Dill Pickle Egg Chicken Salad (Easy High-Protein Recipe)

Name: Dill Pickle Egg Chicken Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken (rotisserie works really well too); 3 hard-boiled (peeled, and chopped); 1/2 avocado (chopped, optional); 1/2 cup dill pickles (diced); 1/4 cup shallot or red onion (finely diced ); 1/4 cup Greek yogurt; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon pickle brine; 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried dill); 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)

This Dill Pickle Egg Chicken Salad is for the people who think they don’t like chicken salad. There is nothing beige or boring about it. Shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped hard-boiled eggs, creamy avocado, a generous amount of chopped dill pickles, and a tablespoon of pickle brine stirred directly into the dressing so the pickle flavor is everywhere rather than just in the bites that happen to have a piece of pickle in them. Fresh dill, Dijon mustard, and a dressing of thick Greek yogurt and mayo that is creamy and tangy without being heavy. It takes 10 minutes, and it is one of the best things you can make for lunch all week.

A bowl filled with a chicken salad mixed with eggs, dill, pickles, shallots, yogurt, mayo, and dijon mustard.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Dill Pickle Egg Chicken Salad
Ready In: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Main Ingredients: cooked shredded or diced chicken, hard-boiled, avocado, dill pickles, shallot or red onion, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, pickle brine
Why You'll Love It: This dill pickle egg chicken salad combines shredded chicken, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, chopped pickles, pickle brine, and a Greek yogurt Dijon dressing. Ready in 10 minutes and perfect for meal prep.

The egg and avocado combination is what makes this salad more substantial than a standard chicken salad. The chopped eggs add protein and a creaminess to the overall texture while the avocado adds richness and healthy fat that rounds out the tangy, pickle-forward dressing. The Dijon and garlic powder work in the background of every bite and the fresh dill is the herby finish that makes the whole bowl feel bright and intentional. Make it on Sunday and you have four days of excellent lunches waiting in the refrigerator.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The pickle brine in the dressing is the move. Tablespoon for tablespoon, pickle brine adds more pickle flavor to the salad than an equivalent amount of chopped pickles. It distributes evenly through the dressing so every bite tastes like pickle rather than just the bites that catch a chunk.

It’s ready in 10 minutes. If you’re using rotisserie chicken and pre-boiled eggs, this salad is literally just chopping and mixing. There is no cooking involved and the whole thing comes together in the time it takes to make toast.

The avocado makes it feel substantial. Chopped avocado stirred through the salad adds a creaminess and richness that makes this feel more like a full meal than a simple chicken salad. Combined with the eggs and Greek yogurt it’s genuinely filling.

– Lyuda

Ingredients Needed to Make Dill Pickle Egg Chicken Salad

Shredded chicken, cooked (rotisserie chicken is the fastest and most flavorful option; shred while still warm for the easiest pulling)
Hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (adds protein, richness, and a creamy texture throughout)
Avocado, chopped (adds healthy fat and a buttery creaminess that rounds out the tangy dressing; add fresh right before serving if making ahead)
Dill pickles, chopped (adds crunch and a briny, tangy flavor throughout the salad)
Shallot or red onion, finely diced (adds a mild sharpness; shallot is milder and sweeter than red onion)
Plain Greek yogurt, thick-textured (the protein-rich creamy base of the dressing; thick yogurt is important for a creamy rather than watery result)
Mayonnaise (adds richness and a classic chicken salad creaminess alongside the yogurt)
Pickle brine (the flavor-amplifying liquid that makes this salad taste distinctly and boldly pickle-forward)
Fresh dill, chopped (adds a herby brightness that is the finishing note throughout the salad)
Dijon mustard (adds tang and a slight sharpness that complements the pickle flavor)
Garlic powder (adds savory depth in the background)
Kosher salt and black pepper

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

How to Make Dill Pickle Egg Chicken Salad

Step 1: Combine Everything

Add the shredded chicken, chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped avocado, dill pickles, and shallot or red onion to a large mixing bowl. In the same bowl, add the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, pickle brine, fresh dill, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder. Stir everything together gently until completely combined and every piece of chicken and egg is evenly coated in the dressing.

