Description
A quick and easy chicken salad featuring tender chicken, crisp apples, celery, grapes, and toasted nuts, all tossed in a homemade creamy dressing with a fresh, tangy twist. Perfect for summer meals, picnics, or light dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped (about 450g)
- 1 medium fresh apple, diced (such as Fuji or Honeycrisp)
- 2 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
- ½ cup red grapes, halved (about 75g)
- ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped (about 60g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise (120ml)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (60ml)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: shred or chop cooked chicken breast into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups or 450g). Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Chop the produce: dice 1 medium apple (about 1 cup / 120g), thinly slice 2 celery stalks, and halve ½ cup (75g) of red grapes. Add all to the bowl with the chicken.
- Toast the nuts: in a dry skillet over medium heat, toast ½ cup (60g) of pecans or walnuts for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden. Stir often to prevent burning. Let cool, then roughly chop and add to the bowl.
- Mix the dressing: in a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup (120ml) mayonnaise, ¼ cup (60ml) plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon honey. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Toss the salad: pour the creamy dressing over the chicken and produce mixture. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Gently toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Chill or serve immediately: enjoy right away or refrigerate for 30 minutes to meld flavors. If chilling, give it a gentle stir before serving to redistribute the dressing.
Notes
Use room-temperature mayonnaise and yogurt for a smoother dressing. Toast nuts carefully to avoid burning. Add nuts last to keep crunch. Toss apples in lemon juice if browning occurs. Can prepare salad and dressing a day ahead but add apples just before serving to maintain crunch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup per serv
- Calories: 350400
- Sugar: 7
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
Keywords: chicken salad, creamy dressing, summer salad, quick recipe, healthy lunch, easy dinner, fresh herbs, rotisserie chicken