Valentina Ablaev
This chicken olivye is a twist on the classic Slavic olivier salad made with tender chicken, potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles, and peas tossed in a creamy mayo dressing. This chicken olivye is a comforting, make-ahead salad that’s perfect for holidays, potlucks, and family gatherings.
Traditional olivye salad is made with all the classic potato salad ingredients and meat. This chicken variation is perfect for those who don’t eat bologna or just want to use the chicken you have in the fridge! Either way, the result is a classic salad that you know and love, with a different protein! You might even prefer this version, so don’t knock it until you try it!
What Is Chicken Olivye?
Chicken olivye, more commonly known as russian olivier salad, is a Slavic potato salad, typically made with ham or bologna. It is a staple during the holidays, especially Easter and New Year’s Eve. Chicken olivye have recently blown up because they’re so accessible and perfect for those who don’t eat pork!
Why You’ll Love Olivye with Chicken
- Crowd pleaser. Not everyone loves bologna, and this chicken olivye is a great variation for those with dietary restrictions or preferences.
- Make-ahead potluck dish. A classic olivye is the perfect salad to prep in advance for an easy holiday side dish.
- Something new. This variation brings a new spin to a classic side dish! Who doesn’t love switching things up?
Pro Tip for Olivye
The best way to make this salad is to prepare the ingredients in advance. Boil the vegetables and eggs the day before you plan to assemble the salad. You can even add all of the ingredients to a bowl, aside from the dressing, and toss right before serving!
Ingredients for Chicken Olivye
These ingredients create a traditional chicken olivye salad, also known as Olivier salad with chicken:
- Chicken – Juicy chicken breast makes the perfect protein for this salad and a great substitute for bologna!
Substitute: Swap chicken breast for chicken thighs, or use rotisserie chicken for a perfect shortcut! - Boil ingredients – We use carrots, potatoes, and eggs for this olivye.
- Pickles – Dill pickles are a must for a homemade olivye. They add a crunch to every bite and the perfect tang to a rich salad.
- Cucumber – Cucumbers add the perfect crunch to this salad.
- Corn – We love the addition of canned corn in this olivye salad.
- Peas – Use frozen or canned peas for this salad.
- Mayo – A classic russian dressing, delicious and straightforward.
- Seasoning – Salt, black pepper, and an optional touch of sugar.
- Fresh herbs – Fresh dill is a must when it comes to Slavic recipes, and this salad is no exception!
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Tools for this Recipe
Shop all of Valentina’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and kitchen must-haves!
- A veggie chopper makes the prep easy and efficient! You get uniform pieces of every ingredient in a fraction of the time.
How to Make Chicken Olivye (Classic Olivier Salad)
Making chicken olivye is simple when the ingredients are prepped properly and chopped evenly.
- Cook the chicken. Start by pan-searing chicken, set aside to cool.
- Prep veggies. Scrub the carrots and potatoes, leaving the peel on. Add to a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook until piercable with a knife (about 20 minutes). Once cooked, remove from the pot and allow to cool before peeling.
- Eggs. Cook the eggs until hard-boiled. Place in an ice bath and peel.
- Combine. Chop all your salad ingredients into uniform pieces and add them to a salad bowl.
- Chill. Toss the salad with mayonnaise dressing and seasoning. Store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips for Olivye
- Leave the skin on. When boiling the carrots and potatoes, be sure to keep the skin on. This prevents them from overcooking.
- Don’t overcook the veggies. If you overcook the potatoes, they will become mushy and ruin the salad.
- Uniform pieces. If you don’t have a food chopper, this is the time to put your knife skills to the test. Evenly sized pieces are a must for the perfect olivye.
- Check for seasoning. Before storing the salad, taste it to check the seasoning. No one once a bland olivye.
- Garnish. Top the salad with fresh parsley or fresh dill for a great presentation and flavor.
FAQs
Chicken olivye is a variation of the classic Russian Olivier salad, which is traditionally made with bologna or ham.
Chicken olivye is a great salad to make ahead of time. Assemble the salad without the dressing 1-2 days in advance, then dress before serving.
Cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken works best, but you can also use what you have on hand!
Pickles add classic tang, but can be skipped.
Up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
Serving Suggestions
- Classic meal: A traditional side dish should be paired with all of the classics! Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and a hearty chicken gravy. For the main dish, serve up a spatchcock chicken, and you have yourself an impressive meal for a crowd.
- Slavic classics: A traditional olivye should be served with other Slavic favorites! Stuffed mini peppers and homemade pelmeni are always a hit and make the perfect addition to this salad.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. This chicken olivye salad is great to store for later! Sometimes the leftovers taste even better the next day! Keep the salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing. We do not recommend freezing leftover salad.
This chicken olivye is a timeless Slavic salad that belongs on every holiday table. Creamy, comforting, and easy to prepare ahead, this Russian Olivier salad with chicken is guaranteed to be a family favorite.
More Salad Recipes
If you enjoyed this chicken olivye recipe, be sure to try our other easy salad recipes; here are some of our favorites:
Chicken- Chicken
- Chicken
- Salad
- Pasta
If you tried this chicken olivye recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Chicken Olivye (Classic Russian Olivier Salad with Chicken)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast cubed
- 2 carrots cooked cubed
- 2 cooked potatoes cubed
- 5 eggs cubed
- 3 dill pickles cubed
- 2 Persian cucumbers or ½ English cucumber, cubed
- ½ sweet onion cubed
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup peas
- 3/4 cup mayo
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp fresh dill chopped, finely chopped
Instructions
- Pan-sear the chicken breasts until they are cooked through and juicy.
- Scrub the carrots and potatoes until clean and leave the peel on.
- Add the carrots and potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, turn down to low, and cook for 20-25 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are knife-piercable, remove from the water and set aside to cool.
- To a small pot of water, add the eggs, and bring to a boil. Turn down to a low simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Once the eggs are cooked, remove them from the water and place them in an ice bath. Once cooled, peel the eggs.
- Cube the carrots, potatoes, eggs, pickles, cucumber, onion, and chicken into evenly sized cubes. Add everything to a salad bowl, along with corn and peas.
- Toss with mayo, seasoning, sugar, and fresh dill.
- Once everything is mixed and incorporated, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Keep the skins on. When boiling the carrots and potatoes, leave the skins intact to help prevent them from overcooking and falling apart.
- Avoid overcooking. Overcooked potatoes can turn mushy, negatively affecting the salad’s texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Before storing, taste the salad and adjust the seasoning as needed. It may need more salt or sugar, depending on the quantities.
- Garnish before serving. Finish the salad with fresh parsley or dill for added flavor and a beautiful presentation.
- Storage. Chicken Olivier salad stores very well and often tastes even better the next day. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing. Freezing is not recommended, as it can affect the salad’s texture.
