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This chicken salad with grapes and pecans livens up the classic with a few delicious add-ins. It is perfect for making ahead and eating all week!
Chicken salad has long been one of my go-to lunches. It is incredibly versatile and makes for a delicious sandwich or a filling meal over greens, and it is perfect for days when I need lunch on the go. This chicken salad with grapes and pecans is my all-time favorite version of classic chicken salad. It’s not too heavy on the mayo, meaning we avoid the soggy, flavorless salad you so often get when you order out to eat, and we add a good bit of dijon mustard that lends some tanginess and tons of flavor. Dill gives the chicken salad a nice, fresh flavor while the grapes add a hint of sweetness and the pecans and celery add crunch. Every bite of this chicken salad gives you something new to love!
Ingredients for Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious chicken salad!
- Chicken – the main ingredient, of course, is chicken! You can either cook up a few chicken breasts, grab a rotisserie chicken, or use up any leftover chicken you have lying around to make this chicken salad. We find that white meat works best here.
- Mayo – mayo is what binds this chicken salad together. We went lighter on the mayo for this recipe so you can still taste all of the flavors in the salad. If you’re a mayo-hater though, feel free to substitute Greek yogurt in its place!
- Dijon Mustard – this is the secret ingredient to making this chicken salad great. First, the use of dijon mustard allows you to use less mayo, and it adds a ton of flavor that separates it from your typical chicken salad recipe.
- Grapes – Red grapes help add just the right touch of sweetness to the recipe.
- Pecans – pecans give the chicken salad a bit of crunch and lend a nice toasted flavor.
- Celery – celery provides a bit of freshness and crunch to the salad.
- Dill – dill is a classic component of chicken salad for good reason! It helps give this recipe its classic flavor and freshens up the salad a bit.
How to Make Chicken Salad with Grapes
Making chicken salad truly couldn’t be any easier! Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Shred or cube the chicken. First, you’ll want to shred or cube the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop the grapes and celery. Next, you’ll cut the grapes in half and slice the celery.
- Add everything to a bowl and mix it up. Once you’ve got your prep work done, you’ll simply add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix it together. Once it is mixed, taste the chicken salad for seasoning and add anything that is needed.
- Serve or store for later. From here, you can either serve immediately or store the chicken salad in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Variations To Chicken Salad With Grapes
Though this recipe is dynamite as written, there are several variations you can make to switch it up. Here are a few:
- Swap the Grapes for Dried Cherries or Cranberries – if dried cranberries or cherries are more your thing, feel free to swap them in for the grapes!
- Swap the Grapes for Apple – if you love apples more than grapes, swap in chopped apple (your favorite variety) in for the grapes. They both lend a really yummy crunch to the salad.
- Swap the Nuts – if you don’t like pecans, swap them for walnuts or almonds!
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Chicken Salad Frequently Asked Questions
It depends where you’re storing it! If you’re storing it in the refrigerator (which is, of course, the very best option), it’ll last for 4-5 days. If you’re serving it at a party and it’s sitting out at room temperature, we recommend not letting it sit for more than 2 hours. If you’re enjoying chicken salad at a picnic outside, we recommend bringing a cooler to keep outside heat off of your chicken salad for a long period of time.
We’d plan for about 4-8 ounces (or 1/4-1/2 pound) of chicken per person, so if you’re looking to serve chicken salad to 8 people, you’ll need about 2-4 pounds of chicken (depending on what else you’re serving).
We love serving chicken salad alongside mixed greens or a simple arugula salad, crackers, or plantain chips!
You can serve this chicken salad with grapes and pecans any way you’d like! When I am meal prepping lunches for the week, I tend to prefer serving my chicken salad over mixed greens for a healthy veggie boost. However, you can also make a sandwich (this is my favorite gluten-free bread), and if you want to really take it to the next level, add on some avocado and swiss cheese. This chicken salad is also great eaten on its own or with crackers for a picnic!
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded chicken either from a rotisserie chicken or 1 ½ pounds cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- ½ cup halved red grapes
- ½ cup chopped raw pecans
- 2/3 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Mixed greens for serving
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until fully combined. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Spoon over mixed greens and eat immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Mary Hannah Weiner says
Quickly becoming a weekday lunch staple!
Monica says
Love this so much. Best recipe for a regular weekly lunch rotation when I’m tired of traditional salads. I used walnuts instead of pecans and still amazing
Mallory Williams says
Made this recipe for my lunches but the whole family ate it up in one meal. Great recipe!
Jenn says
This was amazing! I’m a sucker for a good chicken salad so was excited to try this. I used 0% plain Icelandic yogurt instead of mayo, swapped the pecans for walnuts, and left out the dill Bc I’m just not a fan. My fiancé and I couldn’t put it down. Thank you!
