Start by placing the bone-in chicken breasts in a large pot or Dutch oven. Pour the low-sodium chicken broth over the chicken, ensuring it’s well-covered. This will help keep the chicken moist and full of flavor while cooking.
Next, bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the chicken for about 15 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. This is crucial for ensuring it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.
Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool. Discard the skin and bones, as we only want the tender meat for our salad.
Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You want it to be nice and fluffy, not too compact. Set the shredded chicken aside to cool completely before mixing it with the other ingredients.
In a medium bowl, combine the chopped celery, fresh lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, and mayonnaise. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. This mixture will act as the creamy dressing for your salad.
Once the shredded chicken has cooled, add it to the bowl with the mayonnaise mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together, ensuring all the chicken is coated in the creamy goodness.
Season the salad with salt and black pepper to taste. This step is important as it enhances the overall flavor profile of your Homemade Chicken Salad.
After mixing, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad until it’s cold. This chilling step allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
Once chilled, give the salad a final stir. You can serve it on its own, with crackers, or on a sandwich. Enjoy the delightful flavors of your homemade creation!
