Chicken salad is a classic dish, but my version has a little something extra that makes it the best chicken salad recipe (keep reading below!) Diced chicken is tossed with a creamy dressing and dotted with crisp celery, green onion, and fresh grapes. It’s easy, healthy, bright, flavorful, and makes any spring or summer meal extra delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Salad
I’ll happily rave on and on about how amazing this chicken salad is. The texture is crisp yet creamy, the flavors are incredibly fresh, and it’s a dish that I can always depend on for spring and summer outings. When the weather is warm, I find myself making it almost every other week for a high-protein, healthy lunch. Plus, I just love the sweet, juicy grapes that balance the creamy dressing perfectly! Here’s what makes my version a bit unique:
- My secret ingredient is tarragon. Fresh tarragon pairs beautifully with chicken and adds an herbaceous, slightly sweet flavor that really elevates the salad.
- It’s perfectly chunky, not mushy. Many recipes use shredded chicken, but I think diced chicken is so much better for that chunky texture. If I’m craving something softer, that’s where my tuna salad comes in!
- It’s a full meal kind of salad. Similar to my shrimp salad, egg salad, or salmon salad, this is one salad that will keep you full without weighing you down. Protein for the win!
Chicken Salad Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: I use poached chicken in this recipe, but you could also use leftover rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken from boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Mayonnaise: You can’t beat this creamy binder that brings everything together. Store-bought works fine, but it’s also easy to make mayonnaise at home. My recipe is foolproof!
- Dijon Mustard: Just a little Dijon adds depth of flavor and a subtle spice.
- Red grapes: You can use red or green seedless grapes. I’m using red grapes, and just love the vibrant, contrasting color they add.
- Celery and green onion: I love my chicken salads with a crisp celery crunch. And the green onions add that savory flavor without being too pungent.
- Toasted almonds: Toasting sliced almonds brings out their nutty flavor and adds great texture.
- Parsley: One of my favorite fresh herbs to add brightness to salads.
- Tarragon: The secret ingredient! You’ll be amazed at how much flavor just a small amount adds.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
First, Let’s Make Poached Chicken
I love using poached chicken for this recipe because it’s easy, healthy, and incredibly tender. When done right, poaching gives you some of the juiciest chicken you’ll ever have. It also means I don’t have to turn on the oven, which is always a bonus on a hot day. Here’s how I do it:
- Prep the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a wide pot or pan, so they’re not overlapping or crowded. Then, cover them with cold water and add a generous pinch of salt to season the chicken as it cooks.
- Simmer the chicken. Slowly bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once it starts simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the chicken cook for about 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about 160°F to 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest. Remove the chicken and let it rest for a couple of minutes, so the juices can redistribute.
- Chill the chicken. Finally, transfer the chicken to the fridge to cool completely. Cold chicken is key to retaining the best chicken salad texture.
Next, Here’s How To Make Chicken Salad
Now that the chicken is cooked through and chilled, it’s time to assemble the salad with three easy steps!
Toast the almonds and dice the chicken. Lightly toast the sliced almonds in a small pan on the stove until they’re fragrant and lightly golden. Then let them cool completely. While they cool, dice the chicken into small chunks, quarter the grapes, chop the celery, parsley, and tarragon, and slice the green onions.
Mix everything together. Add the diced chicken, grapes, celery, green onion, toasted almonds, parsley, tarragon, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard to a large bowl. Then, gently mix everything together until well combined. A little salt and pepper at the end is all it needs.
Lastly, let it chill (very important!). Chicken salad is always best served cold, so I always let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This also gives the flavors time to meld together.
Ingredient Substitutions
There are plenty of ways to customize this salad with what you may have on hand.
- Vary the nuts: Swap the almonds for pecans or walnuts.
- Mix up the fruit: Skip the grapes and try diced apples, dried cranberries, or dried cherries instead.
- Change the onions: If you don’t have green onions, finely diced red onion works well.
- Make it creamier: Swap the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt, or do a half-and-half mix of both.
Three Ways I Love Eating This Salad
Most often, I eat this chicken salad straight out of the bowl by the spoonful, because it’s that good! It’s also the perfect side dish for picnics, potlucks, and holidays (like 4th of July and Memorial Day). But you could also turn it into a:
- Sandwich: Pile it between slices of sandwich bread with lettuce, spinach, or tomato.
- Lettuce Wrap: For a lighter option, scoop it into large romaine or butter lettuce leaves.
- Green Salad: Add a few spoonfuls on top of a bed of greens like baby spinach or spring mix.
