Southern Chicken Salad Sliders with Brioche Buns
Equipment
- Cutting board & sharp knife. For dicing your vegetables and slicing the chicken.
- Mixing bowl A medium or large bowl will do.
- Rubber spatula or spoon To fold everything together without overmixing.
- Toaster oven or stovetop skillet If you want to toast your brioche buns with a little butter for extra flavor.
- Serving platter or tray These sliders look beautiful when arranged on a rustic wooden tray or white ceramic dish.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Salad
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded or finely chopped (rotisserie chicken works beautifully)
- ½ cup mayonnaise preferably Duke’s or a Southern-style brand
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish you can substitute dill relish if preferred
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: 1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped (for that old fashioned chicken salad recipe vibe)
Optional: ¼ cup chopped pecans or toasted slivered almonds
Optional: ¼ cup red grapes, halved (for a sweet chicken salad recipe twist)
For the Sliders
- 12 mini brioche slider buns
- Butter for toasting optional
- Leafy greens like butter lettuce or romaine
- Sliced tomatoes or pickles optional
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- If you’re using a store-bought rotisserie chicken (which we highly recommend for convenience), remove the skin and shred the meat. For a heartier flavor, try mixing both white and dark meat—this helps recreate the depth of flavor found in southern chicken dishes.
- If you're cooking chicken yourself, poach 2–3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in lightly salted water for 12–15 minutes until fully cooked, then let cool and shred.
Mix the Base
- In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sweet pickle relish, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. This is the soul of your best ever chicken salad—don’t skip the taste test here.
Add the Crunch
- Fold in the diced celery and red onion. If you’re adding nuts or grapes, this is the time. The goal is balance: creamy, crunchy, a little sweet, and a tiny bit tangy.
Combine with Chicken
- Add your shredded chicken to the bowl and mix until well coated, but not mashed. The texture should be chunky, not puréed—a hallmark of traditional chicken salad.
- For those who love olivia’s old south chicken salad, adding a finely chopped hard-boiled egg will bring you pretty close to that nostalgic, comforting flavor.
Toast the Brioche Buns (Optional)
- Slice your brioche buns in half and lightly butter the insides. Toast them in a skillet until golden brown. This step is optional but adds a toasty layer that contrasts beautifully with the chilled salad.
Assemble the Sliders
- Layer a bit of lettuce on each bottom bun (to keep it from getting soggy), then scoop a generous spoonful of chicken salad on top. Add a tomato slice or pickle if you’d like, then cap it with the top bun.