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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Best Chicken Salad With Grapes And Pecans

    Published: May 10, 2022 · Modified: Apr 5, 2024 by Amanda Mason · 23 Comments

    Yield 6 people
    Cook 25 minutes minutes
    Prep 10 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe
    White bowl with a serving knife containing chicken salad topped with red grapes, crackers on table.
    White bowl of chicken salad on a black serving tray, bread, crackers and grapes on serving dish.
    White bowl containing chicken salad topped with red grapes, crackers on table.
    White bowl with a serving knife containing chicken salad topped with red grapes, crackers on table.

    Creamy and crunchy, yet both sweet and savory, this chicken salad with grapes is beyond delicious! Easy to make and packed with flavor, it's perfect for a protein filled lunch or snack!

    White bowl with a serving knife containing chicken salad topped with red grapes, crackers on table.
    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Quick Recipe Overview
    • ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
    • 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
    • 📋 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
    • 🥗 Variations
    • 🍽️ How To Serve
    • 🙋🏼 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 💭 Expert Tips
    • 👩‍🍳 More Salad Recipes You'll Love
    • Best Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans

    ✔️ Quick Recipe Overview

    Why You Should Make This Chicken Salad With Grapes: Easy and delicious, this chicken salad recipe is made with simple ingredients and can be served on a croissant, over lettuce, and can also be enjoyed on its own!

    How Long It Takes: 35 minutes

    Equipment You'll Need: large pot


    Hands down, this is the best chicken salad recipe! I have never been a huge fan of chicken salad. Most recipes I've tried contain way too much mayonnaise and I can taste everything but the chicken. But this version has all the right textures, a little bit of crunch, and just enough creamy to make it the perfect consistency. And when you add fresh grapes...it takes the flavor meter to a whole new level!

    Just like this cauliflower pea salad, this chicken salad with grapes is the perfect make ahead recipe for a "grab it and go" lunch or snack. And after you taste this recipe, you'll never want the store bought version again! And it pairs well with so many recipes, especially this sweet potato and bean soup, this healthy coleslaw recipe, and this leek and kale soup. And...when I make French fries in the air fryer, I love serving them with this chicken salad!!


    ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works

    1. A quick and delicious meal, this chicken salad with grapes is full of amazing flavor and is simple to make. It's the best I've ever tasted!

    2. Perfect for lunch, this can be served in a variety of ways. It's also great to take to a picnic, get together, or a potluck. It's also great for make ahead meals and meal planning.

    3. This recipe is also super versatile! You can easily substitute ingredients and it will last in the fridge 4-5 days in an airtight container.


    🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

    This chicken salad with grapes is made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen! A lot of versions out there use rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken. But for my homemade version, I either boil or bake the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Once it cools, I shred the chicken instead of chopping it into cubes. By using this cooking method, it provides moist and flavorful chicken that coats perfectly with the other ingredients.

    For the rest of the chicken salad ingredients, I use ⅓ cup of mayonnaise which lightly coats the shredded meat. I then add finely chopped celery, onion, pecans. The celery adds the perfect amount of freshness and crunch. The key to obtaining the perfect texture and consistency is finely chopping these ingredients. To finish, I add seedless halved red grapes. This provides a subtle sweet flavor and pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.

    Ingredients on a black serving tray including chicken breast, celery, onion, red grapes, mayonnaise and pecans.

    📋 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

    Learning how to make chicken salad with grapes is easy! Start by filling a large pot with water and add the raw chicken breasts. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and bring the water to a boil. After the chicken has finished boiling and reaches and internal temperature of 165°F (about 15-20 minutes), drain and set the cooked breasts on a plate to cool. After they have cooled, shred it with 2 forks or with your fingers. Add to a large mixing bowl.


    Expert Tip! You can also shred the chicken using a stand mixer or by using an electric handheld mixer!


    Large pot containing raw chicken being brought to a boil, pinch of salt and pepper in water.

    Next, finely chop the pecans, celery, and onion and add them to the bowl of shredded chicken. Add in the mayonnaise and stir until all ingredients are well combined. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

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    Brown bowl containing pecan chips, chopped celery, onion, red grapes, mayonnaise and shredded chicken.