Jackie says
The entire family loved this chicken salad! I added a little more grapes to suit our liking.
Brandi Schilhab says
Awesome! We’re so glad you guys enjoyed it!
Bethany says
I just prepped a batch of this for an easy grab and go lunch. It’s tangy, delicious and nutty. We have it every couple weeks.
Brandi Schilhab says
Yeah!! It’s a go-to lunch over here too!
Mandi says
Favorite chicken salad ever!! Never would’ve thought to put dill in there and it makes the recipe soooo good! Lunches for next week are ready to go!
Brandi Schilhab says
YES! Dill totally makes it!
Amy says
This is a super yummy chicken salad. It is in our permanent rotation! When I don’t have grapes (like during “safer at home” quarantining) I sub in dried cranberries … still good!!
Brandi Schilhab says
Such a great sub! We’re so glad you love it!
Heather says
YUM! Definitely making this for lunches this week!
Brandi Schilhab says
Good choice!! Enjoy!
Candy says
This is one of my favorite recipes!
Brandi Schilhab says
Mine too!!
Mallory says
Chicken salad with grapes and pecans is the only way I know chicken salad. That’s how we do it in the south!
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s right! So yummy!!
Katie says
This recipe is in my monthly lunch prep rotation every time because it is absolutely delicious! It’s so easy to make, holds up wonderfully throughout the week, and can be served in a variety of ways. Just made another batch today and can’t wait to dive in!
Brandi Schilhab says
Totally agree! It’s a go-to in my house too! Thanks for sharing this with us, Katie!
Shauna Haddow says
This salad is crazy delicious! My kids won’t eat nuts, so I leave the pecans out sometimes.. It’s great either way!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you guys love it, Shauna!! It’s a good one for sure!
Lydia Long says
This is so yummy. My mom used to get a similar sandwich at a chain restaurant when I was a kid and this has just enough freshness and crunch to leave you satisfied without sludgy. Yum. This will definitely be making more lunch rounds in our house.
Brandi Schilhab says
Totally agree, Lydia! Enjoy!
Samantha says
This is one of my go-to meal prep recipes! So easy and never gets old!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you love it, Samantha!!
Emily Poolos says
YUM! I just started the 28 Day Project and this is something I look forward to eating for lunch this week. As a southern girl, chicken salad is extreme comfort food. Thanks for a healthy and delicious version! The red grapes from Costco were AMAZING to add to this.
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo!! So glad you love it, Emily!!!
April Scott says
So delicious! I made a big batch to have on top of my salad and in a sandwich. The grapes and pecans were never something I would have thought to add, but so yummy!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you loved it, April!!
Barbara says
Perfect timing for Recipe of the Week Giveaway — I had some leftover rotisserie chicken that needed to be used up, so I made the chicken salad with grapes & pecans! I make a turkey salad with grapes and pecans, so I was guessing this would be fantastic — I was right! And it only took 8 minutes and that included the interruptions I had! Who doesn’t want a quick, healthy, easy lunch?! Thanks Fed+Fit team 🙂
Brandi Schilhab says
So awesome, Barbara! Thank you for sharing this with us! I totally agree – this chicken salad checks all of the boxes! Enjoy!!
Amanda Moran says
delicious fast and easy summer lunch!!! You must try this recipe…. you won’t regret it!!!
Brandi Schilhab says
Thanks, Amanda!!! We’re glad you love this chicken salad as much as we do!
Tari says
Very tasty! I also left out the dill as I am also not a fan. Very easy and great meal option! I enjoy your website & recipes.
Abby says
Grapes in chicken salad has always been one of my favorite additions! Made this for lunch w/ leftovers and it was fab.
Brandi Schilhab says
So crunchy and delicious!! Glad you love it, Abby!
Kelsie says
Turned out yummy! Definitely a recipe we’ll be using this summer 🙂
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad to hear that, Kelsie!!
Sarah Goudie says
I had thawed chicken breast in my fridge and was trying to figure out what to make. This was the perfect recipe to use it for. Eye simple to put together and the flavor is delicious.
Brandi Schilhab says
Awesome!! We’re so glad you love it!
Erin says
Love this recipe for meal prep. I swear the taste gets better over time. Fun to serve it up in different ways each day too to keep it interesting (lettuce cups, wraps, crackers).
Brandi Schilhab says
I totally agree, Erin!!! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Bethany says
Perfect recipe for meal prepping or a picnic! I love it with Mary’s Gone Crackers. There is just something about dipping right?!
Brandi Schilhab says
Yes!!! I agree! So glad you love it, Bethany!
Joni says
This was delicious! My husband loved it also. The Dijon mustard and dill were perfect in this! This has been added to my regular meal plan! Thank you!!
