This creamy chicken salad is fresh, easy, and loaded with texture in every bite. It starts with a classic chicken salad base of tender chicken, crisp celery, red onion, and a simple creamy dressing, then gets a little extra sweetness and crunch from juicy grapes and toasted pecans. Serve it in croissants, sandwiches, lettuce cups, over greens, or with crackers for a quick lunch, light dinner, or meal prep.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Helpful Reader Review
“Another winner. I was looking for a summer dinner, this was perfect. I served it on a bed of spinach & lettuce. My husband had 2 servings. It was perfect the next day for lunch, we made into sandwiches. Thank you for sharing!!” – Cindy ★★★★★
Chicken Salad Video
This is my go-to creamy chicken salad recipe with a classic base of tender chicken, celery, onion, and a simple creamy dressing. Grapes and toasted pecans make it extra special, but they’re easy to leave out if you prefer a more traditional chicken salad. It’s perfect for sandwiches, croissants, lettuce cups, crackers, or meal prep.
Chicken Salad
I’ve tested so many chicken salads over the years, and this is the one my family always comes back to. We call it our “fancy” chicken salad because of the grapes and toasted pecans, but the base is simple, creamy, and classic. It’s easy to make ahead, pairs well with leftover Air Fryer Whole Chicken or rotisserie chicken, and always disappears fast.
If you love protein-packed salads, try my Chicken Avocado Salad, Autumn Chopped Chicken Salad, Cobb Salad, and Tuna Salad next.
Chicken Salad Ingredients
The main ingredients in this salad are simple, but each one adds flavor, texture, or freshness. There are plenty of easy swaps, so you can use what you have on hand.
- Chicken – Use 2 cooked and chilled chicken breasts, roast chicken, or rotisserie chicken. Dark or light meat chicken works. We prefer diced chicken for the best texture.
- Celery – Adds fresh crunch. If you don’t love celery, swap it with green apple, bell pepper, or seeded diced cucumber.
- Grapes – These add a sweet juiciness, making this feel like a classic chicken salad with grapes. Apples, pears, cranberries, or raisins also work.
- Pecans – Toast them for the best flavor. I love chicken salad with pecans, but walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, or pepitas also work.
- Red onion – Finely chop it so it doesn’t overpower the salad. For a milder flavor, use sweet onion, green onion, or chives.
My Go-to Chicken Salad Dressing
This is similar to the dressing from my popular Broccoli Apple Salad. It’s creamy, tangy, and fresh with mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and dill. Mayo gives it richness, sour cream keeps it from tasting heavy, and lemon brightens the whole salad. You can use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a lighter option.
Tips for the Best Chicken Salad
- Start with chilled chicken – Cold chicken holds the creamy dressing better. If the chicken is still warm, the dressing can loosen and make the salad watery.
- Dice the chicken instead of shredding it – I prefer diced chicken for this recipe because it gives the salad the best texture and keeps every bite hearty and fresh.
- Add the dressing to taste – Start with most of the dressing, toss, then add more if needed. Rotisserie chicken can be softer and more moist, while chicken breast can be a little drier.
- Toast the pecans – It only takes a few minutes, but it makes them crunchier and brings out their nutty flavor.
How to Make Chicken Salad
This easy chicken salad comes together so fast in one bowl, which is why it’s the ideal lunch option.
- Toast pecans in a dry skillet until fragrant, then cool and chop.
- Dice chilled cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. I prefer diced chicken over shredded chicken here because it gives the salad a better texture and keeps it from turning mushy. Halve the grapes, and chop the celery and onion.
- Make Dressing – Stir together the dressing ingredients and add it gradually to the salad, depending on how moist your chicken is. Gently stir to coat and serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve.
To Serve
Just like with a classic Tuna Salad, this can be served as a side salad, as meal prep for lunchboxes or as a main course:
- Over Mixed Greens or in Lettuce Cups for a lighter, gluten-free option.
- Chicken Salad Sandwiches – Try on Croissants, Pita Bread, or Sourdough Bread.
- Crackers for a quick snack – Sourdough Crackers, Ritz or Wheat Thins.
This creamy Chicken Salad is one of those easy lunch recipes you’ll want to keep on repeat. If you try a fun add-in or serving idea, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Chicken Salad Ingredients:
- 1 lb cooked chicken breast meat, 4 cups diced*
- 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
- 1 cup celery, (from 2-3 sticks celery), cut in half lengthwise then sliced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped (1/2 medium red onion)
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
Chicken Salad Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp dill, chives, or parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, tossing frequently, until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a cutting board, cool, then coarsely chop.
- Combine Salad Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, combine diced chicken, halved grapes, sliced celery, chopped onion, and cooled pecans.
- Make the Dressing – In a small bowl, add all of the dressing ingredients and stir to combine. Add the dressing to taste and stir until evenly coated. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours for the best flavor.
