Creamy Classic Chicken Salad

Tender chicken, crisp celery, sweet grapes, and crunchy nuts folded into a creamy, lightly tangy dressing. It’s perfect for sandwiches, lettuce wraps, crackers, or a quick lunch.Servings: 4–6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes if cooking the chicken
Chill time: 30 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour

Ingredients

Chicken Salad

• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• ½ cup celery, finely diced
• ½ cup red or green grapes, halved
• ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
• ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh dill, optional

Creamy Dressing

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Prepare the chicken

You can use leftover roasted chicken, rotisserie chicken, or freshly cooked chicken breasts.

For homemade poached chicken:

1. Place chicken breasts in a saucepan.
2. Cover with water or chicken broth.
3. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for approximately 12–15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internally.
6. Remove and cool completely.
7. Dice or shred.

Don’t overcook the chicken or the salad can become dry.

2. Prepare the vegetables and fruit

Dice the celery and red onion.

Cut the grapes in half.

Chop the pecans or walnuts.

Add everything to a large mixing bowl.

3. Make the dressing

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

• Mayonnaise
• Greek yogurt
• Dijon mustard
• Lemon juice
• Honey
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Salt
• Black pepper

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

For a tangier salad, add another teaspoon of lemon juice.

4. Combine everything

Add the cooled chicken to the vegetable mixture.

Pour the dressing over everything.

Gently fold together until the chicken is evenly coated.

Don’t stir too aggressively or the grapes can break apart.

5. Chill

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

An hour is even better because the flavors have time to blend.

Before serving, give it a quick stir.

Classic Chicken Salad Sandwich

Spoon the chicken salad onto:

• Croissants
• Sourdough
• Whole-grain bread
• Brioche
• Toasted English muffins

Add crisp lettuce and thinly sliced tomato.

For extra crunch, add cucumber slices.

Healthy Chicken Salad

Replace most or all of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.

Use:

• ¾ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey

Add extra celery and fresh herbs.

Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

Replace the grapes with 1 crisp apple, diced into small pieces.

Use walnuts instead of pecans.

Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon to the dressing for a subtle sweet-spiced flavor.

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

Add:

• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Reduce or omit the grapes.

A little orange zest in the dressing is delicious with the cranberries.

Curry Chicken Salad

Add:

• 1–2 teaspoons curry powder
• ¼ cup raisins
• ¼ cup chopped cashews

Replace some of the grapes with diced mango or apple.

The curry gives the creamy dressing a warm, savory flavor.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Replace half of the mayonnaise with mashed avocado.

Add:

• Fresh lime juice
• Cilantro
• Diced cucumber
• A pinch of cumin

This version is especially good in lettuce cups.

How to Make It Extra Creamy

For a richer chicken salad, increase the dressing to:

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt

Add the dressing gradually rather than all at once.

You can always add more, but it’s difficult to fix chicken salad that’s become overly wet.

How to Make It Extra Crunchy

Add:

• Celery
• Toasted pecans
• Cucumber
• Sunflower seeds
• Chopped almonds

For the best texture, add toasted nuts just before serving.

Storage

Keep chicken salad refrigerated in an airtight container.

Use within 3–4 days.

Don’t leave it sitting at room temperature for extended periods.

Best tip

Chill the cooked chicken completely before mixing the salad. Warm chicken can make the dressing oily and watery. For the best flavor, let the finished chicken salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.