This delicious Chicken Salad with chicken, mayonnaise, grapes, and pecans can be assembled in just minutes and chilled ahead of time for a delicious summer lunch or picnic!
I’m not sure if it’s a Southern thing or not but I love anything with the word “salad” behind it: egg salad, potato salad, pasta salad-and of course-chicken salad! And like all those other salad recipes I love, chicken salad seems to be such a subjective thing.
There are thousands of different chicken salad recipes out there and I particularly like to experiment with new combinations-my current favorite is this grape and pecan chicken salad recipe that has been my go-to weekend lunch lately!
Why I Love This Chicken Salad Recipe
I’m not a fan of celery which is included in a lot of chicken salad recipes. To substitute the crunch I add pecans. This perfectly balances out the sweetness of the grapes. The result is a flavorful chicken salad perfect for lunch!
How to Serve Chicken Salad
There are so many different ways to serve chicken salad! Popular options are over salad greens, on a croissant or baguette, even over tomato slices.
Can I Freeze Chicken Salad?
I do not recommend freezing chicken salad or most any food made with mayonnaise, as it can separate when frozen. As an alternative, you could freeze just your shredded chicken then assemble the salad after thawing. The recipe mixes up very fast!
How Long Does Chicken Salad Last?
Chicken Salad will last 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Never leave the salad out of the fridge for more than 90 minutes at a time for food safety reasons.
{See this post for a quick how-to on the easiest way to cook and shred chicken}
How to Make Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad is the easiest recipe ever, you can whip it up in just minutes. Simply combine shredded chicken with Mrs. Dash seasoning, garlic powder, a pinch of salt, mayonnaise, grapes and pecan chips. Mix it well and let it refrigerate an hour or two to let the flavors blend, it’s that easy!
Expert Tips
- Experiment with switching out the grapes for raisins, chopped apple, or even blueberries.
- The pecans can be substituted with other nuts such as cashews, walnuts, or almonds.
- Use canned chicken or rotisserie chicken if you do not have time to cook and shred the chicken yourself.
You might also enjoy these make-ahead summer tarts, my Southern Collard Greens Recipe or my favorite potato salad recipe to round out your summer menu! And for a different take on this recipe, check out this Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad or Grandma’s Secret Ingredient Chicken Salad from Shaken Together.
If you’ve tried this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see more delicious recipes and life updates.
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This delicious Chicken Salad with chicken, mayonnaise, grapes, and pecans can be assembled in just minutes and chilled ahead of time for a delicious summer lunch or picnic!
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken (about two cooked chicken breasts)
- 2/3 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon original Mrs. Dash seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup quartered black or red grapes
- 1/3 cup pecan chips (in baking aisle)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine chicken, mayonnaise, and seasonings.
- Add grapes and pecans.
- Chill for at least 1-2 hours before serving for ideal flavor.
Notes
- Experiment with switching out the grapes for raisins, chopped apple, or even blueberries.
- The pecans can be substituted with other nuts such as cashews, walnuts, or almonds.
- Use canned chicken or rotisserie chicken if you do not have time to cook and shred the chicken yourself.
Keywords: chicken salad
This recipe was originally published in May of 2016 and updated July 2019 with new photos and answers to reader questions.
anne says
wow I really loved this, thanks for this fun variation!
★★★★★
Melissa says
Delicious!
★★★★★
Patti says
This is the recipe that I use. Definitely a splurge, but OHHH so good!
16 oz Cheddar Cheese, sharp, grated
8 oz cream cheese
1¼ cup mayonnaise
4 oz pimentos
½ cup sour cream
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tsp hot pepper sauce (I use Tabasco)
Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature. Pour the pimentos and their juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the sour cream and mayo and mix thoroughly with a fork. Add the pepper sauce, salt and pepper to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Add the cheddar and cream cheese and mix until thoroughly combined. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Freshly grated cheese is far superior to packaged! The cheese spread will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks—which is much longer than it will last.
Melissa says
Oh that sounds good! I’ll have to try it!! Can I share it here if I do make it? (It’s okay if you don’t want me to post it but it sounds delicious and I bet a lot of people would like it!)
Patti says
Of course, you can share it if you like! :o) Oh, and I made your chicken salad. We just loved it! On another note, please thank your husband for his service. And thank you for your service, too. My son is also an Army guy. I know how hard deployments are on this end, both while they’re gone and sometimes even when they get back. My heart goes out to you and your family.
Melissa says
Thank you Patti-I can’t wait to try it!
Kelly says
Are you in the south? 🙂 I need a recipe for sweet tea and one for pimento cheese! My mother who is from North Carolina is turning 90 in July. She is always upset that California (where we are now) doesn’t serve sweet tea and pimento cheese can’t be found anywhere. For her birthday I want to serve pimento cheese sandwiches and sweet tea. But you might be right about the south and their “salads”. I also plan to serve egg salad, chicken salad, ham salad tea sandwiches and maybe some potato salad or “slaw” ~ Kelly in CA
Melissa says
Kelly-I’m from Charleston, SC and yes, I grew up on sweet tea and pimento cheese! I don’t drink sweet tea anymore (I’m hypoglycemic) but when I did I would brew 3 family size tea bags in two cups of water for about 3 minutes in the microwave, let it seep about 5 minutes, then combine with 1 cup of sugar and water to fill a gallon. {that’s the way my family members made it} As far as pimento cheese, let me comb through my books and see if I can perfect a recipe for you before your Mom’s B-day! I’ll message you back when I post it or at the least mail you one of my favorite recipes!
Linda says
Love this recipe! When is the big move taking place? I hope you’ll continue to share recipes from across the pond! I’ve printed off many of them for use at home. Thanks Melissa!!
Melissa says
Hey Linda, we *think* we’ll be moving in early July but the Army has a way of changing things up so that’s just a hopeful assumption! I will definitely keep sharing once we move-there may end up being a lull for a while while our things are actually being shipped but if so I can try to fill that with travel pictures and new foods I’m trying! I’m excited to learn new recipes to share with you!
Joanne Raynow says
Your chicken salad recipe sounds delicious, but how in the world do I print it. Don’t see a print button anywhere. Tks Jo
Melissa says
I just updated the post with a printable recipe Joanne-thank you, I forgot to add it when I wrote the post. Please let me know if you have any problems with it!
~melissa
Jeanie says
This looks and sounds delicious!!!
Melissa says
Thank you Jeanie!