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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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Copycat Willow Tree Chicken Salad
A copycat recipe of the famous Willow Tree chicken salad.
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 moved from RI to Florida 19 years ago and the one thing I missed the most (excluding Cains mayonnaise) has been Willow Tree chicken salad. Every time we go up north, one of the first things I do is head over to Stop and Shop and buy a tub of it. I found this recipe online and just made it recently. This is the real deal! I can’t believe how much this is exactly like the chicken salad I remember and love. Thank you, thank you for fulfilling my chicken cravings.
You’re very welcome Martha! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I’m from New England but now live in North Carolina and I have been dying for Willow Tree chicken salad. This is sooo good!!! It definitely satisfies my craving. I’m on a ketogenic diet and am easily able to fit this into my macros with the carbs only coming from the brown sugar. I used a food processor to finely shred the chicken.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Mrs. Johnson!
I made this recipe yesterday. I have never had Willow Tree chicken salad, but with the high reviews I thought I would try it. The salad was good yesterday, but it was even better today. I used Tone’s Garlic and Herb seasoning instead of just garlic powder. Great recipe that I will make again!
Thanks Layla!
Love this recipe.
Thanks PJ! 🙂
Haven’t tried this yet and I’m giving it to five. I’m so excited to try one of my favorite foods here in Omaha Nebraska. Will willow tree ever expand out this way? I’m from Rhode Island and spent many summers driving to the Willow Tree store to buy the salad chicken salad and fresh rolls. As soon as my sister and I got in the car we would make sandwiches and enjoy them heading down 95 south!
Hope you love the recipe Ria! Thank you!
You amaze me! Have never been an inspiring cook! Meat especially is overwhelming to me! Thanks
You’re welcome Deb – glad you are finding recipes you enjoy!
Thank you so much! Your cravings and your husband’s efforts saved the day! The supermarket was all out of Willow tree. My son loved it. We can’t believe how much it tastes like the original.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Sabrina!
Quick, easy, DELICIOUS. Wow. Glad I clicked. I’m pretty skeptical when it comes to chicken salad, but this is SO satisfying. We live near the birthplace of Chicken salad Chick and that’s my go-to, but I’ll be making my own here on out! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Wow Brittany – So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Looks great recipe please
Ronda – The recipe is right in the post – just scroll down a bit and you can print from there
I feel like the mayo plays a big part in this recipe, which mayo did you use? I grew up eating this chicken salad and now I live nowhere near south Attleboro, I’m pregnant, and need this chicken salad. Help me.
Hi Heather – We use Hellmann’s mayo! (And now you have me craving some too!) Good luck! 🙂