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Updated on Sep 28, 2023
This Chicken Salad Recipe is healthy, flavorful and easy to make with grapes, celery and a simple dressing. It makes the best chicken salad sandwiches!
Looking for more easy lunch ideas? Try these recipes for Egg Salad and Tuna Salad next.
Kristine, thank you so much for this recipe! I love chicken salad but wanted something without mayo. This is perfect thank you for sharing! This was delicious, my whole family enjoyed it!
Ashleym
Best Chicken Salad Recipe
This chicken salad recipe is a tried-and-true favorite that’s also become a reader favorite! It’s fresh, light and healthy and my go-to recipe for using up leftover chicken.
Why You’ll Love this Chicken Salad Recipe
- Quick and Easy. This recipe takes just minutes to make. Use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Delicious! This chicken salad has the best combination of flavors and textures. There’s sweet, savory, creamy and crunchy!
- Perfect for Meal Prep. When your days are busy, it can be hard to find the time to prepare lunch. That’s why I like recipes that I can prep once and then eat for a couple of days. This chicken salad keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.
- Versatile. Serve the chicken salad on bread or a croissant, over a bed of lettuce, or in a tortilla wrap or lettuce wraps. I often add avocado – it’s so good!
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this simple chicken salad you will need:
- Shredded or Chopped Cooked Chicken: You can use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken. When I don’t have leftover chicken I like to make quick Instant Pot shredded chicken to use in this recipe. I follow these steps for how to shred chicken easily. Or you can poach chicken breasts on the stove.
- Plain Greek Yogurt or Mayo: Greek yogurt is thick and creamy, and it makes a great healthy substitute for mayonnaise in this chicken salad recipe. You can use full fat, 2% or nonfat Greek yogurt. Be sure to use plain (not flavored) yogurt. Of course, you can use mayo in this recipe if you prefer.
- Seasonings: This recipe uses garlic powder, salt and black pepper. I find that you don’t need to add too much seasoning because there are lots of flavors going on in this chicken salad. You can try adding a splash of lemon juice, a squeeze of Dijon mustard, or some chopped fresh herbs if you want.
- Celery: I love the crunch that celery adds to this chicken salad. Chop the celery into small pieces so that it doesn’t overwhelm the salad.
- Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, and sliced almonds all work well in this recipe. If you have a few minutes, toasting the nuts in a skillet on the stove will add a lot of flavor.
- Grapes: Chicken salad with grapes is a classic and I love the sweetness that grapes add to this salad. You can also try mixing in chopped apple, dried cranberries or dried cherries.
- Red Onion: Sweet-spicy red onion adds a pop of flavor. If you don’t care for raw onion you can leave it out.
How to Make Chicken Salad
- To make this chicken salad, start by making the chicken salad dressing. I usually make the dressing in a large bowl and then add the other ingredients to that same bowl. Stir together the plain Greek yogurt, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Then, add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl and stir everything together. Taste the chicken salad and add more seasoning if needed.
- Serve the chicken salad on bread or croissants as a sandwich, or on top of a green salad.
Recipe Tips
- Either chill the cooked chicken before you make the salad or chill the chicken salad mixture before serving. Chilling the salad for an hour or two before serving also helps the flavors to meld together.
- Try adding different mix-ins to your chicken salad: different kinds of nuts, grapes, apples, dried cranberries, dried cherries, avocado, chopped green onion, red onion or fresh herbs.
- Cook your chicken ahead of time so that you can make this recipe quickly. Try Instant Pot Shredded Chicken or Crockpot Shredded Chicken. I often make this recipe with leftover Instant Pot Whole Chicken.
- Canned chicken also works in this recipe.
- For a low carb meal, serve chicken salad in lettuce wraps, on top of a spinach salad, or stuffed in avocado halves.
How to Store
Chicken salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, as long as you made it with chicken cooked that same day. Cooked chicken will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator, so go by the date when your chicken was cooked to figure out how long you can store your chicken salad in the fridge.
Try one of these delicious chicken breast recipes next.
Like this recipe? Pin it to Pinterest!
4.91 from 21 ratings
Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
Servings: 7 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 15 minutes mins
This easy chicken salad recipe with grapes and pecans makes the best chicken salad sandwiches! I've been making this healthy chicken salad recipe for years. It's perfect for using up leftover chicken, or make it with rotisserie chicken or shredded cooked chicken breast.
