This easy chicken salad with grapes is the best meal prep recipe to make for a healthy week of lunches or to bring to a potluck or picnic! Made from scratch with just a handful of simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Whole30, gluten free, dairy free.

Easy Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds on a bed of lettuce on a light colored ceramic plate on a cream colored background.

The best chicken salad

Making chicken salad at home is one of my favorite power moves to start the week off on the right foot.

Everyone in our house loves it because, well it’s just so GOOD. And it means there’s always something nutritious and filling to grab in the fridge when you’re too hungry to think about what to make for lunch / dinner / or a protein rich snack.

Or when you’re running late and need to pack a quick lunch for work. So much better than a bar or banana when you need a real meal to fuel your day.

I have a more traditional chicken salad recipe on NK made without grapes, but lately we’ve really been loving this version for extra flavor and crunch. You could of course swap the almonds for another nut like walnuts or pecans, or leave them out all together if you have a nut allergy at your house!

Why you’ll love this easy chicken salad

It is:

Easy to make
Flavorful
Fresh and healthy
Full of texture and crunch
Satisfying
Gluten free and Whole30 compatible
Made without dairy
Protein rich
Perfect for meal prep
SO crave-able!!

Chicken salad with grapes in a large ceramic speckled bowl

Ingredients for easy chicken salad with grapes in various ceramic plates and bowls on a light cream colored background.

Ingredients and substitutions

If you’ve never made homemade chicken salad before you might be wondering – what goes in chicken salad? Well the truth is, it depends! On what you like and what you have on hand.

One of my favorite things about chicken salad is how versatile and customizable it is. So friendly to whatever you have in your fridge and pantry! There’s a few common substitutions you might want to know that I’ll share below.

Here’s what you need

Cooked chicken – There’s a few different ways you can prep your chicken for chicken salad. Poached, grilled, pan seared, rotisserie chicken, or cooked chicken breasts from your grocery store deli case are all awesome choices. I’ll share more details below about some of these options.
Celery – Celery is optional if it’s not your favorite, but I love the extra fresh crunch of texture that it adds.
Green onion – Green onion, red onion, or white onion are all great allium options when you’re making chicken salad! That said, if onions are just not your thing feel free to leave them out.
Almonds – Thinly sliced almonds are one of my favorite nuts to add to chicken salad, but you could sub them out for walnuts or pecans instead, or leave them out altogether.
Parsley – Chopped parsley adds a pop of fresh herbaceous flavor. It can be left out or substituted with dill or tarragon, although you may want to reduce the amount if using herbs other than parsley.
Grapes – Cut red or green seedless grapes add a touch of sweetness and a burst of fresh flavor! Apples could be used instead if that’s more your style.
Mustard – Grainy mustard is my favorite, but another type of mustard like dijon would also be delicious. If you’re making this chicken salad during your Whole30 make sure to check the label of your mustard before using it since many have wine, sugar, or gluten in the ingredients list!
Mayo – Mayonnaise is what makes this chicken salad so creamy. Avocado oil mayonnaise is what we usually use (and is what you’ll want to use too if you’re making this recipe during your Whole30!).
Red wine vinegar – Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice are all perfect options to add a small bit of acidity.
Salt and pepper – To taste.

How to cook chicken for chicken salad

There’s so many different ways you could cook chicken for chicken salad!

Chicken breast is the most popular cut to use, but I’ve used thighs as well.

Here’s a few options

Rotisserie Chicken – If you’re looking for a quick and easy option buying a rotisserie chicken and pulling the meat off the bones is one of my favorite ways to prep chicken for chicken salad. It’s also super affordable, and you can make a small batch of chicken stock with the leftover bones. A real win / win!
Pre-cooked chicken breast – Another simple option is buying a few pre-cooked chicken breasts from the deli at your local grocery store. All grocery stores may not have this as an option but our local natural food store and Whole Foods both do. It might be a little more expensive than other options but is a real time saver.
Poached chicken. Poaching chicken is a simple way to quickly cook chicken breasts for chicken salad. All you need to do is submerge your raw chicken breasts in enough water to cover and bring to a gently simmer. Simmer until cooked through – anywhere between 8-14 minutes. When done, the internal temperature should be 165° F. This is a great step-by-step guide on how to poach chicken.
Grilled or pan seared chicken breasts – You could also use leftover grilled and pan seared chicken for this recipe.

Why is my chicken salad dry?

There could be a couple of reasons. Making sure that you start with moist (not overcooked) chicken is really important. That’s one of the reasons I love using rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken breasts from the deli – they’re never overcooked! Gently poaching your chicken is also a great way to make sure you start with moist chicken.

You also might want to add a little extra mayonnaise to your chicken salad if it seems too dry. Start with a few additional tablespoons and go from there!

How to make easy chicken salad with grapes: ingredients for chicken salad with grapes in a large ceramic speckled bowl before mixing

How to make easy chicken salad with grapes

Once you have all of your ingredients prepped and chopped this chicken salad comes together in just a few minutes!

Here’s the step-by-step

Prep and measure all ingredients.
Mix everything together. In a large bowl add cooked chicken, celery, onions, parsley, mustard, almonds, grapes, salt, pepper, mayo, and red wine vinegar. Mix thoroughly to combine. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar if desired.
Serve immediately or move to the refrigerator to store until ready to serve!

How long is chicken salad good for

This simple chicken salad will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Just keep it in a sealed container when you’re done serving.

If you’re serving this chicken salad at a potluck or party it shouldn’t be out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

And if it’s a hot summer’s day picnic, no longer than an hour. You can bring a cooler with ice or freezer packs to pop it into once everyone is done serving themselves. And you can always pull it back out if anyone wants seconds!

How to serve chicken salad

This chicken salad can be served so many ways!

Here’s some ideas:

It is delicious on it’s own (which is how we love it for a Whole30), or with some cut veggies like celery, carrots, and cucumber
In a bowl over salad greens with avocado (Whole30 friendly)
On top of sweet potato toast (Whole30 friendly)
With crackers or chips for dipping
As a filling for a wrap
And it makes the best chicken salad sandwiches!

We love how portable it is for road trips, picnics, family gatherings, parties, and camping. Just grab whatever you want to serve it with, pop it into a sealed container in a cooler and you’re set for a delicious, filling lunch or dinner!

Pinterest Pin for easy chicken salad with grapes.

Love this easy chicken salad recipe? Check out this other delicious classic chicken salad recipe on NK!

If you enjoyed this recipe we’d love it if you take 5 seconds to rate and review it below. It’s also super helpful to me and other readers if you share any changes you made to the recipe. Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK 🙏🏼 We are so grateful you’re here!