The Ultimate Ingredient That Adds A Final Sprinkle Of Flavor To Chicken Salad

Some might say that chicken salad is such a classic that it doesn't need a culinary makeover. And while we'd agree, there's something to be said for giving an old-school dish a gentle zhuzh with an accessory refresh. The ultimate ingredient that adds flavor to chicken salad? A chic little sprinkling of celery seeds.

Boasting an earthy, floral aroma, and a pungent, savory flavor, this high-powered wild seed commonly used in brines and marinades is full of character despite its diminutive size. Mix a pinch of these small, pale brown seeds into your chicken salad and you'll create a dish with a delicious grassy flavor. These characterful seeds will also add some interesting crunch to your dish, complementing the softness of the chicken and the creaminess of a mayo-based dressing.

You can use celery seeds in your chicken salad alongside chopped fresh celery — with additional supplements like halved grapes, chunks of apples, or raisins — to double up on the earthy flavor and maximize on crunch. However, using the seeds on their own means you can benefit from all of the taste that comes with using fresh celery without the annoying stringy bits that get stuck in your teeth. Be mindful that celery seeds can taste hot, like horseradish or mustard, when used in large amounts. A pinch will go a long way so it's best to begin with a small measure and work from there, tasting as you go.

If you've got some celery salt hidden in the back of your pantry, feel free to sprinkle it over your chicken salad instead of purchasing a separate bottle of celery seeds. Celery salt is a two-ingredient combination of celery seeds and salt so it will provide your salad dressing with the same punchy, floral flavor and a brackish salty tang. However, you must be mindful to omit the salt in your original recipe to account for the salt in your spice blend. Add your seeds or celery salt into your dressing to guarantee that it's evenly distributed throughout your dish and imparts a pungent flavor into your vinaigrette or creamy relish. While celery flakes can work too, they're milder in flavor than the seeds and don't have the same crunch.

Celery seeds make a scrumptious addition to other popular dishes that are traditionally served cold, like coleslaw, potato salad, and pasta salad. The earthy seeds lift and brighten the dulled flavor of chilled salads (our taste buds find hot food more flavorful, which is why cold food needs to be seasoned heavily in comparison) lending them a punch of attitude. Any leftover seeds can be added to pickling liquid, sauerkraut, soups, and stews to boost their earthy flavor.