The Best California Chicken Salad Recipe with Grapes
A refreshing and flavorful California Chicken Salad that combines tender shredded chicken with crisp celery, sweet grapes, toasted pecans, and a creamy, tangy dressing made from Greek yogurt and avocado oil mayonnaise. Perfect for a light lunch or picnic, this salad is both nutritious and easy to prepare.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook with toasted nuts
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 stalks celery, cut lengthwise and diced
- 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- ½ tsp olive oil
Dressing Ingredients
- ⅓ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- ½ tsp sea salt (to taste)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp coarse ground pepper
Instructions
- Toast the Pecans: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the chopped pecans. Drizzle with olive oil and stir continuously for approximately 3 minutes until they are fragrant and lightly toasted. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare Chicken Base: Place 4 rounded cups of cooked shredded chicken into a large mixing bowl. If the chicken was stored in broth or water, drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture in the salad.
- Prepare Vegetables and Fruits: Wash the celery stalks, trim ends, cut them lengthwise, then dice into small pieces. Wash the red seedless grapes and slice them in half, measuring out 1 rounded cup. Thinly slice the green parts of the green onions, discarding the white ends.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the celery, halved grapes, sliced green onions, and toasted pecans to the bowl with the shredded chicken. Lightly toss to mix.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, avocado oil mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, white balsamic vinegar, poppy seeds, sea salt, garlic powder, and coarse ground pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Toss with Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the chicken mixture and toss thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are coated evenly with the creamy dressing.
- Serve or Store: Enjoy the chicken salad immediately for peak freshness, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The salad can be stored cold for 3-4 days and served chilled.
Notes
- Use cooked chicken that is moist but not too wet to keep the salad from becoming soggy.
- To toast pecans evenly, keep stirring and watch closely to avoid burning.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste as needed in the dressing.
- This salad tastes best when served chilled but can also be enjoyed at room temperature.
- For a lighter version, use low-fat Greek yogurt and reduce or omit the mayonnaise.
- If poppy seeds are unavailable, a teaspoon of chia seeds can be substituted.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container to maintain freshness and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: California chicken salad, shredded chicken salad, grape chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, easy chicken salad recipe, creamy chicken salad, low fat chicken salad
