This delicious chicken salad with grapes and pecans is quick, delicious, and satisfying... A simple 6-ingredient recipe that makes the BEST chicken salad sandwich!
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Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans
Growing up, chicken salad wasn't really on my radar. I mean, we had plenty of other mayo-based salads, like tuna salad and egg salad, but never a chicken with mayo-style salad.
I was much older when I tried it for the first time at little restaurant near my dad's Lake Erie cottage.
This restaurant was well known for two things: the most amazing thick, hand cut French fries (seriously SO good!) and the very BEST chicken salad recipe. I totally fell in love with it!
No joke -- after trying it just once, I ordered their chicken grape salad croissant (with the fries, of course) nearly every time we visited. Oh, and they had the most drool-worthy homemade pies, too!
Yeah, I may have gained a few pounds that summer, LOL...
Best Recipe Chicken Salad
Anyhow, my chicken salad with grapes recipe is very similar to theirs. It's packed with all of my favorite ingredients: lots of juicy grapes for a touch of sweetness, a bit of crunchy celery, and plenty of roasted pecans.
The sweet red seedless grapes are balanced out by a simple 2-ingredient creamy dressing which is seasoned with just salt and pepper. This is a classic chicken salad that's sure to be a new favorite!
Pro Tip: Extra Flavorful Nuts
Roasting nuts is one of my favorite ways to add extra flavor to any recipe. Making your own roasted chopped pecans using whole pecans is the best way to dress up any classic recipe.
Plus you'll also save some money by making them yourself! Learn how to toast nuts in your oven, or you can also toast pecans in your microwave.
Lightened Up Chicken Salad Hack
This creamy chicken salad has ALL of the summery flavor that I crave, while staying more on the better-for-you end of the spectrum. All thanks to an easy little hack...
I'm really not a huge fan of mayonnaise, so I use a half-and-half mixture of mayo and plain Greek yogurt in the salad dressing. This simple hack lightens up the dressing a bit, while adding a slight tang. Not to mention it's a great way to add a little extra protein!
I highly encourage you to try it -- I promise, you won't even miss the full-on mayo.
Easy Canned Chicken Salad Recipe
Whether we're talking cookouts, pool parties, or baby showers, this chicken grape salad is a great recipe for feeding a hungry crowd all summer long! Especially when you use my simple recipe that makes 12 servings in almost no time at all.
My secret? Member's Mark canned chicken breast from Sam's Club! Making this chicken salad with canned chicken cuts down on the meal prep time a ton.
AND your salad will still be just as delicious as if you spent the time cooking your own chicken. High quality canned chicken breasts are hard to come by, and this one has great flavor and texture at a budget-friendly price.
You could also make this recipe with a rotisserie chicken (as well as poached or baked chicken breasts), if you're willing to spend a few minutes shredding it.
Not sure how to remove the chicken from the bones and/or shred it? I actually have a post with some useful tips on how to shred a rotisserie chicken that you can check out!
Hint #1: shred it while it's still warm…
Best Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe
This easy chicken salad recipe with grapes makes a BIG batch, which is perfect for our larger family (or when you're hosting guests). But even if you're not feeding an army, this recipe only gets better as it chills.
It's just as tasty the next day, as it is when it's fresh. And it's super versatile, so it definitely won't go to waste!
For example, this chicken grape salad makes for a delicious meal when served as chicken salad sandwiches on croissants. My kids love (like really LOVE) the big, fluffy croissants from Sam's Club, so I grabbed a big tray of them.
At under $6 for 12 giant rolls, they're an excellent value. And they're SO good piled high with this simple chicken salad recipe. I should have probably snagged two trays, because they don't last long around here...
Another super easy meal idea for quick lunches is to serve it on a bed of lettuce. Or you could even fill some larger lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps.
I also love it on this rye swirl sandwich bread that I find occasionally -- lightly toasted for a bit of extra texture. And I'm totally not above eating it straight out of the container, either...
What to serve with chicken salad?