STORAGE TIPS
Since this recipe is meant to be served cold, don’t leave it at room temperature for more than two hours. Otherwise, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
Common Questions
Yes, you can do that for a creamier touch.
While I do think fresh tarragon makes this recipe extra tasty, you could also use fresh chervil, basil, or dill. In a pinch, you could use dried tarragon (use about 1 teaspoon), though I do think fresh herb options are best.
No, I don’t recommend it. Mayo-based dressings tend to separate and go a bit watery when they’re thawed.
More Classic Salad Recipes
- Broccoli Salad: Another go-to for potlucks!
- Greek Salad: A true Mediterranean favorite.
- Cucumber Salad: The easiest, refreshing side salad.
- Cobb Salad: The best high-protein salad!
- Or give these other healthy salad recipes, summer salads, or potluck salads a try!
If you make this chicken salad recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’d like to see more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free email community here.
Description
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup red grapes, quartered
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 green onions (green and white parts), sliced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup sliced raw almonds
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the poached chicken
- Cover the chicken with water. Place the chicken breasts in a wide pot or pan and cover by about an inch with cold water. Season the water with salt. Optionally, you can add aromatics of your choice. Read my poached chicken recipe for more details.
- Simmer the chicken. Turn the heat to medium until it reaches a gentle simmer. Then reduce the heat back to low and cover the pan. Let the chicken simmer for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F to 165°F. Remove the chicken and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Then chill in the fridge.
For the chicken salad recipe
- Dice the cooled chicken. Transfer the cooled chicken to a cutting board and dice it into ½-inch pieces. Add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix together and chill. Add the grapes, celery, green onion, mayonnaise, mustard, almonds, parsley, tarragon, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then stir together, until well combined. Let it chill covered in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
- Serve. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish with additional fresh herbs, if you'd like.
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tip: Since this recipe is meant to be chilled, don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours. Otherwise, store it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It’s a great meal prep salad for lunch!
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published May 2020, but updated with new photos, information and tips for your benefit!
Made this for a work pot luck. Everyone loved it and asked me for the recipe! I sent them straight to Downshiftology!!
Hi Rachel – Glad everyone loved this chicken salad!
I want to make this but my husband doesn’t like celery (or cucumber). Any suggestions?
Hi Geise – you could really swap in any crisp veggies, like bell pepper, grated carrots, etc.
I love chicken salad! This recipe is delicious!!
Glad you’re loving this chicken salad, Rebecca!
Love this chicken salad. We make it often. Thank you for sharing your great recipes.
Glad you’re loving this chicken salad!
Best chicken salad ever! Instead of dicing the chicken I shredded it and did the rest of the recipe as written. So good!
Hi Terri – Glad this salad worked out great with shredded chicken!
I just made this recipe exactly as you have it written and it is no doubt the best chicken salad I have ever made or eaten, and I’ve had many. It’s a perfect blend of everything. It was well worth taking the time to poach the chicken breasts with the seasonings as you explained and including every other ingredient exactly as you stated and modeled in the video. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Happy to hear this has become your new favorite chicken salad, Tammy!
This is the best chicken salad I’ve ever had. I took it to a potluck and people thought it was restaurant quality. ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️worthy! Thank you Lisa for this delicious recipe and for making me look good!!
Hi Rosie – Happy to hear everyone raved about this chicken salad!
Absolutely the best chicken salad I have ever eaten or made! Thank you so much!
Thrilled to hear you’re loving this chicken salad, Sue!
I made this with what I had on hand…diced rotisserie chicken and subbed sunflower seeds, cherries and cantaloupe for almonds and grapes! Yum! What a great recipe to follow and tweak!
Glad you were able to make a version of this with what you had on hand, Susan!
Delicious! And so easy to put together. I usually use left over chicken (white/dark meat) and dried cranberries instead of grapes. Along with what ever herb I have on hand. This is an all year round salad. Thanks for sharing 😊
Glad this was easy to throw together, Linda! You can definitely make this year-round.
Just made this tonight for my family since it was so hot and humid – they loved it, especially the Dijon as a new flavor to our usual chicken salad. I also couldn’t find fresh tarragon so used dried, and skipped the almonds. Served it on toasted small sub rolls from the deli to help fill up my college kids. This is a keeper recipe for us!
Thrilled to hear everyone enjoyed this chicken salad recipe, Debbie!
This is such a great chicken salad! Thank you so much for sharing it. I am making it ahead of time and traveling out of state with it, the following day. (7 hour drive) Would you recommend holding off on adding the grapes, almonds and tarragon until a few hours before serving? Thanks in advance.
