Chicken Salad
This creamy chicken salad features roasted chicken, sweet grapes, crunchy almonds, and fresh herbs, making it a perfect dish for sandwiches, salads, or potlucks.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 lbs chicken parts (bone-in, skin-on thighs and breasts) Yields about 4 cups cooked, chopped chicken.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the Salad
- 1 cup seedless grapes, halved Mix red and green for color.
- 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted lightly Swap for toasted pecans or walnuts if preferred.
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 3 scallions thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise Light swap: half mayo and half Greek yogurt for tang and fewer calories.
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2–3 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Kosher salt Start with 1/2 tsp; adjust later.
- to taste Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Rub the chicken pieces with olive oil, season with salt and black pepper.
- Place chicken pieces skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Roast for 45–55 minutes until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part.
- Remove chicken from the oven and let it cool until you can handle it safely.
- Remove and discard the skin, pull the meat from the bones, and roughly chop into bite-sized pieces to yield about 4 cups.
Mixing
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped chicken, halved grapes, toasted almonds, diced celery, sliced scallions, dill, and parsley. Toss gently.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt. Taste and add up to the full teaspoon salt if needed. Add pepper to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and fold gently until everything is evenly coated.
Chilling and Serving
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld.
- Serve chilled on a bed of mixed greens, with sliced tomatoes and avocado, or spoon onto bread with crisp leaf lettuce.
Notes
Toast the almonds for 3–4 minutes until fragrant to preserve their crunch. If using rotisserie chicken, you can save time and skip the roasting.