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This roasted chicken salad recipe without grapes is a super easy and healthy meal perfect for lunch or appetizers! It’s filled with seasoned chicken breast and crunchy vegetables tossed with mayo and lemon juice for a bit of tang! Homemade chicken salad is easy, healthy, and totally delicious served with pita chips or as a sandwich!
Whenever I’m looking for something quick and easy to make for busy weekdays or whenever I just don’t feel like cooking I’m making this chicken salad! It’s a classic recipe that is very easy to make so it’s perfect for meal prep, summer meals, or work lunches.
We like this traditional chicken salad recipe - it’s simple without any grapes, dried fruit, or nuts but feel free to add in those ingredients or fresh herbs to suit your family’s taste!
One key thing about this recipe is that I HIGHLY recommend that you roast the chicken first with my homemade chicken seasoning instead of using leftover rotisserie chicken if you have the time. It really makes all the difference in the taste. It isn’t bland at all and really takes this classic recipe to the next level!
Looking for more healthy salads to make this summer? Check out these family favorites - Kale Chicken Salad, Chickpea Salad, and Farro Salad with Feta.
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Recipe Ingredients
All you need are a few simple ingredients to make the best chicken salad!
Boneless chicken breast - In this recipe, I used 1 large chicken breast seasoned and then roasted until golden brown. You could also use 1 - 2 leftover rotisserie chicken breasts if you have them.
Oil. For cooking the chicken. I used avocado oil but you could also use olive oil.
Chicken seasonings - ground paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, cayenne pepper, all-purpose seasoning, a little bit of sea salt, and black pepper. I like to use my homemade chicken seasoning if I’m short on time.
Veggies - chopped celery and red onion.
Mayo - to make the creamy dressing. You can use more or less mayo depending on your preference.
Fresh lemon juice - adds a bright and slightly tangy flavor to the chicken salad.
Salt and black pepper - extra to season to taste.
Serving - Pita chips, wheat crackers, or these brioche buns - they are the best ever!
How to Make Classic Chicken Salad without Grapes:
Step one. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and pat the chicken dry with paper towels then drizzle with oil and all your seasonings. Rub so the chicken is evenly covered.
Step two. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear. The internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the chicken to cool slightly then shred with two forks or cut the chicken into small pieces. Set aside.
Step three. In a large bowl add the shredded cooked chicken, chopped veggies, mayo, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Allow the chicken salad to chill completely before serving.
Step four. Transfer chicken salad to a serving platter with crackers or serve on sandwich buns with lettuce and tomato. Enjoy!
Ways to use up leftover chicken salad
- Lettuce cups or lettuce wraps
- On top of a bed of lettuce or a garden salad
- Grain bowls or salad bowls for extra protein
- As a sandwich with lettuce or served on challah bread
- Served with crackers or pita chips
- Served inside mini croissants
- With sweet peppers or broccoli sprouts
Recommended Tools
Meat thermometer
Pro Tips
- Use white meat instead of dark meat. Dark meat is delicious but for some reason inside of a chicken salad, it isn’t.
- It’s easier to shred the chicken when it’s still a bit warm. Use two forks to shred it. If you are making a large batch add the chicken breasts to the bowl of your stand mixer then use the whisk attachment to shred the chicken quickly.
How To Store
Store the chicken salad in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3 - 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions —
Using seasoned chicken is the key to this roasted chicken salad recipe. You can use leftover rotisserie chicken but I find that seasoning and baking the chicken beforehand prevents my chicken salad from tasting bland.
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Print📖 Recipe
Classic Chicken Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This roasted chicken salad recipe without grapes is a super easy and healthy meal perfect for lunch or appetizers! It’s filled with seasoned chicken breast and crunchy vegetables tossed with mayo and lemon juice for a bit of tang! Homemade chicken salad is easy, healthy, and totally delicious served with pita chips or as a sandwich!
Ingredients
Roasted chicken and seasonings
- 1 boneless chicken breast or 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Chicken salad ingredients
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- Few slices of red onion, chopped
- ½ - ¾ cup mayo
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Serving Suggestions
- Sandwich buns
- Mini croissants
- Lettuce cups
- Mini sweet bell peppers
- Pita chips or crackers
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and pat the chicken dry with paper towels then drizzle with oil and all your seasonings. Rub so the chicken is evenly covered.
-
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the chicken to cool slightly then shred with two forks or cut the chicken into small pieces. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl add the shredded cooked chicken, chopped veggies, mayo, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Allow the chicken salad to chill completely before serving.
-
Transfer chicken salad to a serving platter with crackers or serve on sandwich buns with lettuce and tomato. Enjoy!
Notes
Store the chicken salad in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3 - 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 379
- Sugar: 9.4 g
- Sodium: 702.3 mg
- Fat: 27.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.7 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 27.7 mg
Keywords: Classic chicken salad, chicken salad, lunch, salad, side dish, chicken salad recipe, chicken salad without grapes, homemade chicken salad recipe
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