Notes
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, depending on how fresh the cooked chicken was when you started. Keep chilled until serving and don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Freezing: Freezing is not recommended since the creamy dressing can separate and the crunchy ingredients soften.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Lunch Ideas
- Taco Salad
- Egg Salad
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- Reuben Sandwich
- Philly Cheesesteak
- Chickpea Salad
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Sloppy Joes
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Italian Sandwich Recipe
Perfect! So fresh and healthy tasting! Just wondering if I can use this filler to make cut sandwiches for large party the night before the event (at 4pm the next day)?
I read that you say wait to serve. Just speaking for Moms with toddlers, I feel that it may not get done before party if I don’t do it the night ahead!
Hi Alison! I think that would be fine. But I’m not sure how the bread will hold up due to the moisture, it may become soggy.
Absolutely Love Your Recipes. I Like That You Had Many Options On Every Single Ingredients !! I Will Definitely Follow Your Other Recipes Well Written. Thanks, Doreen L.
Hi Doreen! That’s wonderful to hear. Thank you.
Also, just want to add that I will be decreasing the amount of dill since it can be overpowering and might taste weird to my family. I’m going to add just an 1/8 teaspoon instead of 2 tablespoons. That would be too much for us.
Hi Julie, fresh dill isn’t as overpowering as dried dill, but you can adjust to taste.
Making this today but I don’t have sour cream for the dressing. What can I use instead? I also don’t have Greek yogurt either. I also won’t be adding in red onions or any onions because I don’t like the taste. I hope it comes out well!
Hi Julie, the Greek yogurt would have been my suggestion. If you are looking for a non-creamy chicken salad, I think you would love our Chicken Avocado Salad instead.
Delicious! Refreshing meal in the heat of the (not yet) summer.
This has instantly become our favorite chicken salad. I totally agree, the celery adds such a nice crunch. Very Yummy!
I’m so glad you love it.
Very good! Love the sauce, all of the ingredients pair VERY well!!
Absolutely Delicious! I ate way more at one sitting than I needed to.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Really liked this recipe but found 2 TBSP of dill overpowering and I love dill. Next time I will decrease the amount of dill adding a little at a time as it cannot be removed once its in this salad. Maybe the dill I bought was more potent. I also only use organic grapes when in season as they are highly sprayed with toxic chemicals. This recipe can also put put into a tortilla wrap and cut in half for an easy lunch. Super delicious!
Hi there, yes you may add it little at a time until you get your preferred taste. I can sometimes depend on the dill that you have. I think it’s a great idea to put it in a tortilla wrap!
Most delicious chicken salad I ever had. I’m saving this recipe for life. Thank you!!
I’m making this today and am really excited to see how it turns out! Question…I’m using boneless skinless chicken breast, what’s the best way to prepare it? Thank you
Hi Julie, Boneless skinless sautéed chicken breasts would work here. I hope you love it.
Made it just as the recipe stated except I didn’t have grapes so I used Craisins. So delicious!! It was a hit with my friends!!
Awesome salad! So very tasty. I’ve made so many recipes from your site. All I have to say to my husband is “This is from Natasha” and he’s a happy camper. He’s a picky eater, but always eats everything I make from Natasha’s Kitchen! Thanks for sharing your tasty treats.
Awww that makes me smile! Thank you for sharing that with us, it helps inspire me to do more content and recipes!
This recipe is easy and delicious. I did not add grapes, and I substituted walnuts for the pecans. If you want extra crunch, add the nuts just before serving.
Haven’t even made the salad yet but can hardly wait to do so. You asked if anyone knew how to slice grapes quickly and efficiently, plus you can use this method for cherry tomatoes too. Just place the grapes in between two plastic tub lids, similar to the cottage cheese or sour cream containers, and slice the grapes with a sharp knife between the lids. Works like a charm. Let me know if you tried it and please be careful not to nick your fingers.
That’s a great tip! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Earlyne!
I made this last night with rotisserie chicken, Honeycrisp apples, pecans, celery and Vidalia onions. I also added two hard-boiled eggs. The dressing was great. Nice and light. The salad was a huge hit! Will definitely be a regular addition to our menu. Thank you, Natasha!
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for sharing.
This is the best chicken salad! I made it for a baby shower. It was delicious. Can’t wait to make it again!!!
Thank you, Connie! So glad to hear that you love this recipe!
This is absolutely delicious! However, I never saw a link for lemon squeezer… Please post a link to it!
Hi Kay! I’m so glad you loved it. You can select “Shop” from the menu above and you can find all of my favorite tools/items that I use linked in my Amazon affiliate shop.
I have tried many chicken salad recipies over the years. This is hands down the best one!!
I’m so glad you’re loving it, Jack!
It’s everything you said it is and more. I used apple as I didn’t have grapes and I served it in a lettuce cup. Absolutely delicious. The dressing is a winner too. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Carole! Super happy to know that you enjoyed it!