Chicken salad is a must in any home chef’s repertoire. It makes the easiest lunch sandwich or a great party snack to share. Simply combine chopped chicken, green onions, grapes, and sliced almonds in a bowl, add a mayonnaise and Dijon mustard dressing, and chill it for a few minutes before enjoying.
Like egg salad, my chicken salad recipe is quick, easy, and lasts for a few days in the fridge, making it a perfect recipe for simple meals throughout the summer. Turn it into a sandwich between slices of white bread, serve a generous scoop alongside pimento cheese and crackers, or just pile it onto a bed of lettuce or mixed greens. It’s also endlessly customizable, and I share a ton of ideas in this post for how to make this recipe your own!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
Here are the main elements of making the best chicken salad. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below!
Chicken — this is a perfect opportunity to use up chicken leftovers in your refrigerator! See just below for ideas on what kind of chicken you can use in this recipe.
Celery — chopped celery adds an addictive crunch and is a classic component to traditional chicken salads. If you don’t love celery, replace it with diced cucumbers!
Grapes — firm, juicy red grapes introduce a lovely pop of sweetness and textural interest. I like the crisp sweetness of red grapes, but you can use green grapes or black grapes as well.
Almonds — a key ingredient in my favorite chicken salad recipe, sliced almonds make the salad more complex. The amazing crunch doesn’t hurt, either!
Mayonnaise — this staple condiment forms the base of the creamy dressing, complemented by sharp Dijon mustard.
What Kind Of Cooked Chicken Should I Use?
Like I said above, a big batch of homemade chicken salad is a great way to use up leftover chicken! But pretty much any chopped cooked chicken will work well. You can pull the meat off a grocery store rotisserie chicken or cook and chop up Instant Pot chicken breasts, an Instant Pot whole chicken, a roasted chicken, or air fryer chicken breast. Feel free to use only white or dark meat or a combination of both— whichever you prefer!
Chopped Versus Shredded Chicken: Which Is Better?
You can use either kind! Both make a fantastic salad. I prefer a chunkier salad, so I typically chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. This is the perfect texture for piling onto a bed of salad greens.
Shredded chicken can make a thicker chicken salad that is more spreadable, depending on how much you shred it. The finer the shredded chicken, the more the salad will hold together when scooped. Some people love this for making sandwiches as there’s no danger of any chicken falling out of the sandwich.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Use homemade mayonnaise if you can! Rich and creamy, homemade mayonnaise really elevates this simple salad recipe. My foolproof recipe takes just 5 minutes, too!
Firm grapes are a must. The grapes need to be firm so the halves pop as you chew. Mushy grapes can ruin the texture of the chicken salad and will likely be smashed or fall apart as you mix the ingredients together.
Don’t forget the secret ingredient: Time. For the best chicken salad, prepare it a few hours before you want to serve it. In recipe testing, I found that chilling the salad for at least 30 minutes made a huge difference in flavor. A longer 2-hour period in the refrigerator is a game-changer for the chicken to absorb the flavors in the tangy dressing.
For meal prep, feel free to make a bigger batch and store it in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and texture, enjoy the salad within 3 days.
Chicken Salad Variations and Substitutions
My chicken salad recipe is very adaptable and has endless variation possibilities! Swap out certain ingredients to vary the flavor profile or to use ingredients that you have on hand.
- Swap the almonds: Chopped toasted pecans, toasted walnuts, roasted almonds, sunflower seeds, or pepitas all work great. You can also leave them out if you aren’t a fan of nuts or seeds.
- Replace the green onion: Use diced sweet onions or shallots instead. For a flavor twist, try using pickled red onion! Drain and chop up the pickled onion slices before adding them to the salad.
- Use different fruit: Try diced apples, blueberries, or dried cranberries.
- Add other crunchy vegetables: Diced cucumbers, carrots, radishes, or sweet bell peppers are all delicious additions to the salad. Or use them in place of celery for a crunch factor with a different flavor.
- Add fresh herbs: 1 to 2 tablespoons of minced tarragon, basil, chives, dill, or parsley are all great additions to this chicken salad recipe.
- Brighten the dressing with fresh lemon juice: This adds a freshness to the creamy dressing that I love! Mix 2 tablespoons of juice into the salad dressing. You can also zest the lemon before juicing it and stir it in for added flavor.
- Vary the dressing: You can add spices like curry powder or dried herbs to the dressing to change the flavor profile (see my curried chicken salad recipe as an example!). Or, swap it for something entirely different, like Caesar dressing or your favorite creamy salad dressing.
How To Make Chicken Salad
1. Add the chicken, celery, green onions, grapes, and almonds to a large bowl.
2. Then add the creamy mayo, tangy Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
3. Stir to combine, then cover and refrigerate the salad so the flavors have time to combine.
4. After the salad has chilled, taste it and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Chicken Salad Recipe
Video
Equipment
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped cooked chicken (420g)
- 3 celery stalks chopped (65g)
- 2 green onions sliced (50g)
- 1 cup red grapes halved (200g)
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds (40g)
- ½ cup mayonnaise (120g)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, celery, green onions, red grapes, almonds, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, but ideally 2 hours, before serving. Taste again after the salad has chilled and season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve as a sandwich or over a salad.
Notes
- Once your salad is mixed, be sure to let it rest in the fridge, not at room temperature. Since the salad contains chicken, you want to keep it cold and food-safe while allowing time for the flavors to meld.
Nutrition
How To Serve
You can serve it in so many creative ways! Scoop it onto a bed of lettuce, make lettuce wraps, or serve it alongside crackers for a light meal. It’s also delicious with a side of fruit like cantaloupe, which pairs well with the fresh grapes and flavor of the creamy dressing. You can also serve this salad over half an avocado or as a topping for avocado toast, and let me tell you, the avocado takes the creaminess factor to the next level!
Make chicken salad sandwiches by loading it between slices of sourdough bread or onto brioche buns. You can also make a tasty chicken salad wrap or stuff it into pita bread with shredded lettuce, chopped cucumber, and fresh herbs.
How to Store
Store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you use leftover chicken, don’t forget to take into account how long it has been in the fridge. For example, if the cooked chicken is already 1 day old, the chicken salad needs to be eaten within about 2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
This classic recipe is best served within the first 24 hours, but it is still delicious for up to 3 days. You may need to give it a stir, as the grapes or other vegetables might release liquid as the salad sits.
If you’re not a fan of mayonnaise or are looking for a lighter option, full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt is your best bet! I like to whisk it with a little olive oil to make it a bit richer for this recipe, and it’s a good idea to add a tablespoon or two of vinegar or lemon juice to get the slightly acidic kick. If you just want to use less mayo, feel free to swap a portion of it for sour cream or Greek yogurt. No matter which swap you choose, don’t forget the Dijon mustard!
If you’ve tried this classic chicken salad recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Jasmine says
Amazing recipe! Substituted chopped tangerines for grapes and it was delicious!