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo! So awesome, Joni! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Melissa H says
Love this chicken salad! It’s quick and easy to make ahead!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you love it, Melissa!!
Lindsey Davis says
Yum! Made this for lunch today with hopes of leftovers to take to work next week, but my whole family gobbled it up! So versatile and easily modifiable! Will definitely add this to our regular rotation!
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s so great to hear, Lindsey!! We’re glad your family loved it!
Stephanie Sublett says
This was very tasty! Super simple and so quick to make. I’m not a huge fan of pecans or celery so I didn’t use quite as much and I didn’t taste those items individuallybut felt they enhancedthe flavor of the dish. It was even keto friendly!
Brandi Schilhab says
So awesome! We’re glad you enjoyed it, Stephanie!
Tabitha Bernardi says
Do yourself a favor and make a double batch! I’ve had this chicken salad in lettuce cups and over toasted bread. It is so good. The perfect combination of savory and a touch of sweetness from the grapes.
Brandi Schilhab says
Yeah!! So glad you love it, Tabitha!!! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Colleen says
Great chicken salad! Loved eating this over some greens.
Brandi Schilhab says
Me too! So yummy! So glad you enjoyed it, Colleen!
Erica says
Loved this Chicken Salad! My girls and I made it this morning for tonight’s dinner because we planned to be outside all day enjoying the weather. We just ate it and we devoured it 🙂 We omitted the pecans because of an allergy, but the celery still gave it plenty of crunch. I personally loved the Dijon which gave the salad a slight tangy twist. We will be making this all summer long!
Brandi Schilhab says
Such a great idea! So glad that it was quick and easy so that you all could get outside! Thank you for sharing this with us, Erica!
Danielle W says
So yummy, the dill helps to cut the sweetness from the grapes. The perfect addition to the giant bag of fresh lettuce from the farmers market this week!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you love it, Danielle!! Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
Great recipe! It has everything I want: sweetness from the grapes, crunch from the pecans, creamy yummy dresssing, and protein! I subbed fennel for the celery (which I don’t care for), but that’s what makes recipes like this so great. You can easily swap for ingredients you already have on hand if you’re missing something. No grapes? Use an apple or dried fruit? No pecans? Use walnuts! And if you prep a batch ahead of time you have days of easy lunches!
Brandi Schilhab says
So true! Great swap! We’re glad you love it, Amy!
LeAnna says
Making this for my lunches for the week! Can’t wait I love the combination of ingredients.
Brandi Schilhab says
You’re going to LOVE it!! Enjoy, LeAnna!
Nikki says
This recipe was easy to make and sub out a few things based on my preferences. I love the added crunch of pecans and the sweetness of the grapes.
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo! We’re glad you’re enjoying this recipe, Nikki!
Cynthia Crise says
I made this chicken salad for meal prep this week!! It’s so flavorful and I’m so excited to eat it all week!
Brandi Schilhab says
You’re going to look forward to lunch every day, Cynthia!!! Enjoy!
Hanna Garst says
LOVE this recipe. Super easy to prep for sandwiches during the week. My postpartum body is craving chicken salad constantly, and this is by far one of my favorites to gobble down.
Brandi Schilhab says
Mine too!! Congratulations on your newest addition, Hanna!
Erin Michonski says
This was just YUM. Easy to make and the leftovers are even better the next day. I told my toddlers that the poppy seeds were sprinkles and they GOBBLED it right up! 🙂
Brandi Schilhab says
So funny!!! We’re glad your family loves this recipe, Erin! Thanks for sharing!
Mandy says
A great take on traditional chicken salad! The dill really adds a nice flavor. I had it with crackers and on a salad and both were delicious. My boyfriend liked it on a sandwich too! Thanks for another winning recipe 🙂
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you guys enjoyed this recipe, Mandy!!! Thanks for sharing!
Natalie says
This recipe is quick and best of all great for beginners to whip up. It truly is so easy to whip. We love to have it during the warmer months because it is refreshing a cool. I highly recommend you give it a shot!
Brandi Schilhab says
Thanks, Natalie!!! We love it too!!
Marci Newton says
Love this recipe! My 10year old daughter was VERY skeptical! Upon eating she declared, “I love this! I could eat it every day!!” Thanks again Fed and Fit for another winner!!
Marci Newton says
Love this recipe! My 10year old daughter was VERY skeptical and declared, “I love this! I could eat it every day!” Thanks Fed and Fit for another great recipe!!
Brandi Schilhab says
SO awesome! Thanks for sharing this with us, Marci!
Julie Ann Price says
This a super balanced chicken salad in texture & flavor – creamy, crunchy, tangy, and sweet. I didn’t have any poppy seeds, so I threw in some chia seeds to maintain the texture.
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you love it, Julie!! It’s a favorite around my house, for sure!
