I just made a huge batch of my favorite chicken salad, and as much as I want to make sandwiches out of the BEST Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts for the rest of the week, I’m not sure it’s going to last as I keep visiting the refrigerator for spoonfuls of it. It has the PERFECT sweet/salty flavor, with a wonderful crunchy texture and might just be the most perfect chicken salad in the world.
This chicken salad recipe was inspired by a sandwich at Galaxy Cafe in Austin, and includes grapes, celery, and walnuts. It’s simple, and easy to make in bulk on the weekend so you can have sandwiches or lettuce wraps (or spoonfuls) all week. It’s the perfect weekend meal prep recipe.
Sometimes, I substitute sour cream for mayo, like in homemade ranch dressing. For this chicken salad, you can use mayo, sour cream, or a mixture of both.
How to make chicken salad with grapes
You will need about 1 pound of cooked chicken. I sometimes grill mine on my cast iron grill by brushing with olive oil and adding salt and pepper to each side. This time, I just used leftover rotisserie chicken from the store.
You can use leftover roast chicken, slow cooker whole chicken, poached chicken breasts, or whatever cooked chicken meat you have. You can even use canned chicken in a pinch!
Here’s a tip: shred the chicken. Don’t chop, shred. I used two forks to do this.
When you shred it, there is more surface for the sauce to stick to, and it will stay in your sandwich better without falling out the sides as much. Physics, people.
- Add to the bowl 2/3 cup of mayo or sour cream, or 1/3 cup of each. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add some fresh parsley, and mix.
- Add the shredded chicken to the bowl and mix well.
- Quarter some red grapes and slice some celery very thinly. Add them to a large bowl, along with some chopped walnuts and red onions.
- Mix together, and you’re done!
Variations
- Try adding other fruit, like apples, or other nuts, like almonds or pecans. It’s super versatile!
- I love the parsley in this, but it would be great with other herbs like mint or dill.
- Serve it on bread, or try on lettuce wraps for a low-carb version, or simply served on a bed of greens. I also love eating it for a snack with crackers straight out of the fridge!
Go ahead, try a spoonful. Or 7.
This recipe makes a bulk batch of chicken salad with grapes and walnuts, which is enough for 6-8 sandwiches. Elizabeth-sized sandwiches. I don’t mess around.
If you want less, adjust the ingredients accordingly :-)
Other Chicken Salad Recipes
- Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado
- Curried Chicken Salad with Apples and Raisins
- Apricot Chicken Salad with Dill
- Tzatziki Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt
Did you make this chicken salad with grapes recipe? Please click the stars below to comment and Rate this Recipe
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded (such as rotisserie)
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup red grapes quartered or halved, depending on size
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus more if needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise (2/3 cup), salt (1/2 teaspoon), black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and fresh chopped parsley (2 tablespoons).
- Add the shredded chicken (2 cups), halved or quartered grapes (1/2 cup), diced celery (1/2 cup), chopped walnuts (1/4 cup), and diced red onion (1/4 cup). Stir well to combine.
- Serve on sandwiches with toasted bread, on lettuce wraps, or on top of a green salad.
Notes
- Walnut substitution: Not a fan of walnuts? You can use slivered or sliced almonds, or chopped pecans, instead. For a nut-free version, use sunflower seeds in place of the walnuts, so you still have that awesome crunch.
- For a mayo-free version, try sour cream or Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
- Mix it up! Fruits are great in chicken salad- try using dried apricots, chopped apples, or even strawberries in place of the grapes.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days.
JenKi
Delicious! I love anything with nuts so I was excited about trying this recipe. I found it a tiny bit salty for my taste (could be the brand of mayo I chose), so I added a little sour cream. Perfection. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Pat
I have been making chicken salad this way for years. It is a very old recipe and has been around for a long time.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Sometimes the old recipes are the best recipes!
Sharon E Wallace
I’ve often wondered about folks who ”like” a recipe because something special about it grabbed their attention. Then they ”make” it but add SO much to it that it doesn’t even closely resemble the original recipe anymore and then they post a ”review” about how they ”made” the same recipe. That being said, last night I made this recipe, this awesome chicken salad with red grapes and walnuts, as directed and without ANY changes or additions to pollute its originality . My Captain (my 40+ year spousal unit) who detests chicken salad with a childhood force-fed passion, pronounced this recipe will be his favorite. I answered ”Aye, aye Captain!” while secretly patting myself and you, Miss Elizabeth, on the back!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you and your “captain” liked it! :-)
T
This is exactly how I make it but my grandma always added curry powder to it. So I do and once u do u always will! Sounds weird but it does something to it and adds great flavor. Not too much just enough to taste it. Let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours to let the flavors really disperse.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I love adding curry powder to chicken salad! I like to use raisins and apples with curry powder chicken salad. Yum!
Tom
This is a great recipe and served in a pita or over a bed of greens is excellent. However, the calorie count is not correct. Although this is still a pretty healthy dish, the actual count per serving is closer to 400. There is almost 250 calories just in the mayo itself. Don’t let this keep you from making it though. I used a little less mayo and added some light ranch dressing in its place and it was still great. I am counting calories so these numbers matter to me. Great recipe! Thanks.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention! I use an automated system to calculate nutrition info with an API, and I’m not sure what went wrong when I ran it before, but I just did it again and it’s updated now. Good idea to use some ranch in place of the mayo, and also Greek yogurt is another good substitute if anyone is concerned about the calorie count. Thanks again and glad you liked it!
Kristen Kennedy
I just threw this together withh a leftover pan-fried chicken breast – absolutely DELICIOUS! Thank you!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Great way to use up your leftover chicken breast.
Patti Ritchie
I just made this Chicken Salad. Love it. Didn’t have the fresh parsley and my onion was a little strong. It is still exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! If you prefer less strong onion flavor, green onions are a great substitute.