Print Recipe Leave a Review Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, or mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup chopped pecans, or walnuts or sliced almonds, toasted if desired
- ½ cup quartered grapes*
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, optional
- bread, croissants or lettuce, for serving
Instructions
In a large bowl, stir together the plain Greek yogurt, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Add the cooked chicken, celery, nuts, grapes and red onion (if using). Stir until well combined.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve the chicken salad as a sandwich on bread or a croissant, over a bed of lettuce, or in a tortilla wrap or lettuce wraps.
Notes
- Chopped apple is a delicious substitute for the grapes. Or try dried cranberries or dried cherries.
- Make Ahead: Store chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days (if made with chicken cooked that same day).
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 195kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 151mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Lunch
Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.
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posted by Kristine Rosenblatt on Jul 3, 2023 (last updated Sep 28, 2023)
50 comments Leave a comment »
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50 comments on “Chicken Salad Recipe”
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FG Bot — Reply
It’s an excellent recipe, very tasty, and lots of options to customize. However, it exhibits what I believe to be THE MOST COMMON FLAW amongst recipies. The prep time, in this case assumes you have already cooked and shredded the chicken, chopped the celery and nuts, halved the grapes, yada yada yada. This provided the cook with NO idea how long it really takes to prepare. For this reason, 4 stars us the most I can give it.
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Kristine — Reply
I’m glad you enjoy the flavors in this recipe. I did factor in the prep time for chopping, but assumed that you would cook the chicken ahead of time or use store-bought rotisserie chicken. I always make this recipe when I have leftover chicken. 🙂
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Beth Dasigan — Reply
I made this recipe last night & had dinner with thousand island salad. I replaced the pecan nut s with wall nuts & came out very delicious. My husband liked the chicken salad sandwich with his salad. I’ll make this again for sure.
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AshleyM — Reply
Kristine, thank you so much for this recipe! I love chicken salad but wanted something without mayo. This is perfect thank you for sharing! This was delicious, my whole family enjoyed it!
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Kristine — Reply
That is wonderful! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
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Nicole Willard — Reply
Delicious! We added oepper and dill.
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Courtanee Marvin — Reply
I added some dill and cumin, and used canned chicken breast. Super quick and easy. Tasted so good. Thank you!
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Liz — Reply
I had leftover chicken & wanted to make chicken salad without going to the grocery! I always have Greek yogurt o I made as directed with grapes & pecans. Thought it needed more moisture so I added some homemade garlic & Parmesan dressing but probably would have been fine with extra yogurt. I’ve printed the recipe & will be making this from now on! Thank you!!
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Kristine — Reply
I’m so glad you enjoyed this!
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Michelle Shinn —
Loved this recipe. As did my family. You can use a combination of vegan mayo and non dairy sour cream for those of us with allergies. I use 1/4 each and it came out wonderful. We also added some jalapeños for a kick.
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Elizabeth Zampogna — Reply
My husband and I love this recipe. Getting ready to make again now.
Thank You!-
Kristine — Reply
I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!
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margie Molodow — Reply
Can i use canned chicken
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Kristine — Reply
I’ve never used canned chicken, but I think that would work.
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Melanie — Reply
I have used canned chicken many times and have no issue using it.
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December —
This looks wonderful! I am going to try adding cilantro, too.
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Judith Eddy — Reply
This sounds wonderful but, forgive my ignorance, I don’t understand the measurements. What does .20 or .14 measure out to? I’m used to teaspoons, cups, etc.
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Kristine — Reply
Hi Judith, It looks like you’ve adjusted the amount of servings in the recipe, so it’s recalculated the amounts. Use the arrows to change the number of servings back to 7 and it should make more sense.
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Emily — Reply
This is a great recipe base to go off of! Works great with onion powder/garlic powder, or fresh ingredients if you have it! I always use canned chicken and can have this baby whipped up in 5 minutes. It’s a lifesaver and staple recipe for sure!
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Lillian T Purdom — Reply
QUESTION??? At age 79 is it worth buying a hot pot for just two people??
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Kristine — Reply
I think so! It depends on your cooking preferences and needs. You might find this post about Instant Pots helpful. 🙂
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Kayla — Reply
My husband and I both give this a 5 star rating! So delicious, we’ll both be taking it to work this week. So simple to make as well ??
Thank you!!!
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Kristine — Reply
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorite make ahead lunches as well. 🙂
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Shari — Reply
Thanks for the recipe! One of the main reasons I stopped here while googling egg salad is you did not write a ten-page blog of your egg salad “experience” and how it changed your life…lol:) Thanks for keeping all your recipes easy, delish and to the point.