Kathleen says
This was a great and satisfying lunch! I liked the mix of the tangy mustard with the sweet grapes. I substituted the mayo with Greek yogurt which really allowed the mustard flavor to stand out.
Brandi Schilhab says
Great sub, Kathleen! We’re glad you love it! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Meagan says
One of the best chicken salad recipes! I left out poppy seeds (just didn’t have) and it was still delicious!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you love this recipe as much as we do, Meagan!! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Teresa says
This recipe was so yummy!! I LOVED the crunchy sweetness of the grapes. I omitted the pecans and instead of mayo used Greek yogurt and it turned out amazing. I enjoyed it over a bed of lettuce!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you loved it, Teresa!! Great swaps!
Michele Gee says
We love chicken salad so I was super excited to try this recipe! Using Avocado Mayo instead of real Mayo was something that I was interested in as well as the Dijon Mustard. The sodium level was just a wee bit too salty for our taste buds, at first bite. However, after a few hours in the fridge, everything mellowed, the dill is lovely, I used a Dijon that had less sodium than that which was recommended and will probably even move to a more intense Dijon for extra KICK. Thanks for another awesome recipe.
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you loved it, Michele!
Colleen says
Very yummy! 1/4 cup of Dijon was a tad much for me – next time I’ll dial that back a little. But I just added a little more chicken and mayo to balance the flavor for my tastes. Also didn’t have celery so added celery salt…just need to rememberer to not to add the additional salt. Very simple and quick. My husband and I enjoyed it – will be making again!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you guys enjoyed it, Colleen!
Scotti Waldrop says
This recipe is so good!! Perfect for an easy meal prep for lunches at work! Highly recommend!!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you love it as much as we do, Scotti!! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Doreen says
The whole family liked this recipe. I doubled the grapes because we love grapes and omitted the celery. I could eat this every week! My boys ate it in sandwiches and I used romaine lettuce wraps instead. Yuuuummm!
Brandi Schilhab says
Yay! We’re so glad it was a hit with the whole family, Doreen! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Elaine L says
This was so good! I did swap out cherries for the grapes since that was on sale at the store – but it totally worked. This will be on rotation for future lunches.
Brandi Schilhab says
Yum! That sounds like a delicious swap! We’re glad you enjoyed it!
Glenda says
Greek yogurt (because I’m a non-mayo person), cashews (because that’s what was in the cupboard) and spicy brown mustard gave me all my favorites in this tasty recipe!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you loved it, Glenda! Thanks for sharing!!
Desirae Carter says
I made this yesterday for family who was visiting and we all loved it! Chicken salad with grapes and celery is something I crave in the summer, but it’s hard to find the right recipe. This will be my new go to! I loved the dill and dijon in it. Super glad I tripled the recipe, so we will have leftovers for a few days 🙂
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo!! So glad it was a hit, Desirae! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Christina says
This recipe is delicious and easy to make! I love chicken salad and the combination of the celery, grapes, pecans, dill, and dijon is amazing! It’s going to be a summer staple!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you love it, Christina!!! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Alexis D. says
Not sure why I’ve been intimidated by chicken salad – it was so very easy! Poached a couple chicken breasts in my instant pot, and whipped up this easy salad. I was surprised it was a hit with the kiddos. The tang of the mayo and dijon mix great with the sweetness of the grapes. Winner winner!
Brandi Schilhab says
Yay! We’re so glad you loved it, Alexis!
Bimy says
Love this recipe – awesome flavor and the added crunch of the nuts (I only had walnuts but still yummy) makes this a fav at our house:)
Brandi Schilhab says
So great to hear, Bimy! We’re glad you love it!
Amy says
So delicious!!! I am picky about my chicken salad and this was wonderful! I used Greek yogurt instead of mayo and it was awesome!
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo!! We’re glad you love it, Amy!
Lauren Moore says
Congratulations to our giveaway winner, Bethany! An email has been sent with further instructions!
Kendra Klaus says
Where is the fat (ingredients wise) coming from for the macros? Is that per serving?
Brandi Schilhab says
The fat comes from the mayo and pecans, Kendra. Yes, per serving. You can try using an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo if you want to cut down on the fat a bit. We haven’t tried it in this specific recipe, but I think it’ll work well!
Kendra says
Thank you so much for the response! I love this recipe so much.. making it for my 2nd week in a row!! I am trying to learn more about macros so I was just curious to understand it.
Brandi Schilhab says
Of course!! Glad you’re enjoying it!!
Patty says
I love your recipes & video you helped me a lot thank you. My chicken salad w/ grapes & walnuts. Sounds gross) but my husband ate it for breakfast. It has grapes and pecans. He just said said
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you all loved this one, Patty! Thank you for sharing!