Summer is the perfect time for chicken salad with grapes recipe. This recipe is easy to make and so delicious. You are just 6 ingredients away from a delicious meal. You’ll love the combination of flavors. Plus, it’s perfect for a quick and healthy meal too.

It’s my favorite homemade chicken salad recipe it’s the perfect mix of savory and sweet. You can have a lunch ready for work or the family in no time.

Did you know I never had this growing up? The first time I enjoyed this delicious chicken salad was in a restaurant. It was in a croissant and loaded with juicy grapes.

Make Ahead Potluck and Party Salad

It was years later that I realized how easy it was to make this creamy chicken salad. Since then, I have made this for and enjoyed this dish at baby showers, bridal showers, game day, and brunch. Of course, my daughter and I make this often an easy meal. One of our favorite ways to enjoy this is for quick lunches.

In fact, it is best to make this the day before. The flavors have a chance to meld together and the next day, it tastes even better.

Easy Recipe for Leftover Chicken

This dish is a great way to use up leftover chicken. Sometimes I purchase a rotisserie chicken just to make a big batch of this. When I am at the store and find canned chicken on sale in a grocery store, I purchase quite a few cans as it works well for this salad too.

Why This Recipe Works.

Use cooked chicken diced or shredded for the protein. I like to use cooked chicken breast or even precooked rotisserie chicken for this recipe.

The sweet red seedless grapes are balanced out by a creamy dressing seasoned with salt and pepper. There is a crunch from the celery.

If you enjoy yours with roasted pecans or roasted walnuts this adds a delicious nutty flavor and crunchiness to the salad.

Turn this into a pasta salad by just mixing in some cooked pasta. Delicious for a potluck or a summer BBQ.

Ingredients in Chicken Salad Recipe with Grapes and Variations to the Recipe

Chicken. This is a perfect recipe for leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or grilled chicken. While the breast meat is most often used for this recipe, both the dark and white meat will work. If you do not have already cooked chicken, you can prepare your own chicken by frying, poaching, baking, or microwaving. Just let cool to the touch before dicing or shredding.

Add-ins. This recipe uses celery for crunch. However, there are a few other add-ins that result in a delicious variation of the classic chicken salad recipe. Here are a few of my favorite.

Green onions. This adds a bit of heat and additional crunch and flavor

Nuts. A variety of nuts work well in this recipe, pecans, walnuts, almond slivers and sliced almonds, pistachios, sunflower seed, and sesame seed.

Veggies. Finely slice or Julianne carrots or other vegetables. They add more flavor and texture.

Fruits. This recipe uses fresh seedless sweet grapes. I like the red best; however, you can use sliced green grapes too. Dried fruits are a quick and easy addition, dried cranberries, dried raisins, sliced avocado, diced apples pair well in this salad. They add just the right touch of sweetness to this dish.

Fresh Herbs. Add a few teaspoons of fresh dill or fresh parsley finely diced.

Salad Dressing. Mayonnaise is simply flavored with salt and pepper. I have used Miracle Whip in place of the mayonnaise. You can also use half sour cream for this recipe.

Lighten up the Mayonnaise

This recipe uses mayonnaise. However, I have found that a mixture of half mayo and half plain Greek yogurt to work well as a salad dressing. It makes this recipe just a more of a healthy chicken salad while still maintaining that slight tang flavor.

How to Serve Chicken Salad?

Serve on bread, croissants, toasted bread, crackers. Serve on a bed of lettuce as a salad without the need for additional salad dressing. It has all the extra flavor already. I do like a few tomato slices though. Use in lettuce wraps or flour wraps. Refrigerate if not using right away.

If serving this at a party, I like to place a container on the counter with ice, then place the container of the salad on top of that. The ice will help keep it chilled and safe to eat while sitting out on the counter at room temperature.

However, due to the mayonnaise and other ingredients, it should be tossed if it is left out for more than 2 hours. Bacterial growth can happen quickly and on a hot summer day, very fast. You don’t’ give your guests food poisoning as an unwanted party favor.

How long does chicken salad last in the fridge?

This is a perishable food and it should be refrigerated. Shelf life of chicken salad is 3 to 5 days.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, for best quality of your chicken salad will last 3 to 5 days when stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 40 degrees or lower.

The best way to store is to place in a sealed container such as plastic bag, airtight container, or bowl covered with plastic wrap.

How to tell if chicken salad is bad?

When the chicken salad develops a strong off odor, unpleasant odor, rotten smell, has turned brownish grey in color, or has developed a layer of slimy texture or mold, it is bad. If you notice any of these things upon examination, it is a good idea to discard. Do not taste to be sure.

Can you freeze chicken salad?

Yes, you can freeze chicken salad. However, if you do plan on freezing chicken salad, do so from the start. Any food should not be left out over 2 hours for food safety and this is a good rule of thumb whether it is a tuna salad, chicken, salad or any other leftover salad.

Therefore, if you plan on freezing It, go ahead and make a batch and freeze right away or refrigerate before freezing. It will last up to three months in the freezer. However, it’s often recommended that you try to eat it within a month.

Make sure to place in an airtight container. Pro Tips. If you are using a plastic freezer bag; push down on the bag to remove the excess air. With airtight containers, you do not need to worry about this step.

Label with the contents, and date before freezing.

Can you freeze chicken salad made with Greek yogurt?

While you can freeze chicken salad with Greek yogurt, the texture will change. The yogurt will separate a bit after thawing. This can cause it to become watery or have a grainy type of texture. It is safe to eat but may not be very pleasant.

I have found that freezing for two months or less has the best results. It seems the longer it is frozen, the greater the change in texture as it almost seems to get freezer burn.

Can you freeze chicken salad with mayonnaise?

You can freeze the chicken salad; it will be safe to eat. However, any amount of mayonnaise till separate upon thawing due to the the fat and liquid high moisture content. You will end up with a rather oily salad and the texture will just be off.

Just like the chicken salad made with Greek yogurt, the texture will change and while the food is safe to eat, it is just unpleasant.

How to thaw chicken salad?

For food safety, thaw in the refrigerator. It will take a couple of days to thaw this way. If you notice some liquids have formed, pour the liquid out. To make this taste a bit fresher, add some fresh crunchy nuts or vegetables, or thin sliced green onions.

What to serve with chicken salad?

While we put grapes in our salad, we sometimes like to have even more so we will have some of the extra fresh grapes ready to eat with this sandwich.

Potato chips are a great simple side.

We love this potato salad, our homemade French fries, or pickled beets with this sandwich.

Love Chicken Salad?

If you love this best chicken salad recipe, you should try this Ultimate Chicken Salad with Avocado Salad Dressing.

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