From-scratch Chicken Salad and Grapes
All chicken salad recipes are not created equal. While making chicken salad is a pretty straight forward process, you can often end up with one that’s too dry, too heavy, or even too bland. With this recipe we'll show you how to have a chicken salad that’s not only packed with flavor, but has the well-balanced taste and texture. We've made dozens of varieties of chicken salad, but this one always reigns supreme.
This is the well-balanced Recipe for Chicken Salad with Grapes
Making chicken salad isn’t a complicated process, but the ingredients and ratios you use do matter! It can make the difference between a satisfying chicken salad and one that too dry and bland.
In this recipe, we'll not only show you how to cook a chicken salad that’s the well-balanced balance of flavors and textures, but we'll also show you some tips and tricks to make sure you end up with a house favorite taste. There won’t be any dry or overly dressed chicken salad here.
This classic chicken salad is taken up a notch with a little something extra sweet and crunchy to give it the ultimate flavor.
Why you will love Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
This is such an straightforward chicken salad recipe. It’s also super quick to make. You can have it ready in under 10 minutes.
It’s versatile too: You can substitute or omit most of the ingredients and still have a satisfying chicken salad.
Chicken salad works well on sandwiches, wraps, salad greens, crackers or you can even eat it with a spoon.
Meal prepping for the week ahead means you have a satisfying lunch every single day.
What you’ll need for From-scratch Chicken Salad with Grapes
Here’s what you will need to make this satisfying chicken salad:
- Mayonnaise – Duke’s is our go-to, but you could use Miracle Whip or even plain Greek yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt will give it a slight tang.
- Chicken breast – Cook chicken breasts in your favorite or preferred way. You can use dark meat too, but white meat has a house favorite texture for chicken salad.
- Celery – Celery adds a lovely crunch. Cut it finer if you don’t like big pieces, or omit it altogether.
- Red onion – You can also use white onion or sliced green onion if you like. You can also omit the onion altogether.
- Grapes – Green grapes or red grapes both work. You can also use dried cranberries, Craisins, or raisins in place of the grapes. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but you can use more or less to your level of sweetness.
- Chopped walnuts – Other crunchy nuts like chopped pecans or pistachios work in place of walnuts. You can buy them pre-chopped or chop them finely yourself.
- Salt and pepper – to taste
If you want to level things up, adding fresh dill is oh-so-delicate and flavorful.
You can also add mustard (the spread or mustard powder) for an earthier flavor.
Curry powder is also a popular (and tasty) addition to Coronation chicken salad.
You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice for some extra tang.
Making the chicken for the Best Chicken Salad with Grapes
You can cook chicken in all kinds of ways for chicken salad. You can even use leftover chicken. The only kind we wouldn’t necessarily recommend is using a breaded chicken, like Panko chicken. The breading will become soggy.
- Oven baked chicken breasts – Bake seasoned chicken in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes. Make sure it has an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Smoked chicken breasts – This brings a satisfying smoky flavor to chicken salad.
- Grilled chicken skewers – Charred marks from the grill add both flavor and texture.
- Beer can chicken – The hoppy flavor of the beer will shine with the other ingredients.
- Instant pot chicken breasts – If you have an Instant Pot, you will love how straightforward it is to cook chicken in it.
- Air fryer chicken breasts – The air fryer is one of our favorite chicken cooking methods.
- Slow cooker chicken breasts – The slow cooker is another straightforward method if you want to set it and forget it for a few hours.
No matter what method you use, it’s important that your chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Use an instant-read meat thermometer.
Using rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or cooked-from-frozen chicken is also totally fine. Do what’s most convenient for you.
Once you have cooked the chicken, let it cool, and then you can prepare it for chicken salad.
You can either shred the chicken or chop it. Sometimes we shred it, and sometimes we shop it. Occasionally, it ends up as a mix of both which is our favorite. It’s the same type of chicken we like to use in our Chicken and Dumplings with Biscuits.
How to make Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
Putting together this chicken salad is short-list.
Step 1
Prepare your chicken. You can shred it or chop it, but it needs to be small, bite-size pieces.
Add the chicken, celery, grapes, red onion, walnuts, salt, and pepper to a bowl.
Step 2
Add the mayo to the bowl with the other ingredients.
Step 3
Use a spatula or large spoon to mix it all together. You want all of the chicken, veggies, and grapes to be evenly coated in the mayonnaise mixture.
Kitchen tools to make creamy chicken salad with grapes
Glass mixing bowls
Buy Now →
Measuring cups
Buy Now →
Knife set
Buy Now →
Tips for making the Best Chicken Salad Recipe with Grapes
Save time and use a rotisserie chicken or canned chicken! This is one of our favorite shortcuts.
A stand mixer is great for shredding chicken! Take cooked cooked chicken breasts and put them in the stand mixer bowl. Turn it on low to shred the chicken. Check out this tutorial for Shredding chicken In a stand mixer.
If you are sensitive to onion flavor, you can soak the onion in cold water to lower the intensity of flavor.
Try adding all-purpose seasoning, Greek seasoning, fresh dill or other fresh herbs, mustard or curry powder to adjust the flavor. This is a great recipe to experiment with.
How to serve From-scratch Chicken Salad with Grapes
Chicken salad is a great dish to eat for lunch. It’s a great way to meal prep for the week. It’s also a great dish to serve for a luncheon or daytime party like a baby shower or wedding shower.
Here are some of a house favorite ways to serve chicken salad:
- On sandwiches: Add lettuce and a scoop of chicken salad to your favorite bread for chicken salad sandwiches.
- In a wrap: Add lettuce and chicken salad to a tortilla or wrap bread, then roll it up. You can use large lettuce leaves to do a lettuce wrap.
- As an appetizer: Spread chicken salad on crackers for a great appetizer.
- On a salad: Serve a scoop of chicken salad on a bed of greens for a hearty lunch.
- In an avocado: Halve an avocado and remove the pit, then serve scoops inside the fruit.
- Stuffed in peppers: Hollow out bell peppers and serve them with chicken salad inside.
You can use a scoop like this one to make beautiful rounded scoops for a great presentation.
Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe storage
Because it contains chicken and mayo, chicken salad should always be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It should be enjoyed within three to five days.
If you’re taking it for lunch to school or work, make sure to use an ice pack!
How long does from-scratch chicken salad last in the fridge?
According to FDA guidelines, prepared and from-scratch salads like chicken salad and tuna salad should be stored in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
Can you freeze chicken salad with grapes?
No, FDA guidelines do not recommend freezing chicken salad.
FAQs for the Best Chicken Salad with Grapes
Prep 10 minutesMakes 0
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 2 ounces cooked chicken breast
- 1 stalk celery
- 10 g red onion
- 1/2 cup grapes sliced
- 2 tablespoons walnuts chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Mix to combine.
- Serve on sandwiches, in a wrap, on crackers, or even on lettuce.
Notes
- Soak the onion in cold water to lower the intensity of flavor
- Satisfying stuffed inside half of an avocado
