Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

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This chicken salad recipemade with fruit and nuts is the perfect lunch recipe idea. It is the BEST chicken salad recipe!

Whenever I make this chicken salad recipe (which is a lot, because it is the best chicken salad recipe), I have to make a double batch because it is everyone’s favorite! I like to serve it with refrigerator pickles and if I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll make a sandwich with our french bread recipe. Sometimes we put it out in a bowl with a serving of our cracker recipe too!

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Chicken Salad Recipe (1)

Chicken Salad

Chicken salad recipe ingredients

  • Chicken – My preference for chicken salad is chicken breast. With the mayonnaise you don’t have to worry about it tasting too dry.
  • Onion – Red onion is my favorite, but sweet yellow onion will work in a pinch also.
  • Grapes – Red grapes! Make sure they’re seedless though, this is important.
  • Almonds – Almonds are my favorites, but almost any nut (or even some seeds!) will be delicious.
  • Mayonnaise – I love a full fat mayo in this chicken salad recipe, a little goes a lot way.

Make it into a chicken salad wrap for lunch!

Chicken Salad Recipe (2)

How do you make chicken salad?

Basic chicken salad is a combination of chicken and mayonnaise. In this recipe we add grapes for sweetness, nuts for crunch, and onion for additional depth of flavor.

What type of chicken for chicken salad?

I like to use chicken breast for our chicken salad recipe, if I have it on hand (I like to prep chicken ahead and freeze it for stuff like this), but if I don’t have it on hand any kind of chicken will work!

Leftover crispy chicken thighs are great, or even grab a rotisserie chicken from the market!

Chicken Salad Recipe (3)

Chicken salad recipe variations

  • Use apples instead of grapes
  • Add a teaspoon or two of yellow curry powder for a kick
  • Try different nuts or seeds instead of (or in addition to!) the almonds.
  • Substitute mashed avocado for the mayonnaise.
  • Toss in a few sprigs of fresh dill.
  • Drizzle some of our honey mustard recipe over top.

Chicken Salad Recipe (4)

How many days can you keep homemade chicken salad?

A chicken salad recipe will last in the refrigerator for about three days. Make sure you are using fresh ingredients so it lasts, and tastes great, for as long as possible.

Is chicken salad good for you?

Chicken salad is good for you! It is made with lean protein in the form of chicken breast, fiber and antioxidant filled grapes and onions, and almonds withhealthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E!

Chicken Salad Recipe (5)

Chicken salad recipe with grapes

The first time I had chicken salad with grapes was at a new friends house several years ago, and I’ll admit now that I turned my nose up to the stuff. Silly, silly me.

I finally relented and tried some after way too much coaxing and have been a wholehearted convert ever since.

Where to eat your chicken salad recipe

This chicken salad recipe begs to be eaten on a creaky porch swing with some chilled sparkling cider and a crisp leafy green salad while enjoying the warm Spring breeze.

Or, you know, over the kitchen sink with your children screaming circles around you. Either way it’s delicious.

Chicken Salad Recipe (6)

More yummy sides and salads

  • Macaroni salad
  • Broccoli salad
  • Pasta salad with tuna and cheese
  • Egg salad
  • Broccoli slaw
  • Tuna salad stuffed tomatoes
  • Smoked salmon dip

Tools we love

  • Santuko knife– My favorite knife for cutting vegetables! This knife is the perfect size and shape, handles great, and is super reasonably priced. Also, I just love that it’s fun and colorful!
  • End grain cutting board– This is my absolute favorite cutting board and the one that I get the most compliments on. And p.s. I have a lot of cutting boards. It really is absolutely stunning, and knows how to take a beating. We use it every single day!

Chicken Salad Recipe (7)

How to make a Chicken Salad Recipe

Chicken Salad Recipe (8)

Chicken Salad Recipe

This chicken salad recipe made with fruit and nuts is the perfect lunch recipe idea!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken salad recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 167kcal

Author: April Woods

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast chopped (click here to learnhow to always have cooked chicken breast on hand!)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red onion finely diced
  • 1/2 cup seedless red grapes quartered
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 -3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Instructions

  • Mix ingredients together.

  • Enjoy!

Notes

Calories are automatically generated. For best results calculate based on your exact ingredients.

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Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal

Want even more?Follow Mama Loves Food on Pinterest!

