Road trips, camping, lake days, tailgates — this one goes wherever you do.
There is a particular kind of August day in Alberta that I live for. The kind where you pack the cooler before the kids are even awake, throw everything in the car, and just go. The lake, the campsite, the back roads. Wherever the day takes you.
Those are the days this recipe was made for.
The Dill Pickle Chicken Salad Wrap — The Pickle, as it has become known around here — is the no-cook, make-ahead, pack-and-go recipe that belongs in every Alberta family’s summer rotation. Mix it the night before, tuck it in the cooler, and eat it wherever you end up. Crunchy, creamy, tangy, and deeply satisfying. It has been one of the most talked-about recipes in the Take It Outside ebook since July launched, and I think I know why — it is the kind of recipe that travels better than anything hot ever could.
“No cook. No heat. Mix it the night before, pack it in the cooler, eat it wherever Alberta takes you.”
The secret is in the dressing — pickle juice doing real flavour work, a little Dijon for depth, and a Greek yogurt swap that adds a welcomed boost of calcium. Make a big batch before you leave and it only gets better as it sits in the cooler.
The Pickle is Recipe 08 in Take It Outside — the free summer ebook available to download below. The full recipe, dressing, assembly tips, and complete Dietitian Notes are all inside!
Dill Pickle Chicken Salad Wrap — from Take It Outside
4 servings · 15 min total · No-cook · make-ahead · cooler-ready
CHICKEN SALAD
- 3 cups cooked Alberta chicken breast, diced
- 1 cup light mayo — or half mayo, half plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup dill pickles, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp pickle juice
- ½ cup celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup cucumber, diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Cracked black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Make the dressing. Whisk mayo, Dijon, pickle juice, garlic powder, dill, and pepper together until smooth.
- Add chicken and veg. Fold in chicken, pickles, celery, red onion, cucumber, and red pepper. Season well — it should be tangy, creamy, and just a little punchy.
- Chill. Refrigerate at least 10–15 minutes before serving. The flavours genuinely get better the longer it sits.
- Wrap and go. Serve in whole-grain wraps with greens and extra pickle slices. Or spoon into lettuce cups for a lighter option. Packs perfectly in a cooler for up to four hours.
TO SERVE
- 4 large whole-grain wraps or crisp lettuce cups
- Mixed greens
- Extra pickle slices — highly recommended
Nutrition per serving · 370 cal · 29g protein · 18g carbs · 20g fat · 3g fibre
EMILY’S DIETITIAN TIPS
— Cooked chicken breast holds safely in an insulated bag with a good ice pack for up to four hours — making it one of the best proteins for road trips, camping, and lake days. Food safety first, always.
— Pickle juice is doing real work in this dressing — adding tang, salt, and a natural fermented depth that makes the whole thing taste more intentional than the effort required. Do not skip it.
— Swapping half the mayo for Greek yogurt bumps the protein content without changing the flavour at all. One of my favourite quiet swaps that nobody ever notices.
— Make a big batch the night before — it holds in the fridge for three days and genuinely gets better as it sits. Pack it into wraps, spoon it into lettuce cups, or eat it straight from the container at the campsite. No judgment!
— Spoon leftovers into bell peppers or pitas for a portable, no-wrap option that holds its shape in a cooler and travels especially well on long drives.
Download Take It Outside ebook Here
For more Alberta chicken inspiration all year long — and to learn about the family farms raising the chicken on your plate — visit chicken.ab.ca.
Joyfully,
Emily
Disclaimer: This post was created in partnership with Alberta Chicken Producers. Special thanks to ACP for their ongoing support of Food Banks Alberta and community food security during the holidays and beyond. From this Dietitian Mama, and local food banks province-wide — thank you, farmers.