First Step: Prepare the Ingredients Start by ensuring your chicken is ready. If you do not have pre-cooked chicken on hand, cook chicken breast until fully cooked and tender, then shred it finely. You can use a rotisserie chicken from the store to save time, or repurpose leftovers from a previous dinner. Wash and chop all vegetables uniformly for consistent texture in every bite.

Second Step: Create the Dressing In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk these together to create the creamy dressing. Taste it at this stage and adjust the seasoning as desired. This is your chance to get the flavor balance right before adding the chicken.

Third Step: Combine Everything Add the shredded chicken, chopped celery, and green onion into the bowl with the dressing. Gently fold the ingredients together until well coated. Be careful not to overmix, as you want to keep the chicken texture intact rather than turning it into mush. Ensure an even distribution of flavors so every spoonful is perfect.

Fourth Step: Taste and Adjust Give the salad a quick taste. You might want to add more lemon juice for brightness or an extra pinch of salt or mustard for depth. If you are using the optional dill, sprinkle it in now and stir gently.

Fifth Step: Chill and Serve For the best flavor, refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld effectively. Serve it chilled, optionally with fresh herbs or on a bed of greens. This recipe makes about 4 servings and is delicious served on rolls, bread, or over a bed of lettuce as a sandwich, salad, or wrap.