Chicken Salad Recipe with Grapes

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken, preferably rotisserie (280 g)
• 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved lengthwise (150 g)
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced (100 g)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (75 g)
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans (30 g)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (15 g)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (2 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
• 8 butter lettuce leaves, for serving (80 g)

Instructions

1. Cool chicken. Remove skin and bones from cooked chicken, then chop two cups into neat half-inch pieces. Put the chicken in a large mixing bowl. If it is still warm from the store container, refrigerate it for ten minutes before adding the dressing ingredients. Cold chicken keeps the mixture thick and prevents the grapes from becoming slippery.
2. Prep produce. Wash and dry the grapes carefully, then halve them lengthwise. Thinly slice the celery, including tender leaves if you have them. Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for three to five minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Transfer them to a plate, cool completely, and chop into small pieces.
3. Whisk dressing. In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth. Reserve one tablespoon of the dressing. Starting with less dressing gives you control after the grapes and celery have rested, which helps avoid a loose mixture at the bottom of the bowl.
4. Fold and chill. Add grapes, celery, pecans, and the remaining dressing to the chicken. Fold gently with a spatula until everything is coated. Cover and refrigerate for fifteen minutes. Taste the salad, then add the reserved dressing only if it needs more creaminess. Serve in lettuce leaves, on bread, or with crackers alongside.

Notes

• Use two cups of cooked chicken, combining white and dark meat for balanced texture. Reserve the remaining rotisserie chicken separately for another meal instead of enlarging the dressed salad batch.
• For packed lunches, add pecans just before serving or carry them separately for better crunch. Seedless green grapes work well; taste after chilling, because their sharper flavor may need an extra pinch of salt.

Nutrition Facts