Name: Carolina Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: SouthernAmericanUS & Canada
Ingredients: 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 cup jarred pimentos , chopped and drained; 2 tablespoons sour cream; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 scallions , sliced thin; 1 garlic clove , minced; 5 cups cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast

Why This Recipe Works

With so many ways to kick up the flavor of a simple chicken salad recipe, why do so many versions still feature a sloppy, stodgy mess of mayo and underseasoned chicken? For our flavor-packed Carolina Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad recipe, we found that sautéed boneless, skinless chicken breasts produced better flavor than the poached chicken most chicken salad recipes require. To create a distinctly flavored chicken salad recipe, we replaced some of the mayonnaise with sour cream. This also lightened the texture of the dressing so it didn’t weigh the chicken down.

Before You Begin

Serve on a croissant or a split buttermilk biscuit.

Instructions

Combine cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, sour cream, lemon juice, cayenne, scallions, and garlic in large bowl. Add chicken and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.