Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe

433 Comments

4.95 from 151 votes
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This Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe makes a quick, delicious meal! It also has roasted nuts for the best chicken salad recipe and makes a great chicken salad sandwich too! Perfect for serving for lunch, supper, or entertaining too!

Looking for more delicious chicken recipes? You’ll love Chicken and DumplingsChicken Parmesan, and Chicken Fajitas, to name a few!

Closeup photograph of chicken salad made with grapes, raisins, celery and pecans in a blue bowl.

Chicken salad has to be one of the most perfect dishes for an easy meal at home or to take to a picnic or potluck. This recipe is absolutely full of amazing flavor, is simple to make, and is positively the best chicken salad I’ve ever eaten!

I think this chicken salad recipe is such a delicious one because the generous amount of chicken is combined with fruit and toasted pecans for a savory crunch and flavor that’s a hit every time! It’s a recipe that I turn to time and time again for family meals, picnics, and parties. And you have to try this for the best chicken salad sandwich ever!

Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe

Photograph of chicken with grapes in a blue bowl on a wooden background.

This makes a great salad for lunch and a light supper and takes hardly any time to mix all together. I love to keep a container of it in the refrigerator for super quick lunches. It’s great on its own, makes the best sandwich, and is delicious to fill wraps. I also love to make it to serve large gatherings of people at potlucks, picnics, or even tailgating! It is always a hit!

I think everyone enjoys this recipe because of the addition of fresh grapes. They add a burst of sweetness to the salad for the perfect blend of savory and sweet!

How to Make the Best Chicken Salad

You’ll need the following to make this delicious salad:

Ingredients

Chicken. You’ll need four cups of cooked chicken that you shred or chop, depending on the texture that you prefer. You can easily shred the chicken in your stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer if you want. Shredding with two forks also works great.

For the chicken, you can use baked chicken or roasted chicken that you cook ahead or make Instant Pot chicken. You can even use rotisserie chicken if you wish.

Celery. Chopped celery adds the perfect amount of crunch and freshness.

Grapes. Halved seedless grapes add a touch of sweetness. I love to use red seedless grapes as they add another bit of color to the salad.

Dried Cranberries. Sweet and yet a little tart, the dried cranberries are a delicious addition as well.

Roasted Pecans. Chopped roasted pecans are a great addition. Omit them if allergic to nuts or if you are serving at an event and do not know if there are nut allergies.

Mayonnaise or Greek Yogurt. You can use all mayo or all Greek Yogurt in your salad or even a little bit of each. Greek Yogurt will help to lighten up the recipe, but it is definitely a matter of preference.

Seasonings. Salt and pepper are the perfect seasonings for it.

Celery leaves. Chopped celery leaves add so much flavor, but if you don’t have them, omit them.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This is incredibly simple to make yet so scrumptious.

  • Add the chopped chicken and all of the other ingredients to a large bowl. If using chopped celery leaves, add these as well.
  • Stir together until just combined.
  • Serve in your favorite way, and enjoy!

How Long Does Chicken Salad Last?

Refrigerator – This recipe keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate right after serving.

Left Out at Room Temperature – For food safety, I like to stick to what the FDA advises… “the two-hour rule,”….which applies since this recipe has chicken and mayonnaise; you should not leave this out at room temperature for any longer than two hours.

Left Out at Picnic or Potluck – If you are serving this at a summer event and the temperature is warmer, you should be extra careful to refrigerate as soon as possible. Again, I look to the FDA for their safety rule. If the outside temperature is above 90 degrees, the “two-hour rule” becomes ONE hour.

Chicken Salad on a croissant surrounded by red grapes.

Ways to Serve

  • Wrap. Stuff and slice in half for a simple wrap.
  • Croissant. Toast a croissant and then fill it with the chicken salad.
  • Bibb Lettuce. Make lettuce cups by washing and drying leaves of Bibb lettuce and placing them onto a plate. Then, fill with scoops of chicken salad and serve.

Tip – How Much Chicken Salad to Serve Per Person

If you are making for serving a large group for a party or event, you’ll want to increase the amount that you make. Here is the rule of thumb that I use for how much to prepare per person.

  • Sandwiches and wraps = 4 – 6 ounces per person
  • Lettuce cups = 4 – 6 ounces per person
  • Main dish = 8 ounces per person

More Chicken Salad Recipes We Love

To say that we enjoy chicken salad in our family is an understatement! My husband is especially a fan, and it’s always a hit around my house!

