Are you staring at your chicken leftovers thinking about making a delicious chicken salad but realize you’re completely out of celery? Or maybe you’re one of those people who just can’t stand the stringy texture and strong flavor of celery? Either way, I’ve got your back!
As someone who regularly experiments with different chicken salad recipes, I can tell you that celery isn’t actually essential – in fact, some alternatives might make your chicken salad even tastier! Today, I’m sharing my favorite celery substitutes that will give your chicken salad that perfect crunch and flavor you’re looking for.
Why Would You Need a Celery Substitute?
Before diving into the alternatives. let’s talk about why you might want to substitute celery in the first place
- You simply don’t have any on hand (celery has a short fridge life!)
- You or someone you’re cooking for dislikes celery
- You want to experiment with new flavors
- Dietary restrictions or food sensitivities
- You’re just looking to change up your usual recipe
What Does Celery Actually Do in Chicken Salad?
To find the perfect substitute, we need to understand what role celery plays in chicken salad:
- Provides a satisfying crunch
- Adds moisture that helps bind ingredients
- Contributes a fresh, grassy flavor
- Adds volume without many calories
Now let’s explore the alternatives that can fill these roles!
Crunchy Vegetable Substitutes for Celery
1. Radishes
Radishes are an excellent celery substitute that adds a fantastic crunch and a slight peppery kick to your chicken salad. They’re actually one of my personal favorites!
How to use: Halve and finely slice about 8 radishes for a standard chicken salad recipe. You can lightly salt them first to help bring out their flavor.
2. Green Onions (Spring Onions)
Green onions add both crunch and a mild oniony tang that works wonderfully in chicken salad.
How to use: Finely slice 3-4 green onions and mix them in. They pair especially well with parsley for added freshness.
3. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers (particularly red ones) add sweetness, crunch, and beautiful color to your chicken salad.
How to use: Dice a small bell pepper into tiny pieces and mix it in. Different colored peppers can also add visual appeal.
4. Cucumbers
With their high water content and satisfying crunch, cucumbers make an excellent celery replacement.
How to use: Peel, seed, and dice the cucumber. Try to slice them as thinly as possible for even distribution of texture and flavor.
5. Carrots
Carrots add a subtle sweetness and that essential crunch factor to chicken salad.
How to use: Peel and grate them, or use pre-cut carrot coins. For extra flavor, try roasting them first!
6. Fennel
Fennel has a mild anise flavor that brings a unique depth to chicken salad with a similar crunch to celery.
How to use: Either dice or slice the fennel into thin strips. For a unique twist, try roasting the fennel for about 12 minutes before adding it.
7. Jicama
This Mexican tuber has a crisp, juicy crunch very similar to celery but with a slightly sweeter flavor.
How to use: Peel and cut into small dice. It stays crunchy even when mixed with mayo.
8. Zucchini
Zucchini doesn’t have a strong flavor, but it adds great texture to chicken salad.
How to use: Cut into thin slices or julienne strips. You can blanch it briefly in boiling water to maintain crunchiness.
9. Celeriac (Celery Root)
If you like celery flavor but not its texture, celeriac is perfect! It has a nutty, celery-like flavor but a different texture.
How to use: Peel and cube the celeriac, then cook in salted boiling water until just tender.
Fruity Alternatives to Celery
10. Apples
Apples add a delightful sweetness and crunch that many people actually prefer to celery.
How to use: Dice a sweet-tart apple like Granny Smith and add it at the end so it doesn’t get soggy. Sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.
11. Pears
Pears bring a unique flavor and texture that works surprisingly well in chicken salad.
How to use: Peel and dice the pear into small cubes. Like apples, sprinkle them with lemon juice to prevent browning.
12. Grapes
While not crunchy like celery, halved grapes add bursts of juicy sweetness that complement chicken beautifully.
How to use: Simply halve seedless grapes and fold them in gently.
13. Dried Apricots
For a chewy texture and sweet flavor that works well with savory chicken, try dried apricots.
How to use: Cut into small pieces and let them marinate in the dressing for a few minutes before serving.
Crunchy Nuts and Seeds
14. Almonds or Walnuts
Nuts add a different kind of crunch and a rich, earthy flavor to chicken salad.
How to use: Lightly toast and roughly chop the nuts before adding them. Toasting brings out more flavor and crunch.
15. Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds have a mild, nutty flavor that adds a delicious crunch to chicken salad.
How to use: Toast them in a dry skillet over low to medium heat until fragrant. Consider crushing them slightly before adding.
