Filling and flavorful, healthy chicken salad with walnuts and grapes is great on a lettuce wrap or tortilla, or served on its own.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This salad is easy to make and keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How long it takes: 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife
Servings: 6
As you all know, I’m partnering with California Walnuts this year to bring you great recipes with walnuts like pumpkin spice candied walnuts, Brussels sprouts with candied walnuts, walnut brittle with cinnamon and cloves, and kale quinoa salad.
For this recipe, they challenged us to open our fridge and pantry for a “Fridge-A-Dare” challenge, creating something using only what we had on hand.
When I opened my fridge to consider this challenge, I have to admit I almost closed it and went to the grocery store. It was looking sad and empty in there and I wasn’t sure I was up for that much of a challenge.
But, a challenge is a challenge and I turned my brain on and started to think.
I spotted boneless skinless chicken breast that needed to be used up soon — they would do the trick. (If you have already cooked chicken, that saves some time. This salad is a tasty way to use up leftover grilled chicken too.)
I saw the grapes that I put on the kids’ plates and they hardly ever eat.
I had celery that was surprisingly just crisp enough to still eat fresh.
Walnuts, of course. I have lots of those!
Plain Greek yogurt – always. My fridge is never without it.
Okay, now I have an idea. Chicken salad with grapes, one of my favorite combinations. But do I have anything to put it in? Bingo! Whole wheat tortillas!
The dried cranberries were a last-minute addition. Their tart chewiness is absolutely perfect combined with all the other ingredients.
About This Chicken Salad
I have to say that I’m extremely happy with how this chicken salad turned out! The walnuts give a subtle crunch and offer a fantastic nutty flavor. The celery provides a more pronounced crunch and freshness.
The yogurt dressing with with apple cider vinegar and celery seeds is the perfect dressing to tie this all together – I promise you won’t even miss mayonnaise. Making this recipe with Greek yogurt not only decreases fat and keeps it low in calories but it also adds protein to help keep you satisfied for hours.
With 22 grams of protein and 265 calories per serving, this chicken salad is going to keep you full all afternoon. You get the bonus omega-3’s from the walnuts and antioxidants from the dried cranberries. It’s one of my absolute favorite lunches right now.
Yum, if only I had homemade sweet potato chips or my favorite sweet potato wedges with Chinese five spice, my day would be complete…
Make It your Own
This recipe is pretty easy to tweak and make it your own creation. Here’s a few ideas:
- Substitute a chopped apple for the grapes.
- Instead of dried cranberries, try dried cherries, raisins, or golden raisins.
- Add finely diced onion or scallions.
- Add a tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon or parsley.
- Instead of yogurt, use mayonnaise or a combination of both.
- Omit the walnuts or substitute toasted sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, or pecans.
Cover chicken salad tightly with plastic wrap or put it in a bowl with a lid. Refrigerate for up to three days. Stir before serving. The yogurt dressing has a tendency to separate but it’s fine once you give it a stir.
More Sandwich Fillings
- Curried Chicken Salad – If you love curry, this is the recipe for you!
- Avocado Chicken Salad – creamy and healthy!
- Dill Chicken Salad
- Egg Salad Recipe
- Roasted Vegetable Wrap with Feta and Pesto
- The Best Meatball Subs — with garlic bun!
- Chickpea Salad Recipe with yogurt, lemon and dill
- Caesar Salad Club Sandwich from Noble Pig
- Vegan “Chicken” Salad Sandwiches from Happy Food Healthy Life
Healthy Chicken Salad with Walnuts and Grapes
Ingredients
Salad:
- 3 cups diced cooked chicken breast (about 3 chicken breasts or 1.25 pounds)
- 1 cup diced celery (about three stalks)
- 1 cup halved grapes (red or green)
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (see note)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (raisins or golden raisins are good, too)
Dressing:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon celery seed (not celery salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl , combine chicken, celery, grapes, walnuts, and cranberries.
- In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, whisk together yogurt, vinegar, honey, celery seed, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture and stir until all ingredients are combined.
- Serve on a wrap, sandwich, or on top of lettuce. Store covered in refrigerator for 2-3 days, stirring to recombine before serving.
Notes
- Delicious served in a whole wheat wrap or tortilla, or lettuce leaf. You can skip the wrap and eat the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce.
- Nutrition information does not include wrap.
- If desired, substitute a chopped apple for the grapes.
- To toast walnuts, spread them on a microwave safe plate and microwave in one-minute intervals, stirring each time, until fragrant and golden. It will take about 3 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!This Healthy Chicken Salad recipe is sponsored by the California Walnut Board. All opinions are always my own. Thank you for supporting Rachel Cooks by reading about products and food I use and love in my own home.
I don’t have honey for the chx salad what else can I use
You can use agave or a bit of white granulated sugar.
I’m not normally a chicken salad fan, but the dressing for this is perfection. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
So glad you like it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, it really means a lot to me!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s a lunch favorite in my family. It’s hearty enough for dinner, too, and is delicious served on a bed of lettuce. The dressing makes it a healthy alternative to the traditional Waldorf salad. Thanks, Rachel!
Thanks! I’m so glad you like this recipe!