Photograph of chicken salad with grapes, celery and raisins in a blue bowl on a wooden background.

Here’s my recipe for Chicken Salad with Grapes that I think you’ll love.

Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe

4.95 from 151 votes
Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe – This chicken salad recipe makes a delicious, quick meal. Made with chicken, grapes, and roasted nuts, it is always a favorite!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked, chopped chicken
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup roasted pecans, chopped
  • 1 cup mayonnaise, or Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • celery leaves, chopped (optional)

Instructions 

  • Add chopped chicken to a large bowl along with celery, grapes, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. If using chopped celery leaves, add these as well.
  • Stir together until just combined. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Lighten Up!

To lighten up the recipe, you can use Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise. 
I used plain Greek Yogurt for the nutrition calculations. 

How Long Does Chicken Salad Last?

Refrigerator – This recipe keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate right after serving.
Left Out at Room Temperature – For food safety, I like to stick to what the FDA advises… “the two-hour rule,”….which applies since this recipe has chicken and mayonnaise; you should not leave this out at room temperature for any longer than two hours.
Left Out at Picnic or Potluck – If you are serving this at a summer event and the temperature is warmer, you should be extra careful to refrigerate it as soon as possible. The FDA food safety rule notes if the outside temperature is above 90 degrees, the “two-hour rule” becomes ONE hour.

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Collage photograph of closeup favorite chicken salad with grapes, roasted nuts, and celery in a blue bowl.

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

4.95 from 151 votes (30 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Review




433 Comments

  1. Byron Cohen says:

    5 stars
    Turned out great! Grilling the chicken, gives it an awesome flavor. I substituted dried cherries, with Dates, red grapes with white grapes and Dukes Mayo is a must. The funny face that my daughter made while I prepared it, quickly turned into a big smile once she sampled it.

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      I’ve not tried this with dates, Byron – I’ll have to give it a try sometime! I’m happy this got smiles from your daughter! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks so much!

  2. Ellen says:

    How many servings does the recipe make? I would like to make this for on sandwich bread or croissants but I’m not sure how many sandwiches this would make?

  3. Natalie Ellis says:

    Chicken salad with grapes is always delicious and healthy!
    I just made the same recipe a couple weeks ago xD
    But you add more mayonnaise than me ๐Ÿ˜‰

  4. Lisa says:

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe! I left out the nuts due to allergies in the family, but followed the recipe exactly, other than that. Very good chicken salad. Everyone loved it! Will definitely make it again.
    Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it too, Lisa! It’s one of my family’s absolute favorite dishes! Thanks so much for letting me know you liked it! xo

  5. jenny says:

    Bah, this look so good!

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      It’s delicious! Thanks so much Jenny!

  6. Kathy says:

    5 stars
    This chicken salad was great! Instead of dried cherries, I added a small bunch of cilantro, chopped, and uses 1/2 & 1/2 mayo(Best foods) and plain Greek yogurt. Delish!!!

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      Glad you liked it, Kathy! xo

    2. Robyn Stone says:

      Sounds delish!

  7. Me says:

    I make my chicken salad like this, but bake chicken breasts the night before then chill overnight so they’re super easy to shred by hand the next morning. Baking the chicken instead of boiling gives so much more flavor.

  8. Mara says:

    Your site has come to me in perfect timing. I roasted a chicken for our Saturday dinner, reserving the breast to make chicken salad. I have red grapes and pineapple I wanted to use. I’m feeling a bit lost with cooking for 2. My son bought his first house on Tuesday, moved the pets and a bed on Wednesday.. We just enjoyed your Easy chicken chili as a family, it served 5 and there is just enough leftover for me for lunch.

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      I can’t imagine that empty nest feeling, Mara! Hang in there! I do hope you enjoy this – and glad you liked the chili! Thanks! xo

    2. Mara says:

      Served this chicken salad on romaine lettuce and mango on the side. I used half mayo and greek yogurt. I didn’t add the cherries, thus needing a bit of honey to sweeten. It has a bit more dressing then I usually like but overall was pleasing. Thank you for the wonderful meal ideas.

  9. Chris says:

    You can use plain yogurt to cut back on the calories instead of all mayo.ย 

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      Hi Chris, you can use yogurt – I mention using Greek yogurt in the recipe instructions instead of mayo if you want. Thanks for mentioning again. Hope you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Liz mares says:

    5 stars
    It was so easy and delish. My hubby loved it. I will be making it more often for sure.

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      I’m so glad he loved it!