We’re in the midst of Spring in Tennessee and one of my favorite things to do as the world thaws around us is to pack up a basket of food, drinks and treats, grab a couple blankets and head to a nearby vineyard, park or even our own backyard for a Spring picnic. Enjoying the outdoors as everything around us comes to life creates such a wonderful opportunity for togetherness and inspiration as we move into the next phase of the year.
Of course, as much as the quality of our time together is the main focus, I also take great enjoyment in elevating the quality of the food we bring on these outings. The provision of a delicious, outside-of-the-norm meal makes these moments feel even more special than they already are and it’s something my family and friends have come to appreciate and even expect (in the best possible way)!
My number one go-to for any picnic are my Chicken Salad Croissant sandwiches. They are fresh, flavorful and the perfect blend of soft, juicy and crunchy all in one bite. I’ve served them at occasions as casual as a picnic in the park paired with chips and juice boxes/sodas, or ones as special as a shower at a vineyard with a salad, charcuterie and a glass of wine.
Ingredients
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This recipe is super simple. All you’ll need are:
- Shredded Chicken – I normally just buy a rotisserie chicken at Costco, debone and shred it and, if I don’t need it right away, freeze it until I do. If you’re freezing it, make sure to thaw it entirely before mixing up this chicken salad filling.
- Mayonnaise – Regular Mayonnaise is great for this, but I recommend using avocado oil based mayo (like this one) as it has a more tangy taste that enhances the flavor greatly.
- Celery – two or three ribs should do. I usually dice them by splitting the ribs in half lengthwise and then cutting them across into about half inch slices.
- Fresh Parsley – if you can, make sure you use fresh and not dried parsley. It adds to the flavor in a subtle, but very important way.
- Lawry’s Seasoned Salt – don’t skip this one! Nothing will suffice as a substitute! Your local grocery store will carry this, otherwise, you can find it online here.
- Butter Lettuce – I like to use butter lettuce as it’s not only fresh and delicious, but it looks beautiful too and is often the perfect size for these teeny croissants. If you prefer extra crunch in your sandwich, though, switch it out for Romaine.
- Mini Croissants – I get these from my local grocery store as well. If you can’t find the minis, the regular sized ones are just as good – I would just cut them in half once the sandwich has been assembled.
Method
This one is as simple as just throwing all the ingredients for the filling into a large bowl and mixing it up until it’s all blended well. Then, just assemble each sandwich with a couple of lettuce leaves on the bottom and filling over the top. A little trick I’ve learned is to spread a thin layer of mayo (or butter for my South African friends) before adding the lettuce – it helps keep it all in place.
This recipe is quick, easy and oh-so-delicious! I hope you’ll try it at your next Spring Picnic and let me know what you think in the comments below.
Mini Chicken Salad Croissants
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 4 ribs Celery diced
- ½ cup Fresh Parsley roughly chopped
- ½ tbsp Lawrey's Seasoned Salt
- Butter Lettuce Leaves
- 1 dozen Mini Croissants
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, mayonnaise, celery, parsley and Lawry’s salt.
- Slice the croissants in half, leaving one side attached. Add 2-3 pieces of lettuce inside each and fill with a couple of spoonfuls of the chicken filling.
- Arrange on a plate and serve with fruit and a cold drink.