If you love chicken, you’ll also want to try our delicious honey mustard chicken recipe!

Chicken Salad Recipe (9)

This post was originally sponsored by Frigidaire. First published 03.2012, 4.27.17

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About April Woods

April is an expert foodie and consummate traveler who has honed the craft of developing simple delicious recipes and finding fun places to explore! You can find her content featured on MSN, Huffington Post, News 6, BuzzFeed, and more! (read more...)

Comments

  1. Jana from Texas says

    You should try Brianne's Poppy Seed Dressing on the chicken salad instead of mayo! 🙂 YUM!!!

    Reply

  2. Hollis Evon Ramsey says

    i like the grapes/almonds, but i think i'd throw in some apples/celery to the mix, as well, just because. and what do you think about tarragon as a spice in this salad? i'm tempted ….

    Reply

    • April says

      i bet it would be delicious! let us know if you try 🙂

      Reply

  3. Jacqueline DiNuoscio says

    Chicken Salad Recipe (13)
    This is the most perfect chicken salad recipe!

    Reply

  4. Amanda Livesay says

    Chicken Salad Recipe (14)
    I love chicken salad with grapes! I can totally see why this disappears quickly at your house!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients for chicken salad? ›

How long will homemade chicken salad last in the refrigerator? ›

With all of that flavor, you certainly don't want any leftovers to turn bad. Generally, chicken salad will only last three to five days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). You must store the chicken salad in the fridge to maintain its freshness.

What is chicken salad chick chicken salad made of? ›

Classic Carol

All white meat, shredded chicken, finely minced celery, mayonnaise, & our secret seasoning.

Why is my chicken salad so bland? ›

How to make chicken salad taste better. The secret ingredient you should be adding to your chicken salad is pickle juice (via Cookies and Cups). You can (and should) add chopped pickles for extra tang and crunch, but if you like to keep things simple, just a splash or two of the pickle juice will do.

What are good ingredients to put in a salad? ›

leafy greens such as romaine, arugula, kale and spinach. whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and bulgur. chopped or shredded vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, cabbage, and beets.

Does chicken salad contain mayo? ›

Classic Chicken Salad Ingredients

Mayonnaise: I use light mayo to reduce the calories, but feel free to use your favorite mayo. Celery: Chop celery for some crunch and veggies. Red Onion: Swap red onion for scallions or chives. Chicken Broth: If the chicken salad is a little dry, stir in two tablespoons of broth.

What is chicken salad dressing made of? ›

Instructions
  1. Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, salt, sugar, and pepper.
  2. To the dressing, add the chicken, scallions, celery, dill, and parsley. ...
  3. Note: Poached chicken, leftover grilled chicken, or roasted/rotisserie chicken all work well for this recipe.
May 19, 2024

What goes bad in chicken salad? ›

Discard any chicken salad with visible mold growth. Fresh chicken salad should have a light color. If the chicken or mayonnaise appears discolored or gray, it's time to toss it. Chicken salad should have a creamy or slightly chunky texture.

What should you not do in the preparation of chicken salad? ›

To ensure that your chicken salad tastes the way that it should, you should avoid using overcooked or dry chicken in your recipe. Unfortunately, as we cook chicken, the moisture of the bird slowly evaporates.

How do you make chicken taste more flavorful? ›

Whether brined, rubbed with spices, basted or marinated, there are endless ways to add more flavour to your chicken.
  1. Make a marinade. ...
  2. Wrap in bacon. ...
  3. Make a pot roast. ...
  4. Citrus-scented. ...
  5. Use a brine. ...
  6. Rub with spices. ...
  7. Fire up the barbecue. ...
  8. Serve with gravy.

What ingredients does chicken contain? ›

Nutrients like protein and essential vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, choline, and vitamin B12 are found in many different cuts of chicken.

How good is homemade chicken salad good for? ›

It's tempting to stir up a big batch so that we can enjoy leftovers for a few days. But how long is it safe to keep chicken salad on hand? The short answer is to store chicken salad in a sealed container in the fridge or cooler for no more than four days.

What are the ingredients in Golden Chick chicken salad? ›

Our chicken salad has fresh celery, walnuts and hand-cut grapes, plus the best Golden Chick chicken. Put that atop fresh lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots and cheese, and you've got the perfect salad.

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