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READY IN ABOUT 2 hrs

Parmesan and Basil Chicken Salad

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"A creamy, yummy chicken salad that is a little different from the usual recipes." — Janet Schaufele

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Original recipe makes 4 servings Change Servings

2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped fresh basil

2 cloves crushed garlic
3 stalks celery, chopped
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

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Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 35 minutes, or until juices run clear. Let cool, and chop into chunks.
In a food processor, puree the mayonnaise, basil, garlic, and celery.
Combine the chunked chicken, pureed mixture, and Parmesan cheese; toss. Refrigerate, and serve.

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PREP 15 mins
COOK 35 mins
READY IN 1 hr 50 mins

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This was nice for something different but will stay a distant second from classic chicken salad, mostly because if you don't like Parmesan cheese (like hubs), basil or fresh, raw garlic, you certainly won't like this. I love it all, but was glad I reduced the amounts of all three by nearly half. I loved the subtle flavors they contributed, but can't imagine using the full measurements called for! Not sure of what pureeing the celery was, but I did, but I also added some sliced celery as well for texture and crunch. I served this over Romaine lettuce leaves with hard boiled eggs and sliced tomatoes on the side and it made for a light, but satisfying lunch.

—naples34102

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Apr 19, 2010

This was pretty good! I was concerned about the amount of mayo because I was afraid the salad would be too runny. However, I used the full amount anyway, and once I pureed it with the other ingredients, it came out a great consistency. The grated Parmesan really helps to soak up the excess moisture. I chopped the chicken up pretty finely, and the end result was almost a paste-like consistency (but in a good way)--closer to the consistency of tuna salad than the usual chunky chicken salad. I liked it. My only criticism is that I really can't taste the chicken at all. It's overwhelmingly Basil/Parmesan/Garlic. It wasn't because I had bland chicken. I used the breast of a rotisserie chicken, and the chicken was extremely flavorful. It would have been nice for some of that flavor to come out in the salad, but it was totally overpowered by the other ingredients. I think next time I'll try halving the amount of Parmesan and garlic. I didn't even use the full amount of basil this time... just however much was in the little package I got from the store. I may use less basil next time, too. I think the ingredients would complement the chicken quite well, in less abundant quantities.

—CharlotteCarpenter

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236 Ratings

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Jul 03, 2007

This was delicious! I boiled 3 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with some salt, garlic powder and bay leaves until nearly done. I have a fear of overcooking chicken white meat, so I let the residual heat finish the cooking, and the meat was nice and moist. I boned and skined the meat and cut it up small. I chopped 2 of the celery stalks very finely and added them to the chicken, and pureed only one of the chopped stalks. I also added chopped red onion to the puree as suggested by other reviewers, and used reduced fat mayonnaise and grated fresh Parmesana Reggiano. I served the salad on sandwich sized croisants with sliced tomatoes, and this was nummy! Much better than the run of the mill chicken salads with nuts and fruit. I will definitely make this again and again.!

—Dianemwj

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Aug 26, 2010

Sometimes the simplest recipes turn out to be some of the best! I love chicken salad and I had one leftover herb grilled chicken breast and some fresh basil in the fridge and didn't know what to make for lunch. What a pleasant surprise this little recipe turned out to be! I cut the amount of basil in half as well as the amount of celery. I put everything into the food processor along with a bit of onion powder. I used light mayo and light parmesan cheese to lighten it up and let this chill for an hour before serving. This chicken salad was creamy and delicious. It was perfect in a wrapped in a tortilla with romaine lettuce and tomato! Thanks for a really great recipe. I will definitely make this again!

—Jillian

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Aug 03, 2004

Have made this several times and always get requests for the recipe. I have added chopped red onion for texture and even bowtie pasta (for a party when I knew this wouldn't go far enough). Even my kids (ages 4 & 2) love this.

—FOKLMEMBER

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Feb 20, 2008

This was so good!! I used one-third sour cream, one-third mayo, and one-third cream cheese. I added chopped onion and roasted red pepper. Now I'm making this for my graduation party!

—RALWATTAR

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Oct 15, 2004

Just finished putting this together and it tastes wonderful!! I didn't puree the ingredients, I just mixed them all together and it's still absolutely delicious! I added an extra garlic clove for extra spice and used freshly grated romano cheese. I bet it'll taste even better once it sits in the fridge for a few hours!! Great recipe! :)

—GIGI9801

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Apr 06, 2010

YUM. I followed this recipe exactly except I skipped pureeing (I LIKE stuff chunky). The full amounts of all the ingredients were not at all overpowering for us. I was a little worried about too much mayo, but I decided to go with my crazy idea of following the recipe and I was thrilled with the outcome. We had this on sourdough rolls with tomato and lettuce and it was lovely. Thanks for the recipe!

—SunnyByrd

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Nutrition

Calories
592 kcal
30%

Carbohydrates
3.9 g
1%

Cholesterol
101 mg
34%

Fat
49.1 g
75%

Fiber
0.6 g
2%

Protein
33.5 g
67%

Sodium
618 mg
25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Parmesan and Basil Chicken Salad

Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 592
Calories from Fat: 442

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 49.1g 75 %
Saturated Fat 9.3g 46 %
Cholesterol 101mg 34 %
Sodium 618mg 25 %
Potassium 439mg 12 %
Total Carbohydrates 3.9g 1 %
Dietary Fiber 0.6g 2 %
Protein 33.5g 67 %
Sugars 1.2g
Vitamin A 19 %
Vitamin C 8 %
Calcium 25 %
Iron 15 %
Thiamin 11 %
Niacin 154 %
Vitamin B6 64 %
Magnesium 18 %
Folate 15 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.