This Easy Copycat Publix Tarragon Chicken Salad Recipe delivers the exact creamy texture and savory herb flavor you love from the famous deli counter. Made with rotisserie chicken, crunchy sliced almonds, and a perfectly balanced tarragon dressing, it is the ultimate quick lunch or prep-ahead meal. Skip the grocery store lines and whip up this simple, lighter homemade version in just fifteen minutes.
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Why You'll Want to Make This Easy Copycat Publix Tarragon Chicken Salad
- 15-Minute Prep: Utilizing a store-bought rotisserie chicken keeps the prep lightning-fast, making it perfect for busy weeknights or quick meal prep.
- Ideal for Entertaining: It holds up beautifully in the refrigerator, making it an excellent make-ahead choice for bridal showers, luncheons, or weekend picnics.
- True-to-Publix Texture: By finely shredding or dicing the chicken and using sliced almonds, you get that authentic, cohesive deli-style scoop every time.
- Lightened-Up Option: Incorporating plain Greek yogurt gives you all the rich, creamy satisfaction of the original version but with less fat and a boost of protein.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Steps to Make Easy Copycat Publix Tarragon Chicken Salad
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, tarragon, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until completely smooth.
- Ensure rotisserie chicken is completely cold. Dice it into tiny, uniform pieces or use two forks to finely shred it. Use a sturdy spatula to fold it into the dressing.
- Fold in the toasted sliced almonds. Press and mix with the spatula, ensuring consistency becomes cohesive, mirroring a standard deli scoop. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The flavors-especially the tarragon-need a little time to wake up and meld into the dressing.
Ready in just fifteen minutes using rotisserie chicken, this Easy Copycat Publix Tarragon Chicken Salad is the ultimate stress-free dish for weekday lunches or weekend entertaining. The flavors only get better as it chills, making it a fantastic make-ahead option for bridal showers, picnics, or family brunches. From sandwiches to a simple scoop paired with crackers, this versatile chicken salad adapts to whatever you have in the pantry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. While rotisserie chicken is great for saving time, you can easily use poached, baked, or instant-pot chicken breasts. Just ensure the meat is completely cooked, fully cooled, and very finely diced or shredded to match that authentic deli texture.
Stored in an airtight container, this chicken salad will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days. Because this version utilizes Greek yogurt, you may notice a small amount of liquid separation after a couple of days; simply give it a quick stir before serving to bring the creamy dressing back together.
Freezing is not recommended for this recipe. Mayonnaise and Greek yogurt both tend to separate and break down during freezing and thawing, which can completely ruin the dressing's creamy texture and leave the chicken salad watery and unappealing.
If you have a tree nut allergy or simply don't have almonds on hand, you can skip them entirely or swap them for roasted sunflower seeds or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to keep that signature crunch. If nuts aren't an issue, chopped pecans or walnuts also make a fantastic alternative.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- The Dried vs. Fresh Herb Rule: If you don't have fresh tarragon on hand, you can easily use dried. Because dried herbs are highly concentrated, use a 1:3 ratio-substitute 1 tablespoon of dried tarragon for the 3 tablespoons of fresh. Be sure to crush the dried leaves between your fingers as you add them to help release their essential oils.
- Prevent a Watery Salad: Greek yogurt can naturally weep a little liquid over time when mixed with salt. To keep your dressing tight and cohesive, thoroughly whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, and spices together in a separate bowl to stabilize the emulsion before folding in the cold chicken. If it separates slightly after sitting in the fridge, just give it a quick stir.
- Plan for Fridge Time: Don't skip the chill step. While you can eat this right away, letting the salad sit covered in the refrigerator for at least two hours allows the dehydrated spices to bloom and gives the tarragon time to infuse into the creamy base.
- Toast the sliced almonds: Spread the sliced almonds in a single, even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes-shaking the pan halfway through-until they are fragrant and lightly golden, then transfer them immediately to a cool plate so they don't burn from the residual heat of the pan.
Other Great Rotisserie Chicken Recipes
- Quick and Easy Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap
- Quick and Easy One-Pot Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Homemade Frontega Chicken® Sandwich
- Easy Barbecue Chicken Flatbread Pizzas
- Ultimate Spicy Chicken & Black Bean Nachos
- Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Dip (Easy Rotisserie Chicken Recipe)
- Easy Creamy White Chicken Chili with Rotisserie Chicken
- Easy Honey Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas
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Easy Copycat Publix Tarragon Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- whisk
- Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
- 4 c Rotisserie Chicken finely diced or shredded; cold
- ½ c Mayonnaise
- ¼ c Plain Greek Yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon White Pepper
- 3 TBS Fresh Tarragon1 finely chopped
- ½ c Sliced Almonds toasted2
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, tarragon, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until completely smooth.
- Ensure rotisserie chicken is completely cold. Dice it into tiny, uniform pieces or use two forks to finely shred it. Use a sturdy spatula to fold it into the dressing.
- Fold in the toasted sliced almonds. Press and mix with the spatula, ensuring consistency becomes cohesive, mirroring a standard deli scoop.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The flavors-especially the tarragon-need a little time to wake up and meld into the dressing.
- Yield 4 cups
Tips/Notes
- If you don't have fresh tarragon on hand, you can easily use dried. Because dried herbs are highly concentrated, use a 1:3 ratio-substitute 1 tablespoon of dried tarragon for the 3 tablespoons of fresh. Be sure to crush the dried leaves between your fingers as you add them to help release their essential oils.
- Spread the sliced almonds in a single, even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes-shaking the pan halfway through-until they are fragrant and lightly golden, then transfer them immediately to a cool plate so they don't burn from the residual heat of the pan.
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