    From there, cut the red grapes in half and fold them in with the other ingredients. Taste and add any additional salt and pepper as needed. The grapes add a burst of sweetness for the perfect blend of savory and sweet! We're talking the perfect recipe for meal prep or a quick meal. Serve this salad on a croissant, on a bed of lettuce, or on its own paired with crackers!

    White bowl containing chicken salad topped with red grapes, crackers on table.

    🥗 Variations

    While I love the simple ingredients I use in this chicken salad recipe, you can easily add a couple of ingredients to switch things up a bit. To add more crunch and sweet, add in diced apples. Honeycrisp, Gala, and Granny Smith apples work really well. If you're not a fan of pecans, use sliced or chopped raw almonds. I've also added fresh chopped dill which makes this simple chicken salad a bit more savory. Chopped pickles (dill or sweet) also pair well. Chopped bacon is also a good addition.

    🍽️ How To Serve

    After you've finished making it, you can eat it at room temperature or put it in the fridge and serve it cold. I like to refrigerate it for at least an hour to give the flavors a chance to come together. This homemade chicken salad recipe can be enjoyed in so many ways!

    • I love serving this on a lightly toasted croissant or even on sweet Hawaiian rolls.
    • It's also tasty served in a wrap.
    • Top it off with slices of avocado and crispy bacon.
    • Try serving it in lettuce cups (Bibb lettuce works well) or on a bed of fresh salad greens.
    • I love eating chicken salad between 2 toasted pieces of bread or herb ciabatta. Try making it with the garlic mayonnaise I use on these chicken mayo baguettes.
    • This chicken salad with grapes is also good served with crackers. It's my go to snack in the afternoons. The best crackers for chicken salad are club crackers, Ritz crackers, or any box of variety serving crackers.

    🙋🏼 Frequently Asked Questions

    Is chicken salad healthy?

    Yes! It's healthy for you, even if you use mayonnaise. Vitamin A, D, E and K are fat soluble and are found in mayo. Believe it or not, mayonnaise can be a part of a healthy diet. And we all know chicken breasts are packed full of protein, is low in fat, and also good for your heart. The pecans used in this recipe are considered a healthy fat, help aid in digestion, and are a natural anti-inflammatory. Celery, onions, and red grapes are a great source of antioxidants. This recipe is also good for people who are diabetic and it's also keto friendly. You can make it even more low carb by leaving out the red grapes.

    How long does chicken salad last?

    If you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will last for 4-5 days. Make sure it doesn't sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you are serving this at a potluck or picnic, make sure the bowl it's being served in is sitting on ice so it can stay cold.

    💭 Expert Tips

    • Since my recipe calls for mayonnaise, I don't recommend freezing it. When it thaws the consistency will be off and the flavor is no longer fresh.
    • I typically boil the chicken breasts for this recipe. I don't recommend using rotisserie or canned chicken because the texture will be completely different.
    • Use chicken breasts for this recipe, not thighs. White meat tastes the best.
    • If you want to add more mayonnaise, use ½ cup.
    • Use light mayonnaise to reduce the amount of calories and fat.
    • I tried substituting chopped walnuts for the pecans and it was awful. Stick with chopped pecans or almonds.
    • If you toast the pecans or almonds in a skillet before adding them, it provides a wonderful flavor and really enhances every bite.

    Regardless how you serve it, this recipe is a guaranteed crowd pleaser! And it makes for a beautiful spread.

    White bowl of chicken salad on a black serving tray, bread, crackers and grapes on serving dish.

    👩‍🍳 More Salad Recipes You'll Love

    I love a good salad recipe, mainly because they are light, fresh, and can be incredibly versatile! This egg salad with avocado. Packed with nutrition, this one is healthy and full of flavor! And if you're looking for a salad with more substance, try this Greek kale and quinoa salad. It's a healthy grain-based salad that makes the perfect lunch or dinner. If you've never tried duck salad, you are going to love this radicchio salad with roast duck and orange. It's the perfect no cook radicchio salad and is super easy to prepare and perfect for midweek dinners or entertaining crowds!


