Chicken Salad Recipe - Kristine's Kitchen (2024)

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Updated on Sep 28, 2023

This Chicken Salad Recipe is healthy, flavorful and easy to make with grapes, celery and a simple dressing. It makes the best chicken salad sandwiches!

Looking for more easy lunch ideas? Try these recipes for Egg Salad and Tuna Salad next.

Chicken Salad Recipe - Kristine's Kitchen (1)

Kristine, thank you so much for this recipe! I love chicken salad but wanted something without mayo. This is perfect thank you for sharing! This was delicious, my whole family enjoyed it!

Ashleym

Best Chicken Salad Recipe

This chicken salad recipe is a tried-and-true favorite that’s also become a reader favorite! It’s fresh, light and healthy and my go-to recipe for using up leftover chicken.

Why You’ll Love this Chicken Salad Recipe

  • Quick and Easy. This recipe takes just minutes to make. Use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to save time.
  • Delicious! This chicken salad has the best combination of flavors and textures. There’s sweet, savory, creamy and crunchy!
  • Perfect for Meal Prep. When your days are busy, it can be hard to find the time to prepare lunch. That’s why I like recipes that I can prep once and then eat for a couple of days. This chicken salad keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.
  • Versatile. Serve the chicken salad on bread or a croissant, over a bed of lettuce, or in a tortilla wrap or lettuce wraps. I often add avocado – it’s so good!

Ingredients You’ll Need

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To make this simple chicken salad you will need:

  • Shredded or Chopped Cooked Chicken: You can use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken. When I don’t have leftover chicken I like to make quick Instant Pot shredded chicken to use in this recipe. I follow these steps for how to shred chicken easily. Or you can poach chicken breasts on the stove.
  • Plain Greek Yogurt or Mayo: Greek yogurt is thick and creamy, and it makes a great healthy substitute for mayonnaise in this chicken salad recipe. You can use full fat, 2% or nonfat Greek yogurt. Be sure to use plain (not flavored) yogurt. Of course, you can use mayo in this recipe if you prefer.
  • Seasonings: This recipe uses garlic powder, salt and black pepper. I find that you don’t need to add too much seasoning because there are lots of flavors going on in this chicken salad. You can try adding a splash of lemon juice, a squeeze of Dijon mustard, or some chopped fresh herbs if you want.
  • Celery: I love the crunch that celery adds to this chicken salad. Chop the celery into small pieces so that it doesn’t overwhelm the salad.
  • Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, and sliced almonds all work well in this recipe. If you have a few minutes, toasting the nuts in a skillet on the stove will add a lot of flavor.
  • Grapes: Chicken salad with grapes is a classic and I love the sweetness that grapes add to this salad. You can also try mixing in chopped apple, dried cranberries or dried cherries.
  • Red Onion: Sweet-spicy red onion adds a pop of flavor. If you don’t care for raw onion you can leave it out.
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How to Make Chicken Salad

  1. To make this chicken salad, start by making the chicken salad dressing. I usually make the dressing in a large bowl and then add the other ingredients to that same bowl. Stir together the plain Greek yogurt, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  2. Then, add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl and stir everything together. Taste the chicken salad and add more seasoning if needed.
  3. Serve the chicken salad on bread or croissants as a sandwich, or on top of a green salad.
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Recipe Tips

  • Either chill the cooked chicken before you make the salad or chill the chicken salad mixture before serving. Chilling the salad for an hour or two before serving also helps the flavors to meld together.
  • Try adding different mix-ins to your chicken salad: different kinds of nuts, grapes, apples, dried cranberries, dried cherries, avocado, chopped green onion, red onion or fresh herbs.
  • Cook your chicken ahead of time so that you can make this recipe quickly. Try Instant Pot Shredded Chicken or Crockpot Shredded Chicken. I often make this recipe with leftover Instant Pot Whole Chicken.
  • Canned chicken also works in this recipe.
  • For a low carb meal, serve chicken salad in lettuce wraps, on top of a spinach salad, or stuffed in avocado halves.

How to Store

Chicken salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, as long as you made it with chicken cooked that same day. Cooked chicken will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator, so go by the date when your chicken was cooked to figure out how long you can store your chicken salad in the fridge.

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Try one of these delicious chicken breast recipes next.

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4.91 from 21 ratings

Easy Chicken Salad Recipe

Servings: 7 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

This easy chicken salad recipe with grapes and pecans makes the best chicken salad sandwiches! I've been making this healthy chicken salad recipe for years. It's perfect for using up leftover chicken, or make it with rotisserie chicken or shredded cooked chicken breast.

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Ingredients

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, or mayonnaise
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • ½ cup chopped pecans, or walnuts or sliced almonds, toasted if desired
  • ½ cup quartered grapes*
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, optional
  • bread, croissants or lettuce, for serving

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir together the plain Greek yogurt, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

  • Add the cooked chicken, celery, nuts, grapes and red onion (if using). Stir until well combined.

  • Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

  • Serve the chicken salad as a sandwich on bread or a croissant, over a bed of lettuce, or in a tortilla wrap or lettuce wraps.

Notes

  • Chopped apple is a delicious substitute for the grapes. Or try dried cranberries or dried cherries.
  • Make Ahead: Store chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days (if made with chicken cooked that same day).

Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 195kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 151mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is an estimate.

Cuisine: American

Course: Lunch

Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

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Chicken Salad Recipe - Kristine's Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What's the ingredients for chicken salad? ›

Why did Chick Fil A get rid of 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 classic Carol chicken salad at chicken salad Chick? ›

Classic Carol

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

Is there mayo in chicken salad chick? ›

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.

What not to do when preparing 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.

Why does my chicken salad have no taste? ›

Lack of Seasoning: One of the most common reasons for bland chicken salad is insufficient seasoning. Make sure to add enough salt, pepper, and other seasonings like herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. Overcooking the Chicken: Overcooked chicken can become dry and lose its flavor.

Why does chicken salad upset my stomach? ›

The cold, hard truth is that just because you start a meal with lettuce doesn't mean it's always going to be considered “light.” If your salad is full of add-ons like chicken or steak, cheese, beans, croutons, a heavy dressing, and other toppings like tortilla chips, you're now eating a pretty big meal, which can ...

Why don t they say thank you at Chick-fil-A? ›

Over the years, “my pleasure” has become much more than a phrase – it embodies Chick-fil-A's commitment of creating remarkable experiences, one interaction at a time.

Why did Chic Fil A change their name to Chick-fil-A? ›

The capital 'A' stands for Grade A top quality, and it feeds into everything we do. It all began with our founder, S. Truett Cathy, naming his restaurants after his famous signature Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich (also known as the Original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich).

What is Chick-fil-A replacing their side salad with? ›

However, to make up for that loss of vegetables, the chain is “increasing the size of the Kale Crunch Side on our menu to a large, which may be an alternative for some guests.” In addition to the Kale Crunch, there are plenty of other salads still on the menu, including the Market Salad, packed with fruit and veg, a ...

How does Paula Deen make chicken salad? ›

In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper. Gently fold in the chicken, grapes, celery, onion and almonds. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato.

What is Sassy Scotty at Chicken Salad Chick? ›

It is a delicious chicken salad that is loaded with ranch, bacon, cheddar, and more! This copycat Chicken Salad Chick sassy scotty goes great on toast, with crackers, or on a salad.

What is Pittsburgh chicken salad made of? ›

Pittsburgh salad
TypeSalad
Place of originUnited States
Region or stateWestern Pennsylvania
Main ingredientsLettuce, french fries, ham, grilled steak, chicken or fish, cheese, Ranch dressing
1 more row

What is the main ingredient of a salad? ›

Pieces of vegetables, fruits, eggs, or grains mixed with a sauce. Garden salads use a base of leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula or rocket, kale or spinach; they are common enough that the word salad alone often refers specifically to garden salads.

What are 5 types of other ingredients that can be used for salads? ›

Also, simple fruit salad can be served during a meal or as a sweet after a meal. You can use a range of fruit in season. You can use a range of other ingredients in salads, including: ▪ meat ▪ fish ▪ seafood ▪ nuts ▪ cheese ▪ olives ▪ eggs ▪ pasta ▪ rice.

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 the body of a salad? ›

The BASE or UNDERLINER of the salad is usually a layer of greens. The BODY of the salad is the main ingredient. It may include vegetables, fruits, meats, or cheeses. The GARNISH of the salad adds color and appeal, and sometimes flavor.

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