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Kristine — Reply
Haha, I appreciate your comment! I try to include only information that will be helpful to those making the recipe, answer common questions, etc. I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy!
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Patricia A Gavaletz — Reply
If I use canned chicken, do I need to use chicken in oil or will in water do.
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Kristine — Reply
Chicken in water will work well. Enjoy!
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Mungy — Reply
White pepper is really good in this recipe with juice from a whole lemon
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Hannah Willits — Reply
YUM!!!
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Tylo — Reply
So so good! I used mayo but need to try with Greek yogurt. I also used almonds. I cooked chicken in the oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, let cool, then shredded.
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Peggy — Reply
This was my first attempt at making chicken salad and it was delicious. My husband is a big chicken salad fan and he loved it. I did use 1/2 greek yogurt 1/2 mayo just because I was afraid my husband would notice a difference with all Greek yogurt. I will definitely be making this again.
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Reena Bansal — Reply
I made this today and omg It came out so good! So simple and delicious. I used canned chicken from Costco though because I didn’t have chicken. So yummy and I did put tomatoes and onions as the toppings and instead of pickles( mine froze in the fridge :/) I used a little bit of relish. Definitely making this again and with the cooked chicken from Costco this time !
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melissa — Reply
How much was a serving for you as an estimate?
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Kristine — Reply
Hi Melissa,
The nutrition information is calculated based on a 1/2 cup serving.
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Jeanine — Reply
I’ve never had a good chicken salad but I had a rotisserie chicken and was sick of using the same recipes over and over again. I found this recipe randomly online and al I can say is DELICIOUS! such an easy recipe and I had most ingredients on hand. Will be making this over and over again.
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Martha Taylor — Reply
Just wondering. I do not like Greek yogurt. Is the Greek yogurt
flavor very strong?-
Kristine — Reply
I do not find it to be a strong flavor in this recipe, but you can substitute mayonnaise if you prefer.
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Al Ray — Reply
I used plain regular yogurt. I have never pulsed a roast chicken before. I just found a new way to make chicken salad. This was excellent!
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Hallie — Reply
I have tried SO many times making chicken salad and it has ALWAYS failed until now!! Great recipes for this and egg salad!
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Deborah Tat — Reply
Made the chicken salad with two 10 oz cans of chicken (drained it before adding to the dressing). Couldn’t find sliced almonds so used slivered ones (my daughter is allergic to walnuts). Used dried cranberries…we prefer them to grapes…added 4T of apple cider vinegar to give it a kick…was a HUGE hit with the ladies at a tea party. These ladies are all great chefs, so for them to rave about a recipe is big. Personally, I could eat this straight out of the bowl…forget the bread, croissants or any other type of wrap. Will be making this recipe many times over!
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Lindsay — Reply
Could I use lowfat yogurt?
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Kristine — Reply
Yes, lowfat yogurt should work fine, as long as it is plain Greek yogurt.
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Mariah M — Reply
Soooo yummy!! This recipe rocks and makes you feel like you’re eating healthy. I cooked my chicken via pot for about 11 minutes and it was perfect. These ingredients go really well together! Love this recipe!
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Shelb — Reply
Love this chicken salad recipe. ??
I always stuck to a recipe that my mom made with chicken breast, miracle whip, celery, granny smith apple (no skin) chopped into small cubes and yellow raisins. Occasionally we would throw in some pecans or walnuts depending what we had on hand.
It’s good to change things up and try new ingredients. Thank you for sharing this tasty recipe. -
Natasha Jones — Reply
I added some green 🍎 had to use mayonnaise instead of yogurt. We loved it!
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Yvonne — Reply
This was amazing! Love it!! I used cranberries instead of grapes and can’t beat it!
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Cheyenne — Reply
I love Chicken salad so when I was trying to find a healthy recipe for my family I stumbled across this recipe. I made it today and I was not disappointed! It was so good! It’s not super sweet like if you substituted dried cranberries instead of the grapes but I definitely recommend making this!
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Matt — Reply
very nice recipe! easy to do, quick and manageable. I added some thyme and dill seasoning, helped pick up some flavor! Went with just one but then added a little dill and was delicious!
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Bettie — Reply
U Recipe is so nice and simple affordable
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Lorraine Farrell — Reply
Delicious 😋
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