This recipe is very filling, so we typically keep our sides easy and minimal. We just purchase a large bunch of grapes and serve what we don't use in the salad alongside of our sandwich.
Another simple option is pretzel chips. They're always a great addition to sandwiches, and you can grab a huge bag of them for a steal at Sam's Club. I'm ALL about no-cook summer meals made simple, and this is about as easy as it gets!
Need something a little more hearty to round out your meal? A pasta salad is always a good choice! Try this delicious lemony orzo salad or this old fashioned macaroni salad.
Chicken Salad With Grapes And Pecans
Helpful Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 (15-ounce) cans canned chicken breast drained
- 2 medium celery stalks
- 1 cup roasted pecans chopped
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cups seedless red grapes diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large glass bowl, shred the drained canned chicken with two forks.
- Add the celery, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, roasted pecans (see: How To Toast Nuts), salt, and pepper, and mix well to combine. Gently fold in the diced grapes.
- Serve on croissants, toasted bread, crackers, or lettuce, as desired.
Tips & Suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't see your question listed here? Leave a comment below and I will respond ASAP!
Chicken salad can sit out for about 2 hours at room temperature below 90°F. On a hot summer day, the time is reduced to just one hour.
Chicken salad that is properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator will last for 3 to 5 days.
Freezing mayo-based dressings causes the emulsion to break down and to separate upon thawing, so I would not recommend freezing this chicken salad recipe.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
If you like this chicken salad recipe, you might also enjoy these other easy chicken recipes!
Made with canned chicken:
Made with shredded rotisserie chicken:
Did you make this recipe?
I'd love to see how your chicken salad turns out... Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check it out. Enjoy!
Sandy Lee says
I love this but I admit having tweaked it a bit. I halved recipe, added teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon curry spice , only used mayo, no yogurt, half squeezed lemon juice and rotisserie chicken. Everyone loves it but probably has more calories I'm sure. Added no salt or pepper because of the soy sauce.
Tara Kuczykowski says
This sounds great — thanks for sharing!
Kimberly A Fluck says
Delicious and so easy. I made just 1/3 the recipe with one can of chicken. Great recipe for hot weather.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Great idea for a quick lunch! So glad you enjoyed it.
Mauricio Martinez says
I even roasted the pecans and added red onion. My wife and daughters love this recipe, thanks for sharing it!
Cortney says
Delicious!!! Will definitely be making again!! I didn’t put any kind of nuts in mine, though. I added a Fuji apple instead and it was so refreshing!! I also used ONLY miracle whip dressing and omitted the Greek yogurt. I made criossants to make sandwiches with and I had soft tortilla shells to make wraps with as well. Everyone in my family LOVED it! I will add this to my rotation for sure!
Cortney says
I made this for my family tonight! I used red grapes, a Fuji apple celery, and miracle whip by itself instead of adding the Greek yogurt. I made some crescent rolls and had some soft tortilla shells too. Will definitely make this again!! (Also, to make it a bit easier, aside from buying a rotisserie chicken, I cooked my chicken in my instant pot and then used my hand mixer to shred the chicken!)
Jackie says
Want to ask about using also some pineapple in it also?
Or instead of mayo, the salad dressing?
Thank you
Tara Kuczykowski says
Sure, both would be good substitutions!
Mary says
I tried this recipe today. Used Swanson canned chicken that I normally use. did 3/4c each real mayo (Dukes) and Fage plain greek yogurt. Pine nuts for the nuts and lots of grapes cut into 1/4s. Replicates our Panera chicken salad as well. Best yet.
Tara Kuczykowski says
So happy you loved it, Mary! Duke's and Fage 5% are my go-tos, as well. Pine nuts sound amazing!
AmyT says
I'm looking forward to making the Chicken salad with pecans and grapes, but.... Since I'm not a big fan of canned chicken, and would like to do this with rotisserie chicken... have you tried that and do you have any great insights?? Thanks Tara. I'm new to unsophisticook and really enjoying it so far.