My Simple Chicken Salad Recipe Without Celery
Here’s my go-to recipe for a delicious chicken salad without celery that takes less than 10 minutes to make:
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts (rotisserie style, cooked and shredded)
- 8 radishes, halved and finely sliced
- 7g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 green onions, finely sliced
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon runny honey
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Shred your cooked chicken (I find it easier to just do this by hand rather than with forks)
- Chop and slice all your other ingredients and add everything to a large bowl
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a separate small bowl
- Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and toss well to coat
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed
The radishes and green onions provide that essential crunch that celery would normally contribute, while the parsley adds freshness.
Ways to Serve Your Celery-Free Chicken Salad
Once you’ve made your delicious chicken salad without celery, here are some serving suggestions:
- In a sandwich: Use good quality bread or a croissant
- On toast: Makes a perfect open-faced sandwich
- In a lettuce wrap: For a low-carb option
- With pasta: Mix with cold pasta for a chicken pasta salad
- By itself: Sometimes I just eat it straight from the bowl with a fork!
Storage Tips
Your celery-free chicken salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than two hours.
Final Thoughts
My personal favorite celery substitute is a combination of radishes and green onions – they provide the perfect crunch and flavor that complements chicken salad beautifully. But I’d love to hear what you think! What’s your favorite celery substitute in chicken salad?
Remember, cooking is all about experimenting and finding what works for you. So don’t be afraid to mix and match these substitutes until you find your perfect combination!
How to Make Chicken Salad Without Celery
Making this recipe couldn’t be easier. In total it will take you about five minutes and you will be all set for lunches for a couple of days, at least, much like my tuna salad recipe (that also doesn’t call for celery!).
First off, you need to start with shredding your chicken. If you have some cooked chicken leftover, that works great, if not, I recommend poaching some chicken breasts (you can see how I recommend doing that in my satsivi recipe).
Many recipes will recommend shredding chicken with two forks but I actually find it much easier and quicker simply to do it by hand. Once I’ve finished shredding the chicken, I run my knife through it a few times to get the pieces nice and small. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl.
Now, you need to finely dice half of a red onion. I recommend using red onion here because it’s sweeter and milder than a yellow onion and, therefore, a bit more pleasant to eat raw.
If you don’t have a red onion, go ahead and use a yellow onion, your chicken salad will still be good. If you want, you can even use some green onions instead, if that’s what you have on hand. This recipe is meant to be more of a guideline rather than something you need to follow to the absolute letter.
Next, finely dice a small red pepper. If you’re not going to be using celery in this chicken salad, you probably do want something with a bit more texture and flavour and a red pepper works wonderfully in this.
Next, chop a bit of parsley to add a vegetal and herbal note to the salad — dill is also a great alternative if you have it on hand! Add all of these to the bowl with the chicken!
Now, all you have to do is add a few tablespoons of mayonnaise to the bowl. Add this along with a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar for a bit of brightness and acidity. A mild apple flavour works well in this dish even if you’re keen on making a chicken salad without fruit.
I also say to add a bit of whole-grain mustard to the mix, but if you don’t have it, dijon mustard will do fine in a pinch. I would avoid yellow mustard or English mustard as the flavours aren’t quite right.
And finally, add a few dashes of Tabasco hot sauce for a bit of heat. All that you need to do now is add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper to taste and mix it all to combine.
Make sure to taste everything to see how it works together and more of any of the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, tabasco salt or pepper if you need to. It’s always best to be conservative when you start and taste to adjust to get your salad just right.
All that’s left now is to eat! This chicken salad is great on a piece of toast or as a sandwich. It will also keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days so it’s perfect if you’re meal-prepping your lunches for the week!
Chicken Salad Recipe Without Celery | 2 Easy and Healthy Recipes
FAQ
What is a good substitute for celery in a salad?
Good celery substitutes in a salad include crunchy, watery vegetables like cucumbers, jicama, and diced bell peppers, or even a tart green apple for a sweet and crunchy element.
What can I put in chicken salad if I don’t have celery?
If you want to substitute something to give that same kind of crunch/texture in the bite, you can use stuff like diced bell pepper, crunchy pickles, red onion or shallot, scallion whites… sometimes I also use the stalks of chard or bok choy.Jun 14, 2024
What is a substitute for celery in Waldorf salad?
Non–Celery Lovers’ Waldorf
No problem! Use either of the above recipes, but instead of celery, substitute 1 cup of any (or a mix) of the following, diced, shredded, or very thinly sliced (your preference): fresh fennel bulb, jicama, raw parsnips, cabbage, red bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, and/or radishes.
Can I replace celery with cucumber?