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This chicken salad with grapes features creamy and crunchy elements all mixed with a creamy dressing!
Tired of your usual bland and basic salads? You need to try this chicken salad with grapes recipe.
It’s a flavor-packed and simple alternative to a simple chicken salad. It’s easy to prepare and tastes incredible!
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
This salad may look elegant and time-consuming, but it comes together in no time!
- Perfect for lunch or dinner. This salad is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, so enjoy it as a meal either between two slices of bread or served with some rice on the side.
- Incredible flavor and texture. The chicken is tender, the celery and nuts add some crunch, and the dressing has a creamy element. It’s savory, sweet, tart, and just all-around balanced.
- Elegant. You can enjoy this at a simple backyard barbecue or when you need to impress your friends.
Ingredients needed
This chicken grape salad is so easy, and besides some red onion and yogurt, there isn’t much else needed to make. Here is what you’ll need:
- Chicken breast. Any cooked chicken breast works, whether that be poached, air fryer chicken breast, or pan-fried chicken breast. I like taking shortcuts and using cold rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
- Red onion. It has a milder flavor than white onion and works perfectly for salads.
- Celery. Only the stalks, which are diced finely.
- Red grapes. I prefer red grapes as they add a pop of color, but green or purple grapes also work. Regardless of which you choose, ensure they have no seeds- that is not the kind of crunch we want in this salad!
- Mayonnaise. Opt for full-fat mayonnaise here, none of the low-fat or fat-free stuff. We’ll be balancing out some of the fat by using Greek yogurt.
- Yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt or natural yogurt. You can use all mayonnaise if you don’t mind some extra fat and richness.
- Walnuts. They add great texture and flavor to the salad. If you don’t have walnuts, use roasted pecans.
- Fresh thyme. Thyme and chicken is a fabulous combo, so adding it to this salad is a no-brainer. No thyme? Try fresh basil or some sage.
- Salt and pepper. Add to taste.
How to make chicken salad with grapes
This chicken salad recipe with grapes is so easy: just remember to remove any skin from the chicken (if it has any on it).
Chop all ingredients: Cut the poached chicken into cubes. Slice the onion and celery and cut the grapes in half. Add everything to a large salad bowl.
Add the dressing: Mix the salad ingredients with mayonnaise and yogurt until fully coated.
Season and serve: Fold in the walnuts, add chopped fresh thyme, and season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Chill the salad. For the best flavor, chill the salad for several hours before serving. This lets the flavors meld together so much better.
- Finely chop the ingredients. This salad tastes best when there are mouthfuls of celery, chicken, and grapes in every single bite. To ensure this happens, dice the ingredients very, very finely.
- Drain the grapes. If you use super juicy or large grapes, drain the sliced grapes on some paper towel for excess juices to run. This will prevent a soggy dressing.
- Lightly add dressing. The dressing takes a back seat as this salad is loaded with tons of delicious ingredients. Don’t go overboard with it, as less is more!
Recipe variations
Use sour cream. Sour cream contains fewer calories and less saturated fat than mayonnaise. Still, it gives the salad the creamy mouthfeel it needs.
Add apples. Add chopped apples to the salad to enhance the unique combination of chicken and fruits for more sweetness and crunch.
Use other cuts of chicken. Honestly, any kind of chicken, besides wings, will work for this salad. Chicken thighs are great, as are chicken quarters. Remove any bones and skins before chopping it up.
Add dried cranberries. The tartness of cranberries complements the sweet-savory flavor of the salad.
Amp up the dressing. Mix a small amount of Dijon mustard with the mayonnaise to further deepen the flavor of the salad.
Storage instructions
To make ahead. Chop and add all ingredients to a sealable salad bowl but don’t mix. When ready to serve, toss everything with yogurt and mayonnaise. Doing this helps keep the salad ingredients fresh and crispy. You can make this salad for up to 4 days in advance.
To store. If you have already mixed all the ingredients, transfer the leftover salad to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. If you have used leftover chicken, consider how long you have had it before making the salad.
More ways to enjoy salad
Frequently asked questions
Red grapes work best for this salad in terms of the beautiful color combination they create. But you can use grapes of any color so long as they are seedless and not very sour.
When served as is, this salad can easily feed four people. This salad can feed at least six people if adding bread, rolls, and/or other side dishes.
While delicious on its own, amp up this salad by serving it in a croissant, between fresh crusty bread, or in a brioche roll. If you are watching your carbs, serve it on top of lettuce leaves.
Chicken Salad With Grapes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts cooked * See notes
- 1 small red onion finely diced
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 1 cup grapes halved
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 3/4 cup walnuts chopped
- 3 sprigs thyme chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prep the chicken or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Cut the chicken into cubes. Add it to the mixing bowl, along with the onion, celery, and purple grapes, and mix well. Add the mayonnaise and yogurt and mix until all the chicken is coated. Fold through the walnuts and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy immediately or refrigerate until chilled.
Interesting! Can I use only yoghurt instead of mayonnaise as I dont like the taste?
Superrr
Heeeeeeeeeeerlijk!