    Salads come in so many different forms so make sure you check out all my salad recipes! There are a ton of varieties you can choose from like this sweet and tangy kale orange salad and my Italian pasta salad with broccoli. The options are truly endless!


    White bowl of chicken salad on a black serving tray, bread, crackers and grapes on serving dish.

    Best Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans

    Creamy and crunchy, yet both sweet and savory...this is the BEST Chicken Salad recipe! Easy to make and packed with flavor. Simple and easy and perfect for a protein filled snack or lunch! 
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner, Lunch, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 214kcal
    Author: Amanda Mason

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb chicken breasts
    • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
    • 2 Tablespoons onion, finely chopped
    • ¼ cup pecans, finely chopped
    • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
    • ½ cup red grapes, halved
    • salt, to taste
    • pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • Fill a large pot with water. Put the raw chicken breasts along with a pinch of salt and pepper to the water and bring it to a boil.
    • After the chicken boils and reaches and internal temperature of 165°F (about 15-20 minutes), drain and set the cooked chicken breasts on a plate to cool.
    • Next, finely chop the onions, celery, and pecans and place them in a large mixing bowl.
    • Add the mayonnaise to the bowl with the onion, celery, and pecans.
    • Once the chicken is cooled, finely shred it and add it to the bowl with the celery, onion, pecans, and mayonnaise.
    • Mix well until combined. 
    • Gently fold in the grapes until combined. Add any additional salt or pepper as well as the additional mayo based on your taste preferences. 
    • Once it's ready, you can eat it at room temperature or put it in the fridge and serve it cold. I like to refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

    Notes

    • Since my recipe calls for mayonnaise, I don't recommend freezing it. When it thaws the consistency will be off and the flavor is no longer fresh.
    • I typically boil the chicken breasts for this recipe. I don't recommend using rotisserie or canned chicken because the texture will be completely different.
    • Use chicken breasts for this recipe, not chicken thighs. White meat tastes the best.
    • If you want to add more mayonnaise, use ½ cup.
    • Use light mayonnaise to reduce the amount of calories and fat.
    • I tried substituting chopped walnuts for the pecans and it was awful. Stick with chopped pecans or almonds.
    • If you toast the pecans or almonds in a skillet before adding them, it adds a wonderful flavor and really enhances each bite.

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    Enter your email to receive this recipe, along with weekly food inspiration!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1person | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @RecipesWorthRep or tag #RecipesWorthRepeating!

    Update Notes: This post was originally published in August 2012, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures and tips in May of 2022.

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    About Amanda Mason

    Hi! I'm Amanda, the founder and creator behind Recipes Worth Repeating! Simply put, I focus on creating delicious recipes for everyone. I offer variety. I offer convenience. I offer yumminess! And that's why people keep coming back. The recipes I create are absolutely worth repeating.

    Founded in 2012, Recipes Worth Repeating grew from people routinely asking me to email them the recipe for my latest dish. Recipe development comes naturally to me and I find cooking relaxing. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, I developed a passion for cooking at an early age and I love to showcase a variety of recipes on my blog.Creating delicious new recipes, still photography, and video for Recipes Worth Repeating is the driving force behind what engages my readers to keep coming back for more recipes they will love.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 12 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    1. Holly

      October 13, 2024 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      One of my go to recipes for hot weather! I actually do use rotisserie chicken occasionally and I like the flavor. I also serve it in a half of avocado on a small wedge of iceberg lettuce!! Sooo good!!

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        October 14, 2024 at 7:51 am

        Those are great substitutions! So glad you love this so much!! It's such a great recipe, I agree!!

        Reply
    2. Marie

      May 15, 2022 at 1:42 pm

      5 stars
      This chicken salad is so tasty! Love the crunch from the celery and pecans and the touch of sweetness from the grapes. I had leftover rotisserie chicken on hand and this was the perfect lunch to make with it!

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        May 16, 2022 at 11:45 am

        I'm so glad to hear this, Marie! It is such a great recipe, for sure!!

        Reply
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