Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Filling and flavorful, healthy chicken salad with walnuts and grapes is great on a lettuce wrap or tortilla, or served on its own. This chicken 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, mixing bowl
Servings: 6
A Healthy Chicken Salad
I think you’ll be pleased with how this chicken salad turns out. It’s one of my absolute favorite lunches right now, especially wrapped in a soft whole wheat tortilla. 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 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.
Recipe Variations
- Try different fruit. Substitute a chopped apple for the grapes. Instead of dried cranberries, try dried cherries, raisins, or golden raisins.
- Add a savory note. Finely diced onion or scallions can be added to the salad.
- Nut options: Omit the walnuts or substitute toasted sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, or toasted pecans.
- Brighten it up with fresh herbs. Add a tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon or parsley to the salad.
- Yogurt options: Instead of yogurt, use mayonnaise or a combination of both.
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 Chicken Salad Recipes
- Dill Chicken Salad – Refreshingly different.
- Curry Chicken Salad – If you love curry, this is the recipe for you!
- Avocado Chicken Salad – So creamy but no mayonnaise!
- Cranberry Chicken Salad – Similar to restaurant chicken salads.
- Buffalo Chicken Salad – Slightly spicy but not overwhelming.
More Sandwich Recipes
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 seedless grapes
- ¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts (see note)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Dressing:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (see note)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey (or granulated sugar)
- 1 teaspoon celery seed (not celery salt)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl , combine chicken, celery, grapes, walnuts, and cranberries.3 cups diced cooked chicken breast, 1 cup diced celery, 1 cup halved seedless grapes, ¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts, ½ cup dried cranberries
- In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, whisk together yogurt, vinegar, honey, celery seed, salt and pepper.1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon celery seed, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- Pour dressing over chicken mixture and stir until all ingredients are combined. Taste the salad and add more salt or pepper, if needed.
- Refrigerate until ready to use or serve immediately on a wrap, sandwich, or on top of lettuce.
Notes
- To toast walnuts: Spread the walnuts on a microwave-safe plate and microwave in one-minute intervals, stirring each time, until fragrant and golden. It will take about 3 minutes.
- Dressing: If you prefer, the dressing can be made with mayonnaise instead of yogurt, or a combination of mayo and yogurt.
- Storage: Refrigerate chicken salad in a covered container for 2 to 3 days. Stir well to recombine before serving.
- Variations: If desired, substitute a chopped apple for the grapes. Try raisins, golden raisins, or dried cherries instead of the cranberries. Different types of nuts or sunflower seeds can be substituted for the walnuts. Leftover turkey can be used instead of cooked chicken.
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!
Does the nutritional information include the wrap or just the salad.
Salad only :)
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I will…it sounds really good. Can I use canned chicken instead?
I haven’t actually ever used canned chicken for anything, so I can’t answer for sure….as long as it’s not too liquidy, I think it would work.
This is so tasty and healthy too!
So glad you like this chicken salad! It’s one of my favorites too!
I added a little cinnamon and it stepped up a notch. easy to make
ooh I like the touch of cinnamon! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Ingredients:
Chicken
Mayonaise
Grapes
Walnuts
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Well, you know. Chop the chicken and you know, chop the walnuts and you know, well you, uh, chop up the grapes and you know, put some mayonnaise
in it and you know mix it up and then, uh, you know salt and, uh, pepper to you know taste. You know.
Chicken salad is my favorite… but that dressing? YUM!
So happy to hear that! Thank you!
This looks like a texture lover’s dream!
For sure!!!
nice variation on the classic waldorf salad
Thanks Denise!
Chicken salad with grapes and walnuts is my favorite!! This looks awesome and like the perfect lunch!
Me too! Thanks!
i swap out cranberries for grapes for a change and it works so well. i have a recipe waiting to be shared on my draft from a long time too. love me lunch friendly healthy salads like this.
Yes! This salad has both because that’s how I roll. ;)
Ingredients:
Chicken
Mayonaise
Grapes
Walnuts
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Well, you know. Chop the chicken and you know, chop the walnuts and you know, well you, uh, chop up the grapes and you know, put some mayonnaise
in it and you know mix it up and then, uh, you know salt and, uh, pepper to you know taste. You know.