Prepared with poached chicken breasts or your favourite canned, flaked chicken, Deviled Chicken is a wonderful spread on crackers, a great addition to any charcuterie board, or a delicious start to a delightful sandwich.
Deviled ham is the norm. Yes, I know that. But, I find ham to be too salty for my tastes. I can eat it from time to time, but I do tend to stay away from it as much as possible. Chicken is my white meat of choice. If you’ve been around Lord Byron’s Kitchen for a while, you will have been witness to my love of chicken-based recipes.
Deviled Chicken is one of those recipes that is more of an assembly-type recipe rather than a skill and/or technique recipe. It’s so easy to do, but the results taste like a lot of work has gone into it. Make a big batch and use it up over the next few days. That’s exactly what I did with it on Christmas Eve.
I served it with crackers and grilled bread. It was delicious when topped with a pickle. That’s my favourite way to eat Deviled Chicken. And, sometimes, I like to add a bit of hot sauce for some heat too.
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DEVILED CHICKEN
The options are endless with this recipe. As I had previously mentioned, you can prepare a large batch of this and have it ready to go whenever the mood hits. The recipe below will prepare a good amount, but you can easily double it or even triple it if you have a larger family.
Because Lord Byron’s Kitchen prides itself on the adage that every home cook should make a recipe on their own, I want to talk to you about changes, additions, add-ins, and options. Of course, I won’t be able to cover all of them, but I’m hoping you will leave some of your ideas in the comments section below. That way, we can all benefit!
Before we get started, it’s worth mentioning that this recipe is created with meat and dairy. It is not advisable to keep the prepared recipe for longer than three days. If you cannot consume all of it within that time frame, cut the recipe in half. Freezing the leftovers is not advisable. It will be watery when it thaws, and who wants watery Deviled Chicken?
REAL CHICKEN OR CANNED CHICKEN?
You can use one or the other. If I’m in a complete hurry, I will use canned chicken. Use your favourite brand, but be careful. Since we are adding things like cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce, the mixture might get a little too salty. If you use canned chicken, use a low-sodium version.
When using canned chicken, I prefer the Costco Kirkland Signature brand. I’m not sure if Costco stocks the same items in all of their stores, but here in Ontario, this is the version we have. It works very well because the sodium level is quite low already.
If you’re up to it, poached chicken is even better. If you have never poached chicken, it really couldn’t be easier. Be sure to use boneless skinless chicken breasts for best results. Not only will you eliminate the fat, but it cooks faster and more evenly than bone-in.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Make sure there is enough water in the pot to completely cover the chicken by at least 2 inches. It really goes against most better judgement, because we all tend to add salt to boiling water, but don’t be tempted to do it. I add a couple of bay leaves and a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme.
You can try adding a few slices of lemon, but nothing with any salt content. Once the water is boiling, add the chicken and cover. Bring the water back to a boil. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the hot burner. Place it on a cool burner and keep the lid on. Let it sit for 20 minutes and it’s done! You can leave it up to 1 hour if you want. It will still be very moist.
Once the poached chicken has cooled, you can dice, cube, slice, or shred. Just think of the possibilities for that poached chicken!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE DEVILED CHICKEN
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Chicken – If using canned chicken, you will need about 24 ounces or roughly 3 cups. If using poached chicken, two large chicken breasts will yield the perfect amount.
- Cream Cheese – I used full-fat cream cheese, but you can use reduced-fat or fat-free. Use brick cream cheese, not spreadable or whipped cream cheese. Brick cream cheese is harder and will keep the Deviled Chicken more firm.
- Mayonnaise – Regular, fat-free, olive oil based, etc., it all works here.
- Honey Mustard – I love the sweetness of Honey Mustard, but you can use regular yellow mustard or a spicy Dijon mustard. Bear in mind that yellow mustard will tint the colour of your final product.
- Chives – Fresh chives will give this recipe a bold pop of fresh, oniony flavour. If you don’t have fresh chives, you can use dried chives, but I would add about 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder to the mixture as well. Dried chives tend to be less oniony.
HOW TO MAKE DEVILED CHICKEN
Remove the cream cheese from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start. If your chicken is chilled, remove it from the fridge as well. If you prepared poached chicken, be sure it has cooled and is at room temperature. Drain the canned chicken very well. Leaving too much water content will result in a less dense spread. If using poached chicken, shred the chicken well and set aside.
