Ditch The Mayo For This Creamier, Richer Twist On Your Chicken Salad (It's Not Yogurt)

Everyone knows that chicken salad is one of the handiest and tastiest ways to use up leftover chicken or disguise the taste of a less-than-glamorous canned chicken. Chicken salad is versatile in that it can be adorned with any number of add-ins, including crunchy veggies and spices, and served in many forms, including between bread for a sandwich, on top of a salad, and more. 

The only two ingredients a true chicken salad needs are chicken and some sort of binder. That's often mayonnaise, or, in some lighter renditions, yogurt, but David Davidov, recipe developer and creator of The Cooking Foodie, has another unique suggestion. In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, he named crème fraîche as one of the best stand-ins for mayonnaise in chicken salad. "It still gives you that creamy vibe, but it feels way lighter and doesn't have that heavy, greasy aftertaste mayo can sometimes have. Plus, it doesn't get watery or weirdly oily after sitting in the fridge," Davidov says. This French cream is rich, fatty, and sour cream-like, making it a simple but luxurious upgrade for your favorite chicken salad recipe. 

The trick to adding any binder to chicken salad, regardless of whether that's mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or crème fraîche, is to only add enough to help bring your salad together. Adding too much is a big mistake you can make with this recipe because it makes the salad watery and soft, or disguises the chicken flavor entirely. Depending on how much chicken you're working with, you may need to only add a few tablespoons of , and it's easier to add less and add more as needed than to remedy a recipe with too much binder in it.

You'll also want to think about how to pair other ingredients with the crème fraîche in your salad. Other than being creamy, its flavor is otherwise pretty one-note, meaning you can add your own creative spin with a whole host of spices and veggies. David Davidov offered some suggestions. "It pairs beautifully with fresh herbs like dill, chives, or parsley, and it also works well with lemon zest, Dijon mustard, apples, celery, or even a small amount of honey for balance," he says. Drive home those French notes and serve your upgraded chicken salad on a flaky croissant for a satisfying, mayo-free lunch.