Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds
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This savory-sweet chicken salad is delicious in a sandwich, scooped over greens, or eaten straight from the bowl.
Back in May, The Kitchn published a fun chicken salad showdown by Amelia Rampe, pitting recipes from The New York Times, Southern Living, Ina Garten, and The Pioneer