Tara Kuczykowski says
So happy to have you here, Amy! You could definitely make this with rotisserie chicken. I would just try to remove as many pieces of skin and fatty bits as possible. Hope you love it!!
Ray says
We made with our leftover thanksgiving turkey. Added tarragon....yummy!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Oh, I love this idea! And tarragon sounds perfect with it.
Ashley says
I eat at this restaurant once a week. I was looking for a recipe because I need to be able to make it at home to save a little money. I going to take out the nuts (allergic) and add an apple to replace the crunch.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hope you love it, Ashley! Apples would be a great substitute for nuts to add crunch.
Jennifer says
We must be thinking alike! I make this the same way and I also added a granny Smith apple finely diced to the mix! Was so yummy and I am thinking about adding a handful of cranberries for some extra tart as well. Funny enough I am drinking lemonade too haha I enjoyed your post and appreciate fast easy meals when I can do them!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Love these ideas, Jennifer! I'm going to try adding some green apple and cranberries next time I make it.
Emma says
This looks so good!!! I'll take mine with a side of fries too!
Dannii says
I love the idea of grapes and peanut in the salad to add lots of extra flavour.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
Love chicken salad and this one with the crunch of pecans and sweet grapes sounds delicious!
Pam Greer says
Oh my goodness, so many good tips for making chicken salad! I don't know why I don't use pecans in mine! I also need to try it with canned chicken and definitely some of that yummy lemonade.
Carmella says
I am so scared of canned chicken, I have to admit LOL. My sister in law made chicken salad with grapes in it once and I loved that burst of freshness. This looks so yummy on the croissant.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Nothing to be scared of! Especially with the Member's Mark brand -- it's super high quality. I think once you try it, you'll love how easy it is to use in a variety of recipes!
Emily R Hill says
I love chicken salad that has grapes and pecans! It makes for the best flavor!
Toni says
It was a huge hit in my house! So easy and so good!
Toni says
I really loved how easy and tasty it is! Thanks for the recipe!
lauren kelly says
Whoa I love that you added grapes and pecans! YUM!
Cheryl says
I've been looking for a delicious chicken salad recipe with grapes!! Thanks for sharing!
Heather says
Love the crunch of the roasted pecans in this recipe!
Robin Gagnon says
Such a great way to supe up canned chicken!
Aimee Shugarman says
This is my favorite chicken salad recipe! So good. Now I just need to try that lemonade!
Mindy says
I had chicken salad for the first time EVER two days ago and thought I’d try to make it at home for the bf and I. This is the recipe that looked the simplest so thought I’d try it however, I tweeted a few things. I used rotisserie chicken, left out the celery, since my bf and I aren’t fans and it was STILL fantastic! (I think the crunch of the pecans was my favorite part.) Oh and I tried toasting the pecans for five min like the recipe said...NOT a good idea. I dropped it to 350 for three min and it was perfect! Def gonna be a recipe I’ll make again!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
So happy to hear that, Mindy! Yeah, nuts can be a little finicky. It depends a lot on their size and varies by type, too. It's definitely a good idea to keep a close eye on them. My basic rule of thumb is when I can smell them, they're done.
Mindy says
I had chicken salad for the first time EVER two days ago and thought I’d try to make it at home for the bf and I. This is the recipe that looked the simplest so thought I’d try it however, I tweeted a few things. I used rotisserie chicken, left out the celery, since my bf and I aren’t fans and it was STILL fantastic! (I think the crunch of the pecans was my favorite part.) Oh and I tried toasting the pecans for five min like the recipe said...NOT a good idea. I dropped it to 350 for three min and it was perfect! Def gonna be a recipe I’ll make again!
Nicole says
Too heavy on the mayo but otherwise good!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Thanks, Nicole! You can easily cut back on the mayo and/or the Greek yogurt to fit your tastes. Try reducing each to a half cup and see if that works better for you.
Nicole says
Too heavy on the mayo but otherwise good!
Hope says
What flavor Greek yogurt did you use?
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Hi Hope! I just used the plain variety.