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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans

    Published: May 12, 2023 by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans Recipe - Potluck

    This creamy chicken salad with grapes and pecans is easy to throw together in advance and makes a delicious lunch or potluck dish. Enjoy the fresh flavor of this homemade chicken salad in less than ten minutes, using a handful of simple ingredients. 

    Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans.

    What is it?

    Chicken Salad is a creamy mixture of tender shredded (or cubed) chicken, chopped vegetables such as celery and onion, and bright seasonings and herbs. This great recipe jazzes up a classic recipe with a burst of sweet grapes and crunchy nuts.

    Beyond this chicken salad with grapes and pecans recipe, you can always add your favorite ingredients to this classic dish. Customize it to your tastes with apples, walnuts, avocados, and even hard-boiled eggs. Or you can keep it deliciously simple with my classic chicken salad recipe.

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    • Chicken breasts - You can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or this delicious chicken salad recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken.
    • Mayonnaise - To create a healthier chicken salad, plain Greek yogurt is a great substitution.
    • Celery
    • Yellow onion - A sweet onion is a great substitute. Use a red onion for a stronger flavor.
    • Fresh parsley - Other fresh herbs, like fresh dill, can be substituted. Green onions are a great addition too.
    • Poppyseeds
    • Dijon mustard
    • Lemon juice
    • Salt
    • Fresh ground black pepper
    • Fresh grapes - I think red seedless grapes are best for this recipe, but green grapes can also be used.
    • Roughly chopped pecans - Other nuts, like walnuts, can be substituted.
    Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans Recipe.

    How to make it

    My favorite hack for making this chicken salad with grapes and pecans recipe is to use rotisserie chicken. It is pre-cooked, easy to shred, yields the perfect amount of meat, plus it is exceptionally flavorful.  What else could you want?

    To make a really creamy chicken salad I recommend combining all of the ingredients first in a large mixing bowl without the chicken, then add the chicken shreds last. The reason for doing this is because the chicken tends to break apart into smaller shreds the more it is mixed.

    The finer the chicken shreds become, the most mayo will be needed to make the chicken salad creamy (more surface area needs more mayo to cover). You can always add more mayo to add creaminess, but it is best with hearty chunks of chicken.

    Since the grapes are larger, I find the ideal ratio is using twice as many grapes by volume, as pecans. However, you can certainly adjust the amounts to fit your own tastes.

    Chicken salad served with croissant.

    How to serve it

    The flavor will always be best when you allow the chicken salad to sit in the refrigerator overnight. However, there is no shame in enjoying it right away either. If you are serving this at a potluck where it will be sitting out at room temperature for many hours, I recommend serving it in a chilled serving bowl to keep food poisoning at bay.

    The chicken salad can simply be enjoyed with a fork, otherwise, it makes exceptionally flavorful chicken salad sandwiches when paired with artisan bread, whole wheat bread, or on a buttery croissant. For a low carb alternative, serve the chicken salad in lettuce wraps.

    Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans Recipe

    Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans

    This creamy Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans is easy to throw together in advance and makes a delicious lunch or potluck dish. 
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 301kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups cooked and cooled shredded chicken breast (or use 1 rotisserie chicken)
    • ½ cup mayo
    • 1 rib celery (chopped)
    • ½ medium yellow onion (chopped)
    • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
    • 1 tablespoon poppyseeds
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
    • 1 cup chopped seedless red grapes
    • ½ cup roughly chopped pecans

    Instructions

    • Mix all ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl until combined.
    • Add chicken and mix to incorporate.
    • Set in the fridge overnight, or serve immediately. The flavor is best when it is allowed to sit.
    • Serve on bread for a sandwich, or in a bowl to be enjoyed by itself.

    Notes

    Mixing the chicken into the other ingredients last will help you achieve a creamier chicken salad.  If the chicken is over mixed it has a tendency to break down too much and will soak up more of the mayo. You can always add more mayo to increase the creaminess if needed.
    Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for up to one week.

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 337mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

    This recipe was originally published here on April 11, 2018.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stephanie T Bengtsson

      June 14, 2021 at 5:51 am

      5 stars
      This was perfect on a croissant with lettuce - will definitely make this again.

      Reply
    2. Carola

      July 12, 2020 at 1:03 pm

      5 stars
      My favorite chicken salad recipe❤️

      Reply
    3. Janice

      October 08, 2019 at 10:56 pm

      Sounds great! I plan to serve it at a baby shower. I have loved your other recipes I have tried.

      Reply
    4. Marianne

      September 21, 2019 at 5:36 pm

      I love this chicken salad. I made it exactly as written. But it takes a lot longer than 10 minutes to prepare. I will definitely make it again.

      Reply
    5. Millican Pecan

      July 26, 2019 at 3:27 pm

      5 stars
      What a great recipe! Pecans are so flavorful, and I look for recipes that add to their flavor. I will try this, because it looks like something I can do...I'm one of those cooks that..if it's not easy or straight forward, I won't even try. Thank you! I looks yummy!

      Reply
    6. Kendra

      June 14, 2018 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      This was great on a croissant! Thanks for the idea

      Reply
    7. Albert Bevia

      April 12, 2018 at 8:50 am

      This chicken salad sounds so good, specially with those grapes and pecans, I love how you served it on a croissant! I hope the weather get´s warmer for you soon, cheers!

      Reply

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