This chicken salad with grapes is fresh and flavorful, and it’s one of my go-to high-protein lunches! It’s perfectly balanced and truly my favorite version of chicken salad. It consists of sweet grapes, crunchy onion and celery, fresh basil and parsley, and a little red wine vinegar to combine all the flavors!
Growing up, I wasn’t a huge fan of chicken salad. My mom made it quite a bit for lunches, but it wasn’t until I was older that I found a true appreciation for it. I soon discovered what I liked in my chicken salad and what I didn’t like. Over time, it’s developed into this delicious and fresh recipe that has become a favorite of Drew and I’s favorite for a ready-to-go lunch!
You’ll find all the good stuff in this, a little sweetness from the grapes, bright pops of fresh herbs, and crunchy textures! We also bake the chicken to get the best texture and juicy flavor.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients and extra notes on each one. Use the recipe card below for the complete list and exact ingredient measurements!
Chicken breasts: we’re using cooked chicken breasts that have been baked, but you can also poach them.
Mayonnaise: This adds a creamy base to the whole salad. I like to use mayo with avocado oil, but you can use your favorite brand!
Celery: for crunch and a little vegetables!
Red onion: For more crunch and added flavor, I like to soak the diced onions in water for several minutes before I add them to the salad. This helps remove a spicy onion bite, so they’re a little more mild in flavor.
Grapes: either red or green grapes (seedless) for a beautiful bright pop of sweetness! Seriously, they make this chicken salad.
Red wine vinegar: the vinegar brings acidity to the whole salad, and I find it’s an important ingredient, so don’t skip it!
Dijon mustard: the dijon adds a little tang to the salad that balances out the flavors.
Herbs: I love the combination of using both fresh basil and parsley in this salad! Terragon is a popular choice, but I’m not a huge fan, although you’re welcome to add it instead of one of the herbs I included.
How to Make it
Tips for Success
Use a thermometer for the chicken. To eliminate any guessing, I always recommend using a meat thermometer to accurately determine when the chicken is fully cooked (unless you are using pre-cooked chicken). Always check the thicker parts of the chicken since those areas take the longest to cook.
Add the chicken when it’s lukewarm, not cold. This might surprise those who think cold chicken is the way to go, but I find cold chicken has firmed up quite a bit, and it doesn’t absorb the flavors of the dressing as nicely. Instead, I recommend letting the chicken cool to a lukewarm temperature and then folding it into the chicken salad ingredients!
Different ways to cook the chicken. I personally like to use baked or roasted chicken breasts for chicken salad because I find it yields a much more moist and juicy chicken than any other method. A lot of people like to poach the chicken, and you can, I just find it involves a lot more prep than baking. Growing up, my mom often used rotisserie chicken for chicken salads, which is always a great option too!
Types of chicken you can use. For the chicken, I like to use chicken breasts that have been baked. You can also poach the chicken, leftover roast chicken, or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken like my mom always did growing up.
Other ingredients you can add. Chicken salad can be so versatile, for crunch and sweetness you can add diced apples. Instead of red onion you can swap for green onion, or add additional herbs like tarragon which is very common in chicken salad. Add toasted nuts, or even raisins for more texture and flavor!
Cut the chicken however you like. I’ve noticed it’s a personal preference how people like to cut up their chicken for salad. I personally like diced pieces that aren’t too small or too big. But if you’d like it to be smaller, you can shred the chicken or finely mince the pieces with a chef knife.
Ways to Serve it
Lettuce wraps – For a low-carb option, I love to serve this on lettuce cups using either butter or romaine lettuce.
Toast/bread – Drew typically serves this on toasted bread or sourdough, you can use any bread you like.
Crossaint – a traditional way to serve chicken salad is on a buttery pastry like Crossaint.
Chicken Salad with Grapes & Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts you can use bone-in with skin or boneless and skinless breasts
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 3 Tablespoons diced red onion Soaked in water for several minutes to remove the bite of onion flavor
- 1 cup red or green grapes, cut into fourths
- salt & black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Bake the chicken: on a sheet pan, drizzle the chicken breast with olive oil and brush, or rub the oil evenly on both sides. Then, sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken. Bake, uncovered, for 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the chicken is 165F/75C.
- Prep the add-ins: While the chicken bakes mix the mayo, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and fresh herbs with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper in a large bowl.
- Remove the chicken and let it mostly cool: Once the chicken is finished in the oven, remove it and let it cool (you can cut it into bigger diced pieces to speed this process up).
- Mix all the ingredients together: once the chicken temperature is lukewarm, add it to the mayo mixture with the red onions (drained of water), celery, and grapes. Mix until completely incorporated, then season with additional salt & pepper until the flavor is right. Then serve right away or chill!
I really love to enjoy this delicious dish after doing flood damage repair. It was really delicious and well looked.
My wife loves your recipes so therefore I make them. Instead of baking the chicken, I fried them in a stainless steel frying pan over low heat. Still came out delicious. Another great recipe!!
Chuck, that truly means so much you and your wife enjoy the recipes I share! I take that to heart. And so glad you liked this chicken salad – hey I’m sure pan frying the chicken was a delicious variation! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing.