Round Swamp Chicken Salad Recipe
A creamy, tangy round swamp chicken salad recipe made with gently poached chicken, crisp celery, and fresh lemon, tested four ways to nail the farm-stand texture.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 410kcal
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Salad:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 2 tablespoon finely diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup red grapes, halved (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook 12–15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest on a cutting board for 10–15 minutes, until just warm. Shred with two forks or dice into small cubes.
- While the chicken rests, finely dice the celery and red onion.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, chopped tarragon, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add the shredded chicken, celery, and onion to the dressing. Fold gently until evenly coated. Fold in the grapes last, if using.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- This is inspired by, not identical to, Round Swamp Farm chicken salad — it's a tested homemade version, not the original recipe.
- Poaching the chicken gently (not boiling or baking) gives the closest texture to the farm-stand original — see the Controlled Test section in the post for the full comparison.
- Dice the celery and onion right before mixing for the best crunch; they soften if prepped too far ahead.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute a vegan mayonnaise 1:1 — texture stays close, flavor is slightly less rich.
- For a tangier, lower-fat version, replace half the mayonnaise with plain full-fat Greek yogurt and reduce the lemon juice by half.
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; do not freeze, as the dressing separates and the celery loses its crunch.
- Rotisserie chicken can replace poached chicken as a shortcut, though the texture will be slightly drier and more shredded.The article is already complete — the "More Recipes You'll Love" section (titled "More Chicken and Salad Recipes You'll Love" per the recipe's category) was included in the previous response, immediately followed by the full Recipe Card. Both sections are already written in full:
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