Easy Chicken Salad Recipe: Amazing & Quick!

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This easy chicken salad recipe has become a staple in my house. It’s got that perfect mix of creamy, crunchy, and a little bit sweet from the grapes. Seriously, don’t skip the grapes – they make it special! Whether you need something for a picnic or a quick meal during a busy week, this is the good chicken salad recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Easy Chicken Salad Recipe Details
Detail | Time/Amount |
Prep Time: | 10 minutes |
Cook Time: | 0 minutes (if using pre-cooked chicken) |
Total Time: | 10 minutes |
Servings: | 8 servings |
Yield: | About 4 cups |
Ingredients for Your Amazing Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
Quantity | Unit | Ingredient Name | Preparation Note |
3 | cups | Chicken | Cooked and chopped (or shredded) |
1 | cup | Red Grapes | Cut in half |
1/2 | small | Red Onion | Diced small |
2 | stalks | Celery | Diced |
1/2 | cup | Mayonnaise | Light mayo works great! |
1 | tablespoon | Lemon Juice | Fresh is best! |
1/2 | teaspoon | Salt | Or to your taste |
1/2 | teaspoon | Garlic Powder | |
1/2 | teaspoon | Onion Powder | |
1/4 | teaspoon | Black Pepper | Or to your taste |
How to Make Chicken Salad: Step-by-Step
Learning how to make chicken salad is so easy with these steps!
- Combine the Main Goodies: In a big bowl, gently mix your cooked chicken, the halved red grapes, diced red onion, and diced celery.
- Whip Up the Dressing: In a smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Give it a little taste and add more salt or pepper if you think it needs it. It’s always good to start with a little and add more!
- Mix It All Together: Pour your tasty dressing over the chicken mixture. Stir everything gently until it’s all nicely combined.
- Serve or Store: You can serve your easy chicken salad recipe straight away, or put it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Just a little tip: if your salad sits out for more than 2 hours (like at a picnic), it’s best to throw the leftovers away to be safe.
Cook’s Notes & Fun Variations for Your Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
- Chicken Tips: You can boil chicken breasts and shred them, or for a super quick option, use a rotisserie chicken! If you’re looking for a canned chicken salad recipe, you can definitely use canned chicken – just drain it well.
- Grape Alternatives: If grapes aren’t your thing, try dried cranberries for a different kind of sweetness.
- Nutty Addition: Some folks love nuts in their chicken salad. If that’s you, try toasting about 1/4 cup of sliced almonds and mixing them in for extra crunch.
- Make it Lighter: Using light mayonnaise is a simple way to make this a more healthy chicken salad recipe without losing flavor.
- Serving Ideas: This is amazing on croissants, your favorite bread for a sandwich, or in a wrap. For a low-carb option, serve it in lettuce cups (like Bibb or endive) or just on a bed of fresh salad greens.
I really hope you give this easy chicken salad recipe a try. It’s a favorite for a reason! If you make it, I’d love to know what you think.
Don’t forget to Pin this recipe for later and share it with your friends!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
What are the basic ingredients of chicken salad?
Chicken, mayonnaise, celery, and seasonings are the usual basics, but grapes and onion add great flavor here!
How to make 4 ingredient chicken salad?
You could simplify by using just chicken, mayonnaise, celery, and a little salt and pepper.
What can I put in chicken salad to make it taste better?
Fresh herbs like dill or parsley, a touch of Dijon mustard, or even a sprinkle of curry powder can add extra yummy flavor.
What are some common mistakes people make when making chicken salad?
Overcooking the chicken (making it dry) or adding too much mayonnaise are common oopsies.

Easy Chicken Salad Recipe: Amazing and Quick!
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Small mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- 1 Knife For chopping chicken (if not pre-chopped/shredded), grapes, onion, celery
- 1 Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 3 cups Chicken cooked and chopped or shredded
- 1 cup Red Grapes cut in half
- 1/2 small Red Onion diced small
- 2 stalks Celery diced
- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise Light mayo works great!
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice Fresh is best!
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt Or to your taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper Or to your taste
Instructions
- Combine the Main Goodies: In a large bowl, gently mix your cooked chicken, the halved red grapes, diced red onion, and diced celery.
- Whip Up the Dressing: In a smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Give it a little taste and add more salt or pepper if you think it needs it. It’s always good to start with a little and add more!
- Mix It All Together: Pour your tasty dressing over the chicken mixture. Stir everything gently until it’s all nicely combined.
- Serve or Store: You can serve your easy chicken salad recipe straight away, or put it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Just a little tip: if your salad sits out for more than 2 hours (like at a picnic), it’s best to throw the leftovers away to be safe.
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