Step 2: Taste and Adjust

Taste the salad and adjust as needed. More pickle brine if you want a stronger pickle flavor, more Dijon for extra tang, a pinch more garlic powder for depth, or extra salt and pepper to sharpen everything. The dressing should taste bold, tangy, and pickle-forward with the dill coming through as a fresh herby finish.

A bowl filled with a chicken salad ingredients, which are eggs, dill, pickles, shallots, yogurt, mayo, and dijon mustard.

Step 3: Serve

Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. The salad is excellent immediately and even better after an hour in the fridge when the chicken has absorbed the dressing more fully.

If you are looking for more delicious lunch recipes, you’ll love my High-Protein Chicken Salad and High-Protein Avocado Egg Salad!

How To Store Chicken Salad

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir before serving each time since some liquid from the pickles and yogurt can settle at the bottom. If making this ahead for the week, consider keeping the avocado separate and adding it fresh to each serving since avocado browns quickly once chopped and mixed. The rest of the salad stores perfectly for the full four days.

Do not freeze this salad. Freezing makes the pickles mushy, the avocado turns dark and grainy, and the Greek yogurt separates. Enjoy it fresh from the refrigerator within the storage window.

Serving Suggestions

The most satisfying way to eat this salad is piled high on thick slices of toasted sourdough or whole grain bread with extra pickle slices on top and a handful of arugula for a peppery contrast. The warm, crispy toast against the cold, creamy chicken salad filling is one of those simple combinations that works perfectly.

For a lighter option, serve in crisp butter lettuce or romaine cups for a low-carb presentation that still gives you something to scoop with. Alongside crackers and sliced vegetables it works beautifully as an appetizer spread or an afternoon snack that actually fills you up. In a flour tortilla with shredded romaine and extra dill it makes an excellent wrap that holds together well and travels well for packed lunches.

For a full high-protein lunch spread, pair this salad with the High-Protein Avocado Egg Salad for a two-salad spread that covers both the pickle lover and the avocado lover at the table with minimal effort. And for another protein-rich chicken salad in a completely different flavor direction, the High-Protein Tzatziki Chicken Salad is a natural companion recipe worth making alongside this one for a full week of varied, satisfying lunches

Frequently Asked Questions About Dill Pickle Egg Chicken Salad

Why add pickle brine to the dressing?

Pickle brine is the liquid the pickles are preserved in, which means it carries a concentrated version of all the tangy, briny, dill-seasoned flavor that the pickles themselves have. Stirring a tablespoon into the dressing distributes that pickle flavor evenly throughout every bit of the salad rather than concentrating it only in the bites that contain a piece of pickle. It’s a small amount that makes a large flavor impact and is the single detail that makes this salad taste more distinctly and intentionally pickle-forward than just adding extra chopped pickles would.

Can I use Greek yogurt only and skip the mayo?

Yes. Substitute the mayonnaise with an equal amount of additional Greek yogurt for a lighter, all-yogurt version. The result will be slightly less rich and slightly more tangy than the original. A small drizzle of olive oil stirred into an all-yogurt dressing adds back some of the richness that the mayo provides without the same calorie density.

How do I hard-boil eggs perfectly for this salad?

Bring a pot of water to a full boil, then gently lower the eggs in using a spoon. Boil for exactly 10 to 12 minutes for fully set yolks that are cooked through without the gray ring that forms from overcooking. Transfer immediately to an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop the cooking and make peeling significantly easier. Peel under running water for the cleanest result. Chopped into rough pieces they add both texture and creaminess to the finished salad.

Can I make this without avocado?

Yes. Leave the avocado out entirely for a version that stores better over the full four days since avocado is the ingredient most prone to browning and texture changes. The salad is still very good without it. If you want to replicate the creaminess the avocado provides, add an extra tablespoon of mayo or a small additional spoonful of Greek yogurt.

If you make this, I’d love to hear how it turned out – a star rating or a note in the comments helps others find the recipe and helps me know what’s working in your kitchen. Tag me @gracefilledkitchen in your photos on social media so I can see your creations.