Hi Veronica – I’m happy you love the recipe! I don’t think it will matter much either way, so it’s really up to you on which method you prefer, adding them beforehand or after you arrive. Enjoy!
I thought I made with recipe many times but with dill! Maybe it was familiar. Any recommendations to sub anything out with dill and how much?
my go to salad for parties
Happy to hear this salad is a hit every time, Charlie.
Thank you for the chicken recipe especially how to poach a chicken breast. I have never done that before. I am having company in a couple of weeks and this will definitely be on my menu.
Glad you learned something new with this recipe, Christy!
The whole family devoured this! It’s a perfect summer salad. I made a double batch and also added chunks of apple. Delicious!
It really is the perfect summertime salad. Happy to hear you love it, Leone!
This is absolutely delicious! I make this on a regular basis for my lunches. I serve on a bed of fresh spinach along with fresh melon. Thanks for the recipe!
Happy to hear you’re loving this chicken salad recipe, Lisa! Sounds great served on fresh melon for summer.
So, delicious and easy to make. This one of the ways I like to serve this for lunch. Clean and Roast red bell peppers over fire. I used metal tongs inserted into the pepper. Roasted them like a marshmallow for a few minutes they com our al dente. If you want yours more done you can steam them a little bit more. Next I killed the peppers for two to four hours. Stuff with Lisa’s chicken salad. We love this salad and it’s veratility.
Wow, I love the way you serve them stuffed in roasted red peppers, Elida. Sounds delicious!
This chicken salad is on my regular bi-weekly rotation. I buy chopped up rotisserie chicken at my local grocer to save some time and we are in love with this recipe. I also made it for our friends when we went on vacation to the Florida Keys and they loved it too! thank you!
The chopped rotisserie chicken is a great way to prep and make this a speedy meal! Glad this salad has become such a hit, Laura!
How much rotisserie do you use?
I wrote earlier that I was making this today for a friend tomorrow. I searched high and low for fresh tarragon with no luck. I do have dried. Is it worth putting in a little sprinkle?
Hi Tina – I think you could get away with that, as it’s still a tender herb. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Excellent! Used all your ingredients but substituted Turkey Breast. Will make again.
Glad this salad worked out with turkey breast instead, Constance!
I haven’t made it yet, but I must say the video presentation was simply marvelous! Clear, precise and informative. I will be doing this on Wednesday for a friend just home from hospital. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Tina! Can’t wait for you to try this.
This recipe is amazing. But I don’t understand why you have all these comments asking about the serving size, yet you won’t update it on the website. We still don’t know what a serving is, and you seem to skirt around answering in the comments. You need to specifically state the amount, whether it’s cups, grams, etc. Or is the entire thing 524 calories??????
I would like to use this recipe for Father’s Day brunch sandwiches so I tried to find some information on how many sandwiches the recipe would make. I even read about a hundred comments trying to find if someone else had the same question…and several did…but it seems that although you respond to almost every other comment you seem to avoid answering these questions. I’ll try going another route.
Hi Steve – It will depend on what kind of sandwich bread you use and what size they are. But, you can make about full 4 sandwiches with this recipe.
Have autoimmune issues and I can’t eat mayo any substitutions? Wish I could eat this how I miss this
Hi Vetty – You can also use Greek yogurt instead!
Now our go-to chicken salad recipe. So good!
Glad you’ve found a new go-to chicken salad recipe, JD!
My go to chicken salad recipe! The tarragon seriously adds so much depth to the flavor. I used the homemade mayonnaise for this also, and I think it makes a huge difference! Highly recommend!
The tarragon is a must have for this chicken salad, Katie! Glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I have made this salad several times now and all I can say is: perfection! The whole thing comes together so beautifully, it is so easy to make and most important of all it is delicious! Thank you, Lisa!
Happy to hear you’ve found the perfect chicken salad recipe, Dylan!
My husband and I did not like the tarragon- it was a strange flavoring. Otherwise it was good.
You can always omit the tarragon, Sandi. Enjoy!
I am not a fan of tarragon, so I used basil
Glad this worked out great with basil instead, Maggie!
Awesome recipe – tastes fantastic
Glad you’re loving this chicken salad, Reiss!
Your recipe was a blind pick for me today, I had just gotten done poaching chicken and decided whatever recipe my finger landed on I was making, yours or should I say mine was the lucky pick, I actually had everything the recipe called for. It’s delicious, thank you. I have to do that more often, cause you never know.
Hi Sue – It’s always a good feeling when you have everything on hand to make a recipe! Glad you ended up loving this chicken salad recipe.
How much is a serving? Didn’t see that in your nutrition block. Looking forward to trying it.
