Easy & Flavorful Creamy Grape Pecan Chicken Salad Recipe

Creamy grape pecan chicken salad blends unexpected flavors that dance across your palate with surprising harmony.

Summer lunches call for light, refreshing meal options that satisfy without weighing you down.

Mediterranean culinary influences shine through this delightful combination of tender protein and sweet-nutty accents.

Cool, crisp ingredients enhance an ordinary dish into something extraordinary with minimal effort.

Texture plays a crucial role in making this salad memorable, offering crunchy pecans against smooth, velvety dressing.

Each forkful promises a delightful balance between savory and sweet elements that complement one another beautifully.

Sophisticated yet approachable, this recipe elevates the classic chicken salad into a gourmet experience.

Creamy Grape Pecan Chicken Salad That Balances Sweet and Savory

• Refresh Your Produce: Baking soda wash brilliantly removes pesticides and dirt from grapes, ensuring a cleaner, safer ingredient for your chicken salad.
• Create Creamy Comfort: The combination of tender chicken, sweet grapes, and crunchy pecans delivers a perfectly balanced texture that feels like a warm culinary hug in every bite.
• Prep Like a Pro: This recipe offers incredible flexibility with its simple prep method and make-ahead potential, allowing you to whip up a delicious meal in minimal time without sacrificing flavor or quality.
• Quick and Versatile Meal: Perfect for lunch, picnics, or light dinners, this chicken salad transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary dish that can be enjoyed immediately or prepared hours in advance.

Ingredients for Creamy Grape Pecan Chicken Salad

• Chicken: Tender, cooked protein that forms the base of the salad, best when freshly shredded or chopped.

• Grapes: Sweet and crisp fruit that adds juicy bursts of flavor, choose seedless and ripe varieties for best texture.

• Pecans: Provides rich, nutty crunch and depth of flavor, select fresh and whole pecans for maximum freshness.

• Mayonnaise, Sour Cream: Smooth and tangy ingredients that create the creamy texture and bind the salad together, opt for full-fat versions for richer taste.

• Baking Soda: Helps clean and prepare grapes by removing surface residue, ensures cleaner fruit in the salad.

• Salt, Black Pepper: Classic seasonings that balance and enhance the overall flavor profile of the chicken salad.

• Fresh Herbs: Chopped herbs like chives or parsley can add a fresh, bright note to the salad.

How to Make Creamy Grape Pecan Chicken Salad Step by Step

Step 1: Cleanse Grapes

Wash grapes thoroughly by soaking them in a bowl with water and of baking soda for 5 minutes. Rinse carefully and pat dry with paper towels. Slice grapes into halves or quarters for the perfect texture.

Step 2: Mix Chicken Salad Ingredients

• Cooked chicken (shredded or chopped)
• Halved grapes
• Chopped pecans
• Creamy dressing
• Celery (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Gently fold ingredients together until evenly distributed, creating a consistent and creamy mixture.

Step 3: Chill and Serve

Refrigerate chicken salad for enhanced flavor blending. Serve chilled as a sandwich filling, on a bed of lettuce, or with crackers. Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best taste, consume within 24 hours of preparation.

Tips for Keeping Your Grape Pecan Chicken Salad Crisp and Creamy

• Rinse Grapes Thoroughly: Use baking soda water to clean grapes, removing pesticides and ensuring a fresh, crisp texture for your salad.
• Chill for Enhanced Flavor: Refrigerate the chicken salad for 30 minutes before serving to allow ingredients to meld and develop a richer taste.
• Shred Chicken Precisely: Use two forks to shred chicken into uniform, bite-sized pieces for a consistent texture throughout the salad.
• Choose Fresh Ingredients: Select crisp grapes and high-quality mayonnaise to elevate the overall flavor and freshness of the dish.
• Customize Texture: Adjust pecans' chunkiness by lightly chopping or leaving them whole, depending on your preferred crunch level.

How to Store and Enjoy Grape Pecan Chicken Salad Later

• Refrigerate: Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Seal tightly to prevent air exposure and maintain freshness.
• Chill Properly: Keep the salad consistently cold at 40°F or below to prevent bacterial growth and preserve the crisp texture of grapes and crunch of pecans.
• Reheat Caution: Avoid microwaving this salad as it contains mayonnaise and fresh ingredients. Instead, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to take the chill off and enhance flavor.

