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The Best Chicken Salad Recipe Ever

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Chicken Salad is a classic dish that is perfect for potlucks, picnics or an easy summer meal. Our version incorporates a velvety Greek yogurt dressing that is tangy and smooth, perfectly complementing the flavors of tender chicken, crunchy toasted almonds, crunchy celery and a burst of natural sweetness from juicy grapes.

Chicken Salad with grapes and sliced almonds in a wooden bowl.

Our Very Favorite Chicken Salad Recipe

Chicken salad is one of our very favorite summer dinners. Not only is it delicious, but it’s easy, nutritious, and doesn’t heat up the kitchen. I love that it is simple enough for a quick weeknight dinner, but fancy enough for company. It’s also incredibly versatile and customizable, so I’ve played around with the recipe for years. This right here is my very favorite version.

This Chicken Salad recipe is an explosion of flavor and texture. I swapped the mayonnaise for creamy, tangy Greek yogurt. Mustard, lemon juice, and fresh herbs create a bright and flavorful dressing. And tossed with tender chicken, crunchy celery, toasted almonds, and sweet grapes, it makes an incredibly flavorful and satisfying dish. We make it regularly and the leftovers are good for days. I know you’re going to love it as much as we do!

Chicken salad sandwiches on white bread with lettuce in a small basket with a white napkin.

Ingredients You Need to Make This Chicken Salad Recipe:

  • Chicken– Rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, diced grilled chicken, or leftover chicken.
  • Greek Yogurt– We like to use whole fat plain greek yogurt.
  • Grapes– We love the added color that red grapes bring to the salad.
  • Celery– Adds a delicious crunch.
  • Green Onion– Green onion adds a nice mild onion flavor.
  • Fresh Parsley– Parsley adds a bright, herby flavor.
  • Sliced Almonds– Toasted almonds bring a delicious nutty crunch.
  • Lemon Juice– Lemon juice brightens the flavor of the dressing.
  • Dijon Mustard– We like dijon mustard here, but you can also use spicy brown or regular mustard.
  • Salt & Pepper– Add to season.
Ingredients you need to make homemade chicken salad.

How to Make Chicken Salad:

  1. Dice the chicken. Our favorite chicken to use for chicken salad is rotisserie chicken. It is easy, tender, and flavorful. You can also use canned chicken, leftover chicken, or cooked and diced chicken breast.
  2. Toast the almonds. This is a small little step that makes a big difference in the overall flavor. Add the sliced almonds to a dry skillet and cook over medium heat for a minute or two until the almonds become golden and fragrant. Watch them closely, because it happens fast. Remove to a plate to cool.
  3. Prep the rest of the ingredients. Cut the grapes in half, and slice the celery and green onions. Add everything to a large bowl.
  4. Make the dressing. Whisk together the greek yogurt, lemon juice, dijon mustard, parsley, salt and pepper.
  5. Toss the salad. Add the dressing to the salad, stir to combine.
  6. Chill. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy as is, on sandwiches, with crackers, or on a bed of lettuce.
Process shots for how to make our chicken salad recipe.

Tips & Suggestions

What is the best chicken for this chicken salad recipe?

Chicken salad has to start with the chicken of course!  But what kind is the best?  We have tried chicken breasts, chicken thighs, canned chicken, and shredded chicken cooked in the crockpot. But our very favorite to use in chicken salad is rotisserie chicken.  It is so moist and flavorful and really gives your entire salad the perfect flavor and texture.  PLUS – it is already cooked and so it saves you tons of time when you are putting together your salad.

How long does chicken salad last in the fridge?

Chicken salad will last 3-4 days in the fridge if it has stayed well chilled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If in doubt, throw it out.

What should I serve with chicken salad?

Chicken salad is delicious served in so many different ways. It’s a complete meal with so many flavors and textures. We like it as is, or served on a bed of lettuce. We enjoy it on bread, rolls, or croissants, with crackers, or piled into a wrap or lettuce leaf.

Variations & Substitutions:

  • Try adding different fruits like diced apple, pineapple, or dried cranberries.
  • For a richer dressing, replace half of the greek yogurt with mayonnaise.
  • Add fresh herbs like basil, chives, tarragon, or dill.
  • Use pecans, cashews, or pine nuts instead of almonds.
  • Add a scoop of pesto to the dressing.
A bowl of homemade chicken salad with celery, grapes, almonds, and greek yogurt.

More Delicious Chicken Salad Recipes:

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3.4 from 86 votes

Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad is a classic dish that is perfect for potlucks, picnics or an easy summer meal. Our version incorporates a velvety Greek yogurt dressing that is tangy and smooth, perfectly complementing the flavors of tender chicken, crunchy toasted almonds, crunchy celery and a burst of natural sweetness from juicy grapes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 208kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Chop cooked chicken and place into a mixing bowl. Slice grapes into quarters or halves; dice celery and green onions. Add to the bowl with chicken.
  • In a small mixing bowl, mix yogurt, juice of the lemon, mustard, parsley, salt and pepper. Add to the chicken. Toss to evenly coat.
  • In a small saute pan, add sliced almonds and heat over medium high. Cook them while constantly stirring until they are a toasty brown. Once they start to brown just a little bit, turn the heat to medium. Make sure to watch them close because they can burn easily! Let them cool just a bit and then add them to the chicken mixture.
  • Let the chicken mixture chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Serve on croissants, sandwich rolls, turn it into a wrap, or eat as a dip with your favorite crackers or tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 387mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword : Chicken Salad Recipe

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Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

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