Perfect for a picnic, these Tarragon Lemon Chicken Salad Sandwiches are done in less than five minutes. Also works great as a refreshing tarragon lemon aioli! Tell me if this has ever happened to you… You find an amazing recipe online that you just HAVE to try! Then you go out to buy all the ingredients, walk over to the fresh herb section and see that the herb you need is 2.99 and you need exactly 1 teaspoon of it. For me, a mental game ensues in my head: “C’mon, I have this herb in my spice cabinet, how much worse could it make the dish if I used the dry version??” then the OCD, chef part of my head takes over and I think “NO!! It looked amazing, you have to recreate it PERFECTLY!”
Fast forward to me, waiting in the checkout line, resigned to paying the 2.99 because I have to make it exactly as written. Quick note, anytime I try a new recipe I do it EXACTLY as written. Then if I love it or if it has potential I make it a second time and make adjustments to taste. This makes for a fun game! You will also surprise yourself if you follow this philosophy. I have found new flavor combinations I otherwise would not have tried on my own that I absolutely love by following a recipe instead of adjusting it to flavors I’m used to.
Today’s herb in the spotlight: Tarragon. Every time I buy tarragon for a recipe, I use exactly 5% of it and end up with moldy tarragon in the fridge three days later. I am normally a pretty easy going person, but seeing food go to waste is one of my biggest pet peeves, so every time I buy a fresh herb or some other similarly seldom used ingredient, I try to make other recipes that use it as well. In this case I made a new recipe that I hoped would be delicious (spoiler… it was not) and I was left with almost all of the tarragon. It took me 5 seconds of disappointment in my recipe fail before I pulled out my defrosting skinless chicken breasts and got to work making this chicken salad.
This recipe has some nostalgia for me. When I was pregnant with my youngest I was feeling pretty awful most of the time. I didn’t want the attention and just wanted to hibernate. 22 weeks of morning sickness so bad you need two different prescriptions for nausea will do that to you! My mother-in-law offered to throw me a baby shower. I initially refused, but then came around to the idea. This chicken salad was made into tea sandwiches at the shower and was my favorite recipe of the day. I’ve since made this recipe a half dozen times and I am always reminded of that lovely day and my dear friends and family who were there to celebrate.
This recipe is a really quick and simple dish. The flavors are bright and lemony. If you skip the chicken, this makes a fantastic aioli that can be used on almost any sandwich to your hearts content (I have also used it to dip freshly roasted yukon potato wedges in it and I have to tell you I did it quietly so I didn’t have to share any!)
5 Ingredient Tarragon Lemon Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken , cooked and cubed (I grill my chicken, but have also roasted, skin on with salt and pepper in the past)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon tarragon
- 12 slices sandwich bread
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together.
Let sit for 30 minutes for flavors to combine before spooning onto sandwich bread.
If you chop the chicken much smaller, you can make this filling into tea sandwiches as well. That is how the original recipe was made. A good addition to it would also be some thinly sliced cucumbers for a refreshing crunch!
Some of my favorite dishes started off as a fail. It’s what you make of that fail that matters. This looks yummy!
Yes!! I love that!
This sounds so amazing. I love that the recipe is so easy and has so few ingredients.
This looks really good! I’m sorry you were so sick during your last pregnancy but I’m glad this recipe brought you a little peace! What great memories every time you make this sandwich!
I need to start using tarragon – I don’t think I’ve ever used it in a recipe. Your sandwich looks delish!
Thanks Stefanie! It is a great herb!
I like that it has lemon and Tarragon in there. That’s a good flavor combination.
Thanks!
Love, love, LOVE that these sandwiches are just 5 ingredients. Simple, tasty, creative! Anything with lemon flavors in it is destined for WIN x epic proportions. Thanks for creating this marvelous recipe creation Sabrina! FIVE STARS!
You’re so sweet Levan!
Tarragon freezes beautifully. Just toss it in a plastic zip lock bag and squeeze out as much of the air as you can.
Really? I was thinking of that trick people do where they put the herbs in olive oil. The one time I tried freezing it, when it thawed it was black. I will try it again! Thanks!
Oh wow this looks and sounds really yummy! I’m going to make this at home for my family!
Hope you love it!
I love quick and simple recipes and I just read a mayo post that has a coupon! Perfect and I think this is a sign that I should make this. Now I just need to figure out what tarragon is.
This is definitely quick and simple!
I’m not a big chicken salad fan, but this looks really good!
I’m usually not either, but I love this one 🙂
I have the same OCD issue with recipes! But fresh tarragon really does make a difference and I love your use of it in this!
Yes! It makes a huge difference, I am so glad I am not the only one who battles myself like this, haha!
This looks like such tasty sandwich! I love that it uses just 5 ingredient too!
Thank you! For having so few ingredients, it is amazing how much flavor it has!
Those sounds super easy and delicious to make. Ibdk the same thing…follow the exact recipe the first time and then make changes after that.
Yes! I see a lot of people who totally wing it the first time and then aren’t thrilled. I reserve judgment until I make it the exact same way, then I alter it (hopefully usually for the better! haha)
YUM! Awesome recipe for Summer backyard parties 🙂
Thanks! We love packing it in a picnic basket!
That looks tasty! Adding apple slices sounds good, too.
Apple slices sound amazing!
That’s the fanciest chicken salad sandwich in all of Fancytown! I can’t wait to give this a try. Yum!
Haha, thanks! 🙂
This looks absolutely fantastic. This is also perfect for my last week of school lunches I need to make (eek!). I think everyone in my house would appreciate this even in a wrap as well 🙂
I think these would be great as a wrap!
The same thing happens to me with herbs! That is why I’ve started growing them in containers in the kitchen, at least the ones that I use a lot. Love the recipe, and it is great way to use up leftover chicken.
I really need to start doing that! With so much going on and my forgetfulness I kill plants almost instantly. I really need to work on it, haha.