What to Serve with Grape Pecan Chicken Salad

• Pair with Crisp White Wine: The light, refreshing flavors of a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio perfectly complement the creamy texture and sweet grape notes in this chicken salad.
• Serve on Artisan Bread: Toasted sourdough or a rustic ciabatta provides a crunchy contrast to the smooth, creamy chicken salad, elevating the entire dining experience.
• Fresh Side Salad Match: A simple mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the chicken salad, adding a bright, zesty element to the meal.
• Chilled Summer Mocktail Companion: A sparkling cucumber mint refresher brings a cool, herbal touch that balances the sweetness of the grapes and complements the nutty pecan crunch.

Fun Variations on Creamy Grape Pecan Chicken Salad

• Zesty Mediterranean Remix: Swap grapes with sun-dried tomatoes and add kalamata olives. Mix in crumbled feta cheese and replace pecans with toasted pine nuts for a Greek-inspired flavor profile.
• Spicy Southwest Crunch: Replace grapes with diced bell peppers and jalapeños. Incorporate black beans and use chili-roasted pecans. Stir in a tablespoon of chipotle mayo for extra heat.
• Apple Harvest Edition: Substitute grapes with crisp diced Honeycrisp apples. Include dried cranberries and swap pecans for toasted walnuts. Drizzle with a light honey mustard dressing for autumn-inspired sweetness.
• Asian Fusion Fusion: Use mandarin orange segments instead of grapes. Mix in sliced water chestnuts for crunch. Replace pecans with cashews and add a splash of sesame oil and rice vinegar for an exotic touch.

Creamy Grape Pecan Chicken Salad Recipe

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4.9 from 32 reviews

• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Creamy Grape Pecan Chicken Salad brings Mediterranean charm to classic comfort cuisine. Crisp grapes, tender chicken, and toasted pecans mingle in a silky herb-infused dressing that promises refreshing flavor in each delightful bite you’ll savor.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Proteins:

• 2.5 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken

Fruits and Vegetables:

• 3 stalks celery (about 0.5 cup diced)
• 1 cup sliced grapes
• 0.33 cup chopped red onion

Seasonings and Binding Ingredients:

• 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 0.25 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) lemon juice
• 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 milliliters) fresh lemon zest
• 0.33 cup chopped pecans
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Thoroughly cleanse grapes by submerging them in a water bath with of baking soda for 5 minutes, which helps remove any potential surface residue or pesticides.
2. Carefully rinse the grapes under cool running water, then gently pat them dry using clean paper towels to ensure no excess moisture remains.
3. Slice the cleaned and dried grapes into halves or quarters, creating uniform bite-sized pieces that will distribute evenly throughout the chicken salad.
4. In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the sliced grapes with shredded or diced chicken, chopped pecans, and creamy dressing ingredients, ensuring all components are well integrated.
5. Gently fold the ingredients together using a silicone spatula or large spoon, taking care to coat each element with the dressing without crushing the delicate grape pieces.
6. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting the flavors to create a balanced and harmonious chicken salad.
7. For optimal flavor melding, refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving, allowing the ingredients to chill and the flavors to develop.
8. Serve the chicken salad chilled, either as a standalone dish, atop crisp lettuce leaves, or between slices of toasted artisan bread for a satisfying meal.

Notes

• Wash grapes thoroughly using baking soda method to remove pesticides and ensure maximum cleanliness before adding to the salad.
• Chop chicken and grapes into consistent bite-sized pieces for balanced texture and easier eating experience.
• Refrigerate salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and enhance overall taste profile.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, keeping the salad fresh and preventing bacterial growth.
• Consider toasting pecans briefly to intensify their nutty flavor and add a delightful crunch to the creamy chicken salad.
• Customize by adjusting mayonnaise quantity for desired creaminess or exploring alternative herbs like dill or tarragon for unique flavor variations.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 337 kcal
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 255 mg
• Fat: 23 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 9 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 26 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg