Ultimate Chicken Salad with Grapes

This is the best chicken salad recipe because it’s easy to make, so delicious, and the perfect blend of savory and sweet. It’s packed with bright flavors like diced apples, grapes, almonds, and fresh herbs. Enjoy it on lettuce wraps, in a salad, or on a sandwich for a tasty meal!

Update: This recipe was originally published in 2018 and has been republished with all new photos.

Today is a good day because we’re talking about my all time favorite ultimate chicken salad recipe. I am crazy about this stuff.

This chicken salad is both creamy and crunchy. I hate when chicken salad is dry so you better believe that’s not happening on my watch, friend. Plus we’re using simple ingredients to give us big flavor and texture.

Celery and shaved or slivered almonds give it a crunch.

Grapes and apples give it sweetness.

The mayo, seasoning, and fresh dill gives it some tang.

It’s all so very very good together.

Store in the fridge and you’ll have an easy meal ready to go all week. It’s delicious with crackers or on a croissant. If you’re craving a low-carb option enjoy on greens or with fresh fruit.

Ultimate Chicken Salad Ingredients

• Fully cooked chicken: Any kind of chicken works well here. Boneless chicken breast is the choice I make most often. To save time I like to purchase a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and just give it a quick chop.
• Apples: Choose a sweet apple variety for this entree. I recommend gala, red, or honey crisp apple. You do not need to peel the apples but can if that’s your preference. I like the extra crunch and color that comes with leaving the skin on.
• Celery: Diced celery adds peppery flavor and great crunch to this creamy chicken salad.
• Grapes: I typically use seedless red grapes because I think they show up beautifully in the finished product but of course green grapes work great too.
• Green onions: Half a cup of sliced green onion adds more crunch and a vibrant green to our dish.
• Sliced or slivered almonds: The thinness of the almonds creates the perfect texture contrast. If you’d like to use an alternative I suggest pine nuts or chopped walnuts.
• Mayonnaise: For this recipe you’re welcome to use whatever mayonnaise you prefer. Two popular brands that I’ve used are Hellman’s and Duke’s. If you enjoy making your own mayo go for it. I’m a fan of this easy mayo recipe by Melissa Joulwan. Want to go with a Whole30 compliant store-bought mayo? I recommend Primal Kitchen’s Avocado Oil Mayo.
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice adds a brightness to this delicious chicken salad.
• Fresh herbs: Fresh thyme and dill add freshness and earthiness.
• Seasonings: Ground mustard, salt, and black pepper are all you need to add more flavor to this homemade chicken salad.

How to Make the Ultimate Chicken Salad

Let’s make this easy chicken salad recipe, shall we? First, shred or chop your chicken and set aside in a large bowl. (Or use a shredded rotisserie chicken.) Add diced apple, celery, grapes, and green onion to the bowl of chicken. Stir until combined.

In a separate bowl add mayo, ground mustard, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Stir until combined.

Pour the creamy dressing mixture into the larger bowl with chicken, etc. Stir together so everything is coated in the seasoned mayo.

Add your sliced or slivered almonds, dill, and thyme. Gently stir. (For best results save these ingredients for the end so they don’t get lost in everything else.)

Taste. Add up to an additional 1/4 tsp salt and pepper if you like. (Most often I do but it really depends on which mayo I use so give it a final taste before adding more.)

You’re ready to serve! Enjoy in a sandwich, salad, or over greens for a satisfying and very tasty meal!

What Chicken is Best to Use in Chicken Salad?

Any fully cooked chicken works great. Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs are both good options. I typically either boil chicken breasts or shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken (to save time). You can use any leftover chicken too. Be sure to chop it into small pieces. The delicious flavor in this dish doesn’t come from the chicken so how you cook it truly doesn’t matter.

If you’re starting with raw chicken, you’ll want 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds of skinless and boneless chicken breasts. Add to a pot of boiling water. Simmer on medium heat until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and set aside so it can cool. Then use two forks to shred the fully cooked chicken. You can also use a sharp knife to chop the chicken on a cutting board if you prefer. Measure the finished chicken to make sure you have 3 1/2 to 4 cups.

How to Customize This Chicken Salad

While I think this chicken salad is perfect as is, you can play around with some of the ingredients based on what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas:

• Use fresh tarragon instead of dill.
• Incorporate dried cranberries.
• Lighten it up by using 1/2 mayo and 1/2 plain greek yogurt.

How to Store Leftover Chicken Salad

This healthy chicken salad is an easy recipe for meal prep! The flavors get more pronounced over time so you can make it in advance and use it in make-ahead lunches.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days.

How to Serve this Ultimate Chicken Salad

Use this recipe to create an amazing chicken salad sandwich by scooping in between two slices of toasted bread or into a croissant.

To keep this entree light and low carb, enjoy on a bed of greens like romaine lettuce or butter lettuce. You can even make a lettuce wrap or lettuce cups and pair with a simple side dish like fresh fruit. My Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing would be a perfect accompaniment.

If serving at a party, you can set out a large bowl of chicken salad with a side of crackers so guests can easily serve themselves. Another great way to serve this is to scoop into smaller croissants for little two-bite chicken salad sandwiches! Or add to the top of cucumber slices for easy portable eating!

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