Thanks
Looks delicious – I have one question. I know fresh herbs are always the best, but how do you feel about using dried tarragon in this recipe? Thanks.
Hi Estelle – I think you could get away with that, as it’s still a tender herb. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Just made this and it’s delicious! My new go to recipe for chicken salad :) Thank you
I’m so glad you found a new go-to recipe for chicken salad, Becky!
How many main dish servings does this make?
By FAR the best chicken salad EVER !
Thanks for sharing!
So glad you found the perfect chicken salad recipe, Dominique!
Made this yesterday, exactly as written except using vidalia onions instead of green onions. Also added fresh oregano with the tarragon. So delicious! It’s actually even better the second day.
Hi Terry – The fresh oregano addition sounds amazing! Glad you enjoyed this chicken salad.
This looks amazining. Trying to manage my weight. Is it 524 calories per serving??
Hi Sky – yes, all of the nutrition info listed is per serving. Enjoy!
Hello Lisa how much chicken breast do I have to cook I’m making croissant sandwiches for 50 guests each will get 1/2 a sandwich. Would appreciate your input.
Thank you
Lucy
I made this salad today and even though I’ve made it before it needs to be known how delicious it is. We will serve it over some salad greens for dinner tonight but it’s delicious in a sandwich with some micro greens on top. It is delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Vicky – Thanks for leaving a review! Glad this chicken salad has become a staple. Sounds like you’ve been able to enjoy it in many ways as well!
This is my absolute favorite chicken salad recipe!!
Thanks so much, Jennifer! I’m thrilled to hear that!
Any suggestion as to what would be a good substitute for the tarragon?
I’m really not a fan of anything remotely “licoricey!”
Otherwise everything else sounds wonderful!!
Thanks
Hi Steffi – you could use any tender herb, like parsley, cilantro or basil as well. Enjoy!
In my opinion, this Chicken Salad recipe is by far the best I’ve ever made and eaten. I have served it on hot summer days over a bed of lettuce for house guests, and they too love the fresh ingredients and wonderful melding of flavors. A win – win in my household!
I’m so glad this chicken salad has become a staple in your household, Elizabeth! I agree, this tastes amazing over a bed of lettuce for hot summer days.
Delicious! Made this chicken salad and ate so much as soon as it was mixed. Love a chicken salad with grapes and celery and the almonds, lemon juice and tarragon added an extra special something!
Thanks, Jenn! So happy you loved it!
Can I put dressing in the salad for overnight?
Hi Gigi – Yes, you can! This salad will stay good in the fridge for 4 to 5 days (with the dressing).
Could someone suggest an alternative to celery – I hate the stuff!
Diced apples for crunch
One of the best things I like about Lisa’s recipes is you can print them off without a hassle, they are very easy and simple. I plan on fixing the ultimate chicken salad tomorrow afternoon for dinner. I am going to also fix the egg salad cuz it’s simple for my lunch for a couple of days, I’m so excited! Simple and delicious recipes!
You can’t beat either salads for lunch meal prep! Happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes, Janice.
Oh yum. I just made chicken salad and it was so easy and tastes fantastic. I willbe making this one again. Thanks for another great recipe Lisa.
Happy to hear you enjoyed this chicken salad recipe, Ellen!
I’m wanting to make this recipe but could I just use chicken and the spices and parsley just to start?! I’m sensitive to raw veggies, if I add celery and green onion how long would I cook those?
Amazing. Ate it on cabiatta bread with shredded lettuce. Absolutely delightful
Sounds amazing on ciabatta bread, Andrea! Enjoy!
I would call myself a beginner cook. I bought all the ingredients to make this and I’m excited. I need to know how long this will last in my refrigerator. A few days? A week? Thanks!
Hi Laura – I typically will add storage information in the post or recipe notes! But, this will last for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Enjoy!
This is MY FAVE chicken salad recipe! I replaced regular mayo with the Primal Kitchen whole30 Mayo and replaced nuts with roasted pepitas, and kept everything else exactly the same. It is PERFECTION!
Amazing! Happy to hear you found the perfect chicken salad recipe to love, Tricia. Enjoy!
This recipe is so great to make. Originally when I first made it I had never poached a chicken before but Lisa’s poached chicken step by step made it easy! My best friend loves this recipe so I make it for her every time she visits. I prefer to substitute tart apples for the grapes. Gives it an extra crunch!
Hi Milana – Now you’re a poached chicken expert and can whip up this chicken salad in a cinch! Glad you found this recipe easy to follow along to as well. Adding apples is definitely a great substitute!