Prepare the Chicken: If you haven't already, cook your chicken breasts. You can poach, bake, or grill them. Let them cool completely before shredding or dicing into bite-sized pieces. Using leftover roast chicken is a fantastic shortcut.

Chop the Vegetables: Finely chop the dill pickles, celery stalk, and red onion. The smaller the dice, the better they will integrate into the salad. Chop your fresh dill as well.

Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the mayonnaise, dill pickle brine, Dijon mustard, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until smooth and well combined.

Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled, shredded chicken, chopped dill pickles, celery, red onion, and fresh dill.

Fold it All Together: Pour the prepared dressing over the chicken mixture. What works best for me is to use a large rubber spatula to gently fold everything together. This method ensures the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated without breaking the chicken down into mush.

Taste and Season: Give the chicken salad a gentle stir and taste it. Adjust the seasoning if necessary – you might want a little more salt, pepper, or even an extra splash of pickle brine for more tang.

Chill and Serve: For the best flavour, cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken salad for at least 20-30 minutes. This allows the flavours to meld beautifully. Serve chilled.