Chicken Salad with Grapes

Classic is the name of the game when it comes to our Chicken Salad with Grapes. With zippy white wine vinegar, fresh tarragon and a greek yogurt and light mayo base, this is a classic that won’t weigh you down.

Chicken salad is one of those nostalgic childhood sandwiches I’ll never tire of. Between the creamy sauce, crunchy veggies, tender chicken and tarragon-infused flavor in each bite, it’s a dream sandwich I would gladly eat any day of the week.

While I would describe our Chicken Salad as classic, using non-fat plain Greek yogurt and light mayo turns a traditionally fattening sandwich into something light and healthy you can feel good about eating.

For me chicken salad always requires fresh herbs, something crunchy and a hint of sweetness. I’m partial to tarragon because that’s always how my Mom made it. I’ve tried many different herbs throughout the years and I always come to the conclusion, tarragon is best. The something sweet varies. Today we’re using grapes because it’s what I had on hand but I also love using dried cranberries, cherries or diced apples.

Let’s get started!

Ingredients in Chicken Salad with Grapes

The dressing

Non-fat yogurt. Greek yogurt! The tanginess works perfectly in chicken salad.

Mayo. I rarely use full-fat mayo. I find light mayo does the trick just fine.

Vinegar. I love the acidity of white wine vinegar but lemon juice would also work.

Dijon mustard. The zippy tanginess of dijon is a must and adds so much flavor. I also love to use a whole-grain dijon if I have it.

Honey. The dressing needs a touch of sweetness.

Everything else

Chicken. Chicken salad is the perfect vessel to use leftover roasted chicken or chicken piccata but if I’m craving chicken salad and don’t have cooked chicken on hand, a rotisserie chicken is the way to go.

Veggies. Celery, red onion and scallion are my go-to veggies. If you don’t love the bite of red onion, try soaking it in cold water for 10 minutes or vinegar for a few minutes.

Tarragon. I’m obsessed with fresh tarragon, it has a very subtle licorice but in the best way possible, similar to raw fennel. Trust me on this one, you want it in your chicken salad.

Grapes. Sliced in half.

Nuts. I like a little extra crunch in my chicken salad so I always add toasted slivered almonds or chopped walnuts. I know not every shares my sentiments so feel free to leave them out if you wish.

Let’s make Chicken Salad

Prep the ingredients. Chop the red onion, celery, scallion and tarragon. Slice the grapes and shred the chicken.

Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk the mayo, Greek yogurt, vinegar, dijon, honey salt and black pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss. Add the chicken, grapes, red onion, scallion, celery and tarragon to the dressing. Toss until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve. Scoop on to croissants or bread of choice.

Can I make chicken salad in advance?

Yes! In fact, it’s often even better the next day.

Substitutions

• Swap out grapes for diced apples, dried cranberries, cherries or currants.
• Swap out the white wine vinegar for lemon juice or sherry vinegar
• For extra luxuriousness use all mayo
• Pretty much any vessel works to serve the chicken salad – croissants (my fav), white bread, wheat bread or lettuce wraps