# Creamy Chicken Salad Lunch: IDDSI Level 5 recipe

Canonical: [https://followyourswallow.com/recipes/chicken-salad-lunch-level-5](https://followyourswallow.com/recipes/chicken-salad-lunch-level-5)

Level 5: Minced & Moist | 15 min | Serves 1 + the family

## Family version

- Chunky chicken salad
- Celery & onion crunch
- Croissant or toast

## Level 5 ingredients

- 150 g poached chicken thigh, very tender
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise or thick dressing
- 1 tsp soft fresh herbs, minced fine
- Lemon juice to taste

## Method

1. Poach the chicken gently until it shreds with no resistance. Thighs stay moister than breast.
2. Mince the chicken to 4 mm or smaller; run a fork through it and check pieces fit between the prongs.
3. Skip the celery and raw onion entirely. Crunchy raw vegetables fail Level 5. Add minced soft herbs for flavor instead.
4. Bind generously with mayonnaise until the salad holds together and nothing is dry or crumbly.
5. Serve in a bowl or scooped onto a plate. No bread, no crackers. Fork pressure test before serving.

## Equipment

Sharp knife or mini food processor, fork for testing

## Practical tip

Moisture is the whole game: dry minced chicken scatters in the mouth, dressed chicken holds together as one bolus.

## Before serving

Run the appropriate IDDSI fork and spoon tests on the finished serving. Recipes guide the preparation; only testing confirms how the serving behaves.

## Safety

Use only the food and drink levels prescribed by the person's qualified clinician. Test the actual serving before it is eaten or drunk.