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Chicken salad with grapes is my go-to lunch all summer long. The grapes add a sweet, cool pop, the almonds give it crunch, and the dressing keeps it creamy without feeling heavy. It is cold, fast, and it never lasts long in my fridge.
This is my warm-weather go-to, and it almost always starts with leftovers. If we grab rotisserie chicken from the diner the night before, I pull the extra meat off the bones the next morning and turn it into lunch. It comes together in the time it takes to quarter a handful of grapes, which is exactly the kind of meal I want in July.
What sets this version apart is how little it asks of you. A lot of chicken salad recipes hand you a long list of add-ins like onion, herbs, mustard, and cranberries. Mine stays short on purpose.
The grapes, almonds, and celery already bring plenty of sweetness, crunch, and freshness, so the only seasoning I use is celery salt and black pepper. That short list is the whole point.
Tried & True
Why I Pared This One All the Way Back to the Basics
When I retested this, I kept stripping out the extra seasonings other recipes pile on until I landed on celery salt and pepper and nothing more. That short list lets the grapes and almonds actually taste like themselves, and a real 30-minute chill before serving is what pulls it all together.
Want a version without any fruit at all? My best chicken salad leans on fresh dill and lemon instead and comes together every bit as fast.
What You’ll Need
Here is what each ingredient is doing. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Rotisserie chicken: This is the shortcut that makes the whole recipe. It is already seasoned, it shreds beautifully, and I find it cheaper than buying a separate package of chicken breasts to cook. Two cups pulls easily off one standard bird, and the flavor it brings is hard to beat.
- Red grapes: The grapes are the reason this salad works. Quartered, they tuck into every forkful and give you that cool burst of sweetness against the savory dressing. Quarter them rather than halve them so no single bite is all grape.
- Sliced almonds: These are the crunch. They keep the salad from feeling soft and one-note, and the gentle nuttiness plays well with the sweet grapes.
- Celery salt: This one does double duty. It seasons the chicken and it lifts the fresh celery at the same time, so you get more celery flavor without throwing off anything else in the bowl. It is the reason the salt list is so short.
- Mayonnaise: The dressing base that pulls everything together into something creamy. Use one you actually like the taste of, since there is not much else competing with it here.
How to Make Chicken Salad with Grapes
Step 1: Combine the Chicken, Grapes, Celery, and Almonds Add the shredded chicken, quartered grapes, sliced celery, and almonds to a medium bowl. Give it a quick toss so the grapes and almonds are spread evenly throughout.
Step 2: Stir in the Dressing Add the mayonnaise, black pepper, and celery salt. Stir until every piece is evenly coated and the salad looks creamy from top to bottom.
Step 3: Chill Before Serving Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This rest is what makes it taste its best, so try not to skip it.
Step 4: Pile It On and Serve Divide the chicken salad in half and spoon it onto a croissant or between slices of bread. This makes two large sandwiches.
How to Store It
Keep leftover chicken salad with grapes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a stir before serving, since the dressing can settle as it sits. I do not recommend freezing it, because the grapes and mayonnaise turn watery once thawed.
More Summer Lunch Recipes
Chicken Salad with Grapes
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- ½ cup grapes quartered
- ¼ cup celery sliced
- ¼ cup almonds sliced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the chicken, grapes, celery, and almonds.2 cups shredded chicken, ½ cup grapes, ¼ cup celery, ¼ cup almonds
- Stir in the mayonnaise, pepper, and celery salt until everything is evenly coated.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, ½ teaspoon celery salt
- Pop the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
- Divide the chicken salad in half and add it to a croissant or slices of bread.
