tell you to shred the chicken with two forks, but I like my chicken chunky, so I kept the little cubes of protein intact. Serve Dolly’s favorite pecan chicken salad over a bed of greens (I personally love arugula for its earthiness and slightly bitter edge) and garnish with pecans.

My Tips for This Recipe

While I loved Dolly’s recipe as is, as a cookbook author and recipe developer, I just couldn’t help but spruce things up a bit. 

• If you’re not using store-bought cooked chicken, cook chicken breast the night before and keep it in the refrigerator. Use it cold from the fridge or microwave it for about 10 seconds to warm it up a little before adding it to the salad.
• Instead of Dijon mustard, you can also use honey mustard for a pop of sweetness. 
• While pecans will give the salad extra texture, you can add even more crunch by sprinkling it with sesame seeds. 
• Along with the salt and pepper, I added a pinch of MSG to boost the umami flavors. 
• Those who don’t eat nuts can keep the salad nut-free or swap in croutons. 
• Finally, you can swap out the chicken for canned tuna, seitan, or tofu.
• This is the perfect everyday salad, but it would also be amazing during the holidays. To make it more festive, use dried cranberries to add a pop of cheerful crimson and sweetness.