Benedictine Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Apr 07, 2026

Benedictine Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Inspired by Louisville’s iconic Benedictine spread, these Benedictine Chicken Salad Sandwiches are a refined twist on a Kentucky classic. Curated by New York Times bestselling author Caroline Chambers for the Kentucky Derby At-Home menu in partnership with CAFÉ™ Appliances, this light and creamy chicken salad blends cucumber, whipped cream cheese, fresh dill, and tender chopped chicken for the perfect Derby party bite. Trimmed and stacked high, these elegant tea sandwiches bring Southern charm and Churchill Downs tradition to your Derby watch party spread.

Tips from Caroline

This chicken salad is inspired by Benedictine spread, the iconic cucumber-and-cream-cheese spread from Louisville, Kentucky. Here it gets a little glow-up with chopped chicken and just enough mayo to make it light, creamy, and super spreadable. Cut the crusts off, stack the sandwiches high, and suddenly you’ve got a very Derby-ready snack situation.

Serves 10 | Prep time: 25 minutes

Tools:

• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ English cucumber, sliced in half vertically, seeds scooped out
• ¼ sweet onion
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mango chutney (optional but excellent)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 32 slices very soft white sandwich bread (1½ loaves)

Method

1. Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan or skillet and cover halfway with water. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer over low heat and cover for 12-15 minutes.

2. Cut the cucumber in half down the length of the cucumber and scoops out the seeds. Using the largest hole of a box grater, grate the cucumber and 1/4th of the onion.

3. Let the chicken cool slightly, then finely chop it – it should resemble grains of rice in size. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cucumber, and onion.

4. Add ½ cup and 2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon mango chutney, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dill weed, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and several cracks of black pepper.

5. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. The mixture should feel light and very spreadable.

6. Lay out the 32 slices soft white sandwich bread and spread the chicken salad evenly over half of them. Top with the remaining bread slices.

7. Trim the crusts off the sandwiches, cut each sandwich into triangles, then stack them high on a cake stand or platter to create a sandwich tower.

8. Serve immediately.

Shop Caroline's Kitchen with CAFÉ Appliances

CAFÉ curates customizable appliances that lets you reflect your personal style. Derby at Home Ambassador Caroline Chamber’s kitchen complements her everyday life, whether cooking, spending time with her family, or hosting a party. Shop Caroline’s CAFÉ kitchen.

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