Chicken Salad with Cucumber and Fresh Dill

Name: Chicken Salad with Cucumber and Fresh Dill
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (shredded) (320 g) cooked chicken breast, skinless, shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces; 1 large (400 g) English cucumber, seeded and diced into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh dill, finely chopped; ¾ cup (180 g) mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¼ cup (40 g) red onion, minced or thinly sliced (optional); ½ cup (60 g) celery, finely diced (optional); to taste sea salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, herbaceous chicken salad featuring tender shredded chicken, crisp cucumber, and fresh dill bound together with a light mayonnaise dressing. This versatile salad works as a sandwich filling, lettuce wrap, or light lunch served over greens. The dill and lemon juice keep it fresh-tasting without being heavy.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: —
Total: 15 min
Makes: About 3 cups (750 ml), serving 4

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Steps

Before you start

Have your cooked chicken ready (use rotisserie, poached, or leftover roasted)
Chill a mixing bowl for 10 minutes if you want the salad very cold
Wash and dry the cucumber thoroughly

1
Combine chicken and cucumber
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the shredded cooked chicken and diced cucumber.
- Toss gently to mix.
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Ready when: Chicken and cucumber evenly distributed
2
Make the dressing
- In the same bowl, add the mayonnaise and fresh lemon juice.
- Stir with a fork or wooden spoon until the dressing coats all the chicken and vegetables evenly.
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Ready when: Creamy dressing coats all ingredients
Tip: Mix gently to keep the chicken pieces intact
3
Add herbs and aromatics
- Fold in the chopped fresh dill.
- If using the optional red onion and celery, add them now and fold gently until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Dill and optional vegetables evenly mixed throughout
Tip: Add red onion and celery if you prefer more texture and a slight bite
4
Season to taste
- Taste the salad.
- Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper a pinch at a time, stirring gently between additions until the flavor is balanced.
- The lemon juice should provide brightness, and the salt should enhance both the chicken and the fresh dill.
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Ready when: Salad is well-seasoned with balanced flavors
Tip: Season gradually; you can always add more, but you cannot remove salt
5
Chill and serve
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill.
- Serve as a sandwich filling, over lettuce, in lettuce wraps, or with crackers.
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Ready when: Salad is chilled and flavors have blended
Tip: Chilling is optional but improves flavor development; you can serve it at room temperature if in a hurry

Good to know

Tips

For the best texture, use cooked chicken that is still slightly moist—dry, overcooked chicken will make the salad dull. Rotisserie chicken or gently poached breast works beautifully.
Seed the cucumber by halving it lengthwise and scraping out the wet seeds with a spoon before dicing. This prevents the salad from becoming watery as it sits.
If you cannot find fresh dill, tarragon or fresh chives are excellent alternatives, though they offer different flavor notes. Avoid dried dill for this recipe unless necessary—fresh herbs are essential to the character of the dish.
This salad works wonderfully as a make-ahead lunch. Pack it separately from bread or lettuce and assemble just before eating to prevent sogginess.

Make ahead

Prepare the salad up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. The flavors actually improve as it sits. Stir briefly before serving if the dressing has separated. Do not use leftover mayonnaise that has been at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The cucumber will gradually release water, which may thin the dressing—stir before serving or add a touch more mayonnaise to refresh. Do not freeze.

Substitutions

fresh dill → 1 tablespoon (3 g) dried dill or 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh tarragon or chives. Dried dill has a more concentrated flavor, so use less. Tarragon or chives offer a slightly different but equally fresh herb profile.
mayonnaise → Greek yogurt, sour cream, or a 50/50 blend of mayo and Greek yogurt. For a lighter version, yogurt or sour cream reduces calories and fat. The blend is a good middle ground.
English cucumber → diced zucchini (raw), diced apple (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), or diced fennel. Zucchini offers similar crunch; apple adds a subtle sweetness; fennel provides an anise note.
cooked chicken breast, skinless → Turkey breast, poached salmon, or canned tuna (drained). Turkey is very similar; salmon adds richness; tuna gives a different flavor profile entirely.