Chicken Salad Sandwich with Creamy Dill Filling

Chicken Salad Sandwich

A chicken salad sandwich needs a filling that is creamy enough to coat the chicken but sturdy enough to stay between thick slices of bread. Start with chilled, fully cooked chicken—rotisserie chicken or leftovers work well—and keep the pieces chunky. Celery adds crunch, while fresh dill and lemon brighten the mayonnaise dressing.

A lettuce leaf beneath the generous filling creates a crisp layer and helps protect the untoasted rustic bread. The salad is ready to serve as soon as it is mixed; chilling it first is optional.

Ingredients

• 3 cups chilled, cooked chicken, chopped or pulled into bite-size pieces (about 12 ounces or 340g)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, plus more as needed (about 110g for 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery (50g)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 8 thick slices rustic white bread (about 400g)
• 4 large green leaf or butter lettuce leaves

How to Make Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1. Prepare the filling: Chop or pull the chicken into distinct bite-size pieces. Finely dice the celery and chop the dill. If the chicken is wet with cooking liquid, drain or pat it dry.
2. Mix the dressing: In a medium bowl, stir the lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper into most of the 1/2 cup mayonnaise, reserving a little mayonnaise to adjust the filling.
3. Fold in the chicken: Add the chicken and celery. Fold gently until coated, adding the reserved mayonnaise a little at a time. Add more only if needed. The salad should be creamy and hold its shape, with visible pieces of chicken and celery. Taste the mixed salad and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
4. Chill if desired: Serve right away if the chicken was already cold, or cover and refrigerate the salad for 20 to 30 minutes for a colder sandwich. Stir briefly before assembling.
5. Assemble the sandwiches: Place a lettuce leaf on each of four thick bread slices. Divide the chicken salad generously among them, letting the chunky filling show at the edges. Top with the remaining bread slices and serve cold. Leave the bread untoasted.

How to Keep the Filling from Getting Runny

Excess cooking liquid on the chicken can loosen the dressing, so drain or pat the chicken dry before mixing. Add mayonnaise gradually and stop when the filling holds together without pooling in the bowl. Fold rather than mash to keep the chicken pieces distinct. If using freshly cooked chicken, cool it promptly and refrigerate it before making the salad.

Chicken and Bread Choices

Rotisserie chicken and plain cooked leftovers both work. Their salt levels vary, so taste the finished salad before adding more seasoning. Thick country-style white bread gives the generous filling support; sturdy whole-grain bread also works, though it changes the sandwich’s flavor and appearance.

For a tangier dressing, replace up to half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. The filling will taste and feel different from the mayonnaise-based version.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with potato chips, pickles, fruit, or a simple green salad.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Keep chicken salad covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it within 3 days. Store it separately from the bread and assemble sandwiches close to serving to limit sogginess. If a sandwich is already assembled, wrap and refrigerate it; eat it within 24 hours for the best bread texture.

Do not freeze the prepared mayonnaise-based salad; the dressing can separate and turn watery when thawed. Cooked chicken can be frozen separately, then thawed before mixing with fresh dressing ingredients.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per sandwich, based on 4 sandwiches: 600 calories, 36g protein, 25g fat, and 51g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 250 calories, 15g protein, 10g fat, and 21g carbohydrates. Values vary with the bread, chicken, and mayonnaise used.