This Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts makes for a healthy, satisfying and delicious lunch. Made with juicy chicken, sweet and juicy grapes, crunchy walnuts and more. The perfect balance of sweet and savory with a tangy and creamy dressing.
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
If you are looking for a quick yet healthy and satisfying lunch, look no further than this Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts. This chicken salad is so flavorful, filling and can be served in many different ways. Made with juicy and tender shredded chicken, sweet and juicy grapes, crunchy walnuts and more. The perfect balance of sweet and savory with a tangy and creamy dressing. Perfect chicken salad to meal prep for make-ahead lunches.
Ingredients needed to make Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts:
- Shredded chicken– Either cooked shredded chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Grapes– We prefer using red grapes, but green work too.
- Small red onion– or half of a large one.
- Celery– A staple in any chicken salad. Gives it a good crunch and adds flavor.
- Raw walnuts– Also gives a good crunch and adds protein.
- Mayo– or plain Greek yogurt for a lighter healthier option.
- Dijon mustard– Elevates the overall flavor of chicken salad.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest– Really helps bring out all the flavors.
- Pink sea salt and black pepper– Some seasoning.
Equipment needed to make Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts:
- Measuring cups and spoons– For measuring
- Large mixing bowl– This is where you will make dressing and toss all of the ingredients to make your chicken salad.
- Whisk– To whisk your dressing.
- Saran Wrap– To cover salad while it chills in the fridge.
How to make Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts:
- Step 1– Start by prepping your ingredients; Shred cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken and measure out 2 cups. Measure out 1 cup of grapes and half them lengthwise. Thinly dice a small red onion and thinly slice celery. Measure out 1/4 cup raw walnuts and finely chop.
- Step 2– In a large mixing bowl combine the ingredients for dressing; mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, pink sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until well blended and creamy and smooth consistency is reached.
- Step 3– Toss in all of your prepped salad ingredients into bowl with prepped dressing; shredded chicken, grapes, red onion, celery, and walnuts. Toss everything together making sure ingredients are well combined and coated with dressing.
- Step 4– Cover dressing with Saran Wrap and chill for 1 hour for best results.
- Step 5– Serve salad chilled. Enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Shred chicken for chicken salad– Instead of chopping it, shred your chicken. The dressing will stick better to shredded chicken than it does to chopped chicken. Also, shredded chicken serves better in a sandwich and in a salad.
- Chill salad before serving– This salad is so much more flavorful once it has chilled for at least 1 hour and the flavors have had some time to set in.
- Use any types of grapes– Regular red grapes are my go-to for this salad. You can also use green grapes, or even moon drop grapes.
- Substitute for mayo– Use plain Greek yogurt for a lighter and healthier option.
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts Variations:
This chicken salad with grapes and walnuts is super versatile. You can switch it up and make different variations of it. You can change up some of the ingredients to make it more to your liking.
- Try adding other fruit– Apples, blueberries or even pomegranate.
- Switch up your walnuts– Use other nuts like almonds or pecans.
- Add some fresh herbs– Fresh herbs add more flavor and make for a beautiful garnish. Fresh parsley or dill are great in this chicken salad.
- Add pickled onions– They’re so good in this salad.
How to serve Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts:
This chicken salad with grapes and walnuts can be served in many different ways. You can serve it over some sourdough toast or in-between two slices of bread to make a chicken salad sandwich. I love serving it over some arugula to add some greens. You can also serve it over some romaine lettuce to make lettuce wraps. Make a classic chicken salad wrap by serving it in a tortilla. You can even serve it with some almond flour crackers or crackers of choice as a quick and healthy snack.
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts FAQ’s:
Why do people put grapes in salad?
Grapes make a great addition to salads. They specially go great in chicken salads. They add so much flavor, sweetness and juiciness to compliment the rest of ingredients in a chicken salad.
How do you cut grapes for chicken salad?
We like cutting our grapes in half lengthwise to throw in our chicken salad. The dressing will stick to the grapes better if they are halved. It is also easier to serve the salad when the grapes are halved. Specially if serving as a sandwich.
What kind of cooked chicken to use for chicken salad:
You can either cook some chicken breasts and shred them to use for your chicken salad. Rotisserie chicken is also a great and easy option. You don’t have to cook it, all you have to do is shred it and toss it with the rest of the ingredients.
How long will chicken salad last in the fridge?
This chicken salad with grapes and walnuts will last 3-4 days in the fridge. If kept in an airtight container and chicken was cooked the same day, it can last up to 4-5 days.
Meal prepping it:
This chicken salad with grapes and walnuts is perfect for meal prep. Make it ahead for quick yet healthy and satisfying lunches for the week ahead. This salad is pretty versatile in how you can serve it in many different ways. So you won’t get bored having it for a few days in the same week.
How to store Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts:
To store your chicken salad, serve it in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 4-5 days. If you are using rotisserie chicken make sure that it was made the same day you are making the salad to make sure the chicken doesn’t go bad. If you are making the chicken yourself, make it the same day; or just keep the salad refrigerated for 3-4 days depending on how long the chicken has been cooked for.
Did you like this Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts recipe? You may also like these other salad recipes:
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
This Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts makes for a healthy, satisfying and delicious lunch. Made with juicy chicken, sweet and juicy grapes, crunchy walnuts and more. The perfect balance of sweet and savory with a tangy and creamy dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup grapes
- 1 small red onion (or half of a large one)
- 2 celery stalks
- 1/4 cup raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup mayo or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
-
Start by prepping your ingredients; Shred cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken and measure out 2 cups. Measure out 1 cup of grapes and half them lengthwise. Thinly dice a small red onion and thinly slice celery. Measure out 1/4 cup raw walnuts and finely chop.
-
In a large mixing bowl combine the ingredients for dressing; mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, pink sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until well blended and creamy and smooth consistency is reached.
-
Toss in all of your prepped salad ingredients into bowl with prepped dressing; shredded chicken, grapes, red onion, celery, and walnuts. Toss everything together making sure ingredients are well combined and coated with dressing.
-
Cover dressing with Saran Wrap and chill for 1 hour for best results.
-
Serve salad chilled. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
-
- Shred chicken for chicken salad– Instead of chopping it, shred your chicken. The dressing will stick better to shredded chicken than it does to chopped chicken. Also, shredded chicken serves better in a sandwich and in a salad.
- Chill salad before serving– This salad is so much more flavorful once it has chilled for at least 1 hour and the flavors have had some time to set in.
- Use any types of grapes– Regular red grapes are our go-to for this salad. You can also use green grapes, or even moon drop grapes.
- Substitute for mayo– Use plain Greek yogurt for a lighter and healthier option.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
