Best Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans

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

5 from 11 votes

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!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 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.

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