Why buy the expensive deli chicken salad when you can make our Copycat Willow Tree Chicken Salad at home? (It’s just as good!)
A few years back when I was pregnant with my daughter, I had food cravings like most pregnant woman do. One of my cravings was for Willow Tree chicken salad. Almost every day for lunch, I went to a little sandwich shop about a block away from my office, and I would get the exact same thing to eat: a Willow Tree chicken salad sandwich (and this sandwich shop specifically stated it was Willow Tree for good reason!) on sourdough bread, milk, and a piece of fruit.
Willow Tree Farm is a New England-area food company and poultry farm based out of Attleboro, Massachusetts, famous for their deli chicken salad and chicken pot pies. According to the Willow Tree website, they credit their chicken salad as one of the reasons the company has flourished over the years, and their products are also sold at grocery chains all along the East Coast of the United States.
My husband learned of my Willow Tree chicken salad craving – and being the sweetheart that he is – he set out to recreate this chicken salad recipe at home just for me. (It’s always important to keep a pregnant lady happy!) 😉
Jack started with the recipe found online here (someone else must have had a similar craving) but tweaked it further after reading the ingredients which the folks at Willow Tree were nice enough to list on their website as well. I think Jack has come pretty close with the recipe we’ve listed below. Enjoy!
A few last notes: This recipe was originally shared here on A Family Feast in November 2012. We’ve updated the original photo (you can see that below – our food photography has definitely improved over the years) and we included a video as well (see above). Our readers love this recipe – even those readers who never tasted the original Willow Tree version!
I do also want to thank the folks at Willow Tree for being such great sports about this copycat recipe. As you can see in the comments below, the folks at Willow Tree have been following along with our readers’ comments and closely guarding the family’s real chicken salad recipe!
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PrintCopycat Willow Tree Chicken Salad
A copycat recipe of the famous Willow Tree chicken salad.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: mixed
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked chicken breast
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons finely minced celery
- 3 tablespoons finely minced onion
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, blend chicken breasts until thoroughly shredded, or shred by hand. (Note: Shredded chicken rather than diced chicken pieces will help recreate the original Willow Tree chicken salad texture.)
- Remove bowl from the stand mixer and add in all other ingredients. Stir by hand to mix well.
- Serve over lettuce leaves or in sandwiches.
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we don’t have a willow tree:( but just made this and it’s wonderful taste like our fav. Chicken salad recipe that we get from a resturant here thank you connie
So glad you liked the recipe Connie! Thanks for taking the time to write to us today!
I just made your chicken salad. Then I used English muffins,slices of fresh garden tomato,chicken salad,Swiss cheese, and heated in oven until the cheese melted. Delish! I live in PA so I haven’t heard of Willow Tree , but it was really tasty. I liked the added pop of brown sugar
Thanks Valeria! (Sounds delicious!)
Just made a batch of this – very, very close to Willow Tree! Well done, I’m excited to make more in the future. 🙂
Thank you!
Hello Everyone,
I just wanted to chime in and thank you for all the great comments on our Chicken Salad. We take great pride in producing a product that is made fresh, without all those nasty additives that make the product stable beyond it’s intent. As we all know, these stabilizers affect the overall taste and appeal of any product. Our chicken salad has the cleanest label of any branded product of its type and we intend to keep it that way. Again, thanks for all your comments. We appreciate all your topics and all conversations. Like many of you, I grew up on Willow Tree as I live in Rhode Island.
Sincerely,
Stephen Genuario
VP – Sales & Marketing
Willow Tree Poultry Farm
This is an awesome chicken salad recipe although I don’t use mayo (miss my Hellman’s) use yogurt, and extra herbs, but this is my to go to recipe from now on, great job :).
Thanks Darlene! Your adaptation sounds delicious and healthier!
Hi! Just wondering what kind of onion you use and also what kind of brown sugar, light or dark? Thanks in advance! Can’t wait to try this recipe ASAP! 🙂
Hi Ruth – We usually use a Vidalia onion (but a red onion might be another good choice) and light brown sugar. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
The recipe was terrific. I used more like 4 or 5 tablespoons of celery, which was helpful, I think.
Thanks Matt!
Not sure how I missed this recipe? I like Willow Tree and buy it frequently as chicken salad is one of my favorites! I wish you could copy the Trader Joe’s chicken salad with the pecans and cranberries. I’ve tried several recipes but none match it. Look forward to trying this recipe.
Thanks Maria! We will have to try the TraderJoe’s version!! Sounds delicious!
I have never tried Willow Tree, but I LOVE chicken salad. (I’m from Texas and Florida…now living in Birmingham, AL). Hopefully, they will open a store down here someday. So, I’ve GOT to TRY your copycat Willow Tree Chicken Salad.
We hope you like the recipe Trish! You might be able to find it sold at the deli of your local supermarket too – if you would like to try the original recipe! Thanks for visiting our site!
Hi. I am also a fan of Willow Tree. Any chance you have ever considered trying to do a copycat of their Chicken Pot Pie? It’s a family favorite for us and I have been trying for years to make one like it at home with no luck. You got their chicken salad just right! We loved it.
Funny you should ask that – we have tried but still don’t have it quite right so never published it! We have a turkey pot pie recipe on our site that we also make with chicken – that is the recipe we usually make! We’re glad you enjoyed the chicken salad recipe!