Description
A quick, fresh, and healthy chicken salad loaded with crisp veggies, sweet grapes, and a creamy dressing. Perfect for a nutritious meal or snack, ready in under 15 minutes and customizable to suit your taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Protein
- Cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 2 cups)
Vegetables and Fruit
- 2 stalks crunchy celery, diced
- 1 cup sweet red grapes, halved or quartered
- Optional: diced apples or sliced cucumbers for extra crunch
- Optional: diced pineapple or mango for a tropical flair
Dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt (choose based on preference)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Herbs and Extras
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or dill
- Optional: 1/4 cup nuts like almonds or walnuts, chopped
- Optional: pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce for a spicy twist
Instructions
- Prepare your chicken: Start with cooked chicken breast—whether freshly grilled, roasted, or store-bought rotisserie. Shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces to create the base of your salad.
- Chop the veggies and fruit: Dice celery into small pieces and halve or quarter the grapes depending on size. Include any optional fruits or vegetables if using for additional texture and flavor.
- Mix the dressing: In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- Combine everything: In a large mixing bowl, add chicken, celery, grapes, nuts, and herbs you like. Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated. Be careful not to overmix to preserve texture.
- Chill and serve: Allow the salad to chill for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors meld beautifully. Serve cold or at room temperature, garnished with additional parsley, toasted nuts, or a dash of paprika if desired.
Notes
- Use leftover chicken to save time and reduce waste.
- Pick fresh, juicy grapes for the best flavor.
- Gently fold ingredients to avoid mashing and maintain crunch.
- Adjust seasoning at the end to suit your taste preferences.
- Chilling before serving enhances the fusion of flavors and refreshes the salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No cooking (Uses pre-cooked chicken; assemble only)
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, quick chicken salad, easy chicken salad, chicken lunch recipe, chicken salad with grapes, make ahead salad