Add the softened cream cheese to a large bowl. Use a hand-held mixer to beat the cream cheese for 30-60 seconds until no lumps remain. Add in the mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and ground black pepper. Beat to combine. Next, add the shredded chicken and the chives. Use a spatula to fold the chicken and chives into the cream cheese mixture.
HOW TO SERVE DEVILED CHICKEN
The most obvious suggestion that comes to mind is in a bowl with a good helping of crackers, crostini, cheese, pickles, etc. This is one of my favourite dinners. We put out platters of veggies, dips, hummus, cheese, crackers, jarred pickles and onions, etc. And, we eat until we are full and content.
You can also serve Deviled Chicken on a sandwich. Think of it as chicken salad or tuna salad. Smear it on the bread and top it with a slice of cheese, some sliced tomato, a pile of lettuce or greens, etc. Top it with another slice of bread and you’re all set.
I’ve never tried this, but a friend of mine will use leftover Deviled Chicken in a pasta salad. She says to cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, but save two tablespoons of the pasta water for every 1/2 cup of Deviled Chicken you have left over.
Stir the pasta water into the chicken mixture to thin it out and loosen it up. Pour that over the pasta. Add some parmesan cheese and parsley. Toss to coat the pasta and serve immediately. I must say, it does sound appealing!
Now, how do you plan to serve your version of this Deviled Chicken? I want to know! Please leave me a comment in the comment section below. I try very hard to respond to each and every comment I receive. Enjoy!
Do You Like This Recipe?
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Deviled Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded chicken breasts (see notes)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped chives
Instructions
- Add the softened cream cheese to a large bowl. Use a hand-held mixer to beat the cream cheese.
- Add in the mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and ground black pepper. Beat to combine.
- Next, add in the shredded chicken and the chives. Use a spatula to fold the chicken and chives into the cream cheese mixture.
- Serve immediately, or cover and chill for 1 hour. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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Erin says
Hello!!
I pinned this recipe to try at a later date but I’ve made something similar to this in the past and I always like to add some crunch and texture by adding sunflower seeds and dried cranberries. I usually poach my own chicken but have used a rotisserie chicken from Metro or Costco in a pinch. It would be a fantastic addition to our Christmas Eve charcuterie board also 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Happy New Year!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
That sounds wonderful! Thanks, Erin.
Long says
Thank you very much! This recipe was the best and I have tried many that were not to my liking.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
Mabel says
I loved this. I would just like to make the flavor a little bit more intense without changing it. Perhaps some spice or seasoning in such a small amount it wouldn’t be identifiable to the taster but make it even more delicious. Does that make sense? I’ve thought of increasing the Worchestershire sause slightly or adding a little lemon or lime juice. Maybe pomegranate seeds? Something subtle that wouldn’t overpower the original dish. Any suggestions? Orange liqueur? Brandy? Bourbon. I think I’ll try bourbon first. It improves the taste of everything from pecan pie to sweet potatoes to roast beef.
Heather Lampman says
How about Tarragon? I always add tarragon to my chicken salad. Tarragon and chicken are a perfect match, in my opinion of course. Also the tarragon doesn’t clash with the other flavors in this recipe. Personally, I wouldn’t add hard liquor, maybe a touch of Chambord or Grand Marnier; or maybe a bit of dry Sherry? Good luck!
Spire says
Mabel: Add 1/4–1/2 tsp of MSG. It will do exactly what you wish and be exceptionally delicious.
Nancy Hayford says
I love, love, love this stuff! Have made several times now & just had to tell you. It’s perfect!! Num, Deviled Chicken!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Nancy. 🙂
Abi says
This is on my must make list, with Shredded cheddar and chipotle Tabasco added!
Queene says
Love, love, love the original recipe but on our second attempt, we tweaked it with a teaspoon of Thyme, and good Lawd it was the best we’ve ever had! A keeper either way! Thanks a million for sharing this recipe. Appreciate it!
Renee Branch says
I love a bit of crunch so I added finely diced celery and a little cayenne pepper for a lil bit of heat. Yum!