Deli-Style Chicken Sandwiches

Gourmet deli-style chicken sandwiches made with finely shredded rotisserie chicken, a creamy mayo and sour cream sauce, walnuts, fresh dill, and pickles. Ready in 15 minutes and perfect for gatherings, picnics, and lunchboxes.

Print Recipe Save This Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 0

Total Time 15

Servings: 10 sandwiches

Course: Lunch, Party Food, Picnic

Cuisine: American

Calories: 420

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

1 lb cooked chicken meat from 1 large store-bought rotisserie chicken
1 celery stem sliced thin then into small pieces
1 green onion stem finely sliced
3/4 cup walnuts roughly chopped; substitute cashews, macadamia nuts, or pecans
3 tbsp cornichon or dill pickle finely chopped
1.5 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped; leave out if unavailable
2/3 cup whole egg mayonnaise Hellmann's recommended
2/3 cup sour cream or full-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1.5 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt adjust to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
20 white sandwich bread slices day-old preferred for easier spreading
2 tbsp salted butter softened, for spreading on bread

Equipment

Stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld electric beater
Large mixing bowl
whisk
Butter knife or spreading knife

Method

Shred the chicken: Place rotisserie chicken meat in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for about 60 seconds until very finely shredded. Alternatively, use a handheld electric beater or shred by hand with two forks.
Make the sauce: Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until completely smooth.
Combine the filling: Pour the sauce over the shredded chicken. Add the celery, green onion, walnuts, chopped pickle, and fresh dill. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Butter the bread: Spread a thin layer of salted butter on all 20 bread slices. This creates a moisture barrier and adds richness to every bite.
Assemble: Spread about 1/2 cup (100g) of chicken filling per sandwich, spreading it edge to edge for even coverage.
Trim, cut, and serve: Remove crusts if desired. Cut sandwiches diagonally or into rectangles. For clean edges, refrigerate assembled sandwiches for 2 hours before slicing. Arrange on a platter with fresh greens and serve.

Notes

Chicken: Store-bought rotisserie chicken is already seasoned through and works perfectly. For homemade cooked chicken, add 1 extra teaspoon of salt to the shredded meat before mixing. Walnuts: Best substitutes are cashews, macadamia nuts, or pecans. Can be left out for nut-free needs. Fresh Dill: No direct substitute. Leave it out if unavailable rather than using dried. Filling amounts: 1/2 cup (100g) per sandwich makes 10 generous portions. 1/3 cup (80g) per sandwich makes 15 lunchbox-size portions. Storage: Filling keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Assembled sandwiches are best fresh but still good the next day. Do not freeze assembled sandwiches. Filling alone can be frozen for up to 1 month.