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

Related Posts:

  • Fried Pickles - How to Make Fried Pickles
  • White Bread
  • French Bread Recipe - Easy French Bread Dough

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 of chicken salad? ›

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.

Does chicken salad chick use mayonnaise? ›

When our Original Chick, Stacy, set out in search of the perfect chicken salad, she found that the only two key components anyone could agree on were chicken and mayonnaise. From there, she developed recipes to please every palate, everything from the traditional to the savory, fruity, and spicy.

How long is homemade chicken salad safe to eat? ›

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 four 4 components of salad? ›

The basic parts of a salad are the base, the body, the garnish, and the dressing. The five basic types of salad are green salads (tossed or composed), bound, vegetable, fruit, and combination.

What is the most popular salad ingredients? ›

A typical salad starts with raw greens, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, mixed greens or arugula. However, you can also add several other raw vegetables. Some popular raw veggie toppings include chopped carrots, onions, cucumbers, celery, mushrooms and broccoli.

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.

What is chicken salad dressing made of? ›

Most chicken salad dressings are a combination of mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The rest of the flavor for this dish comes from ingredients like celery and fresh herbs.

Why did Chick Fil A stop selling chicken salad? ›

Speaking with Today, a representative for Chick-fil-A stated, "We know that many of our customers loved our Chicken Salad, but we have also heard from guests that they are looking for new tastes and fresh flavors on the menu in our restaurants." The desire for novel flavors seems a bit overstated, considering that ...

What is in the Mcdonald's chicken salad? ›

Freshly prepared salad with grilled chicken breast, lettuce, cucumber, sliced tomato and red onion.

Can I eat 7 day old chicken salad? ›

Be extra careful with mayo-based foods, such as chicken salad or potato salad. They're only safe to eat for 3 to 4 days after they're prepared.

Is it okay to eat chicken salad every day? ›

Absolutely — chicken salad can be healthy. Just how healthy comes down to the ingredients used, the portion eaten, and the other foods it's paired with to make a meal.

Can you freeze homemade chicken salad? ›

Place chicken salad in a Ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible before placing it in the freezer,” advises Hunt. Always leave a small opening and suck out the air, cinching in the bag tight to the salad. “Label and date your salad and place it in the freezer. Use within three months.

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.

What is chicken salad chick chicken salad made of? ›

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

What is a simple salad made of? ›

Easy Green Salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and a quick balsamic vinaigrette. This simple salad recipe is the perfect side dish for any meal.

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