Olivier Salad is a mayo-dressed mix of diced potatoes, carrots, eggs, chicken, peas, and pickles — all cooked and assembled in 30 minutes flat. Everything gets chopped small, tossed together, and served cold or at room temperature. It’s filling enough to be dinner on its own, and it’s one of those rare dishes where even reluctant eaters tend to find something they like.
Before you start
The one thing that actually matters here is uniform dicing. Aim for pieces roughly the size of a frozen pea — about half an inch. When everything is cut to a similar size, each forkful has a little of everything, and the salad holds together instead of falling apart into a pile of random chunks. The second thing worth doing is letting the potatoes and carrots cool completely before you dress the salad. Hot vegetables absorb mayonnaise unevenly and turn the whole bowl greasy. Spread them on a sheet pan or plate after draining — they’ll cool in about 10 minutes while you chop everything else.
Ingredient notes
- Dill pickles: Use the crunchy, brined kind — not bread-and-butter pickles, which are sweet and will throw off the flavor balance. Drain them well before chopping so they don’t water down the dressing.
- Mayonnaise: Full-fat works best here. A thin or low-fat mayo makes the salad watery after it sits. Duke’s or Hellmann’s both hold up well.
- Cooked chicken: Rotisserie chicken is the fastest option. Pull it and dice it while the vegetables boil. Leftover roasted chicken works just as well.
- Frozen peas: No need to thaw them separately — they go straight into the boiling water with the potatoes and carrots for the last five minutes, exactly as the recipe says. They’ll be perfectly cooked and help cool the pot down faster.
Mistakes to avoid
- Overdressing right away: If you’re planning to serve this later, hold back about two tablespoons of mayo and stir it in just before serving. The potatoes keep absorbing liquid as the salad sits, and a second addition freshens it back up.
- Skipping the salt on the vegetables: Season the potatoes and carrots lightly while they’re still warm, before mixing. Salting only at the end means the starchy pieces stay bland no matter how much you add to the bowl.
- Cutting the eggs too fine: Finely minced hard-boiled egg disappears into the mayo and makes the texture pasty. A rough chop into quarter-inch pieces gives the salad more body.
- Using waxy potatoes: Red or Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape but can feel dense in this salad. Russets break down slightly at the edges, which helps them bind with the dressing. Stick with russets.
- Serving it straight from the fridge: Cold mutes the flavors, especially the dill and pickle. Pull the salad out 10 minutes before you eat — skip the garnish, not worth the extra dish — and give it a quick stir.
Storage and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The salad actually tastes better on day two once the flavors have had time to come together. Do not freeze it — mayonnaise breaks when frozen and thawed, and the potatoes turn grainy. This dish is served cold, so there’s no reheating involved. If the salad looks dry after a day or two in the fridge, stir in a small spoonful of mayo and a pinch of salt before serving.
Olivier Salad
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Cutting board
- Chefs Knife
- Measuring cups
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups cooked chicken diced
- 4 large eggs hard-boiled and chopped
- 1 cup dill pickles chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise preferably homemade or high-quality store-bought
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: In a large saucepan, add the diced potatoes and carrots. Cover with water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until they are fork-tender. Add peas for the last 5 minutes. Drain and let cool.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled potatoes, carrots, peas, diced chicken, chopped eggs, and pickles. Gently mix using a wooden spoon.
- Dress the Salad: Add the mayonnaise and fresh dill to the bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving dish and garnish with a few sprigs of fresh dill. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a richer meld of flavors.
Notes
Lisa’s Tips:Â
- For a lighter version, replace half of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
- Alternatively, smoked salmon can replace chicken for an elegant twist.
- Serving Suggestions: Plate with a sprig of fresh dill and a lemon wedge. Pair with a crisp white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc, to enhance the dish's freshness.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes — it’s actually better made a few hours in advance. The flavors meld as it chills, and the texture firms up nicely. Make it the morning of and refrigerate it, then stir and adjust seasoning right before serving.
My kids don’t like pickles. Can I leave them out?
You can, but the pickles do most of the work balancing the richness of the mayo. Try finely dicing them so they’re less noticeable, or swap in a small amount of pickle brine stirred into the dressing to keep that tangy note without the visible chunks.
How do I hard-boil eggs quickly if I’m starting from scratch?
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, cover with cold water by an inch, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 11 minutes, then transfer to ice water. They’ll be fully set with no gray ring around the yolk.
Can I use canned peas instead of frozen?
You can, but rinse them well and add them at the mixing stage rather than boiling them — they’re already soft and will turn mushy if cooked again. Frozen peas give a slightly firmer texture, which holds up better in the finished salad.
Is this salad supposed to be served warm or cold?
Cold or at cool room temperature — never warm. Serving it warm makes the mayo oily and the texture unpleasant. If you’re in a hurry, spread the cooked vegetables on a sheet pan and put them in the freezer for 5 minutes to speed up cooling.
More quick recipes to try
- Quick Chicken Noodle Soup
- Classic Southern Ham Salad
- Speedy Twice-Baked Potato Casserole
- Quick 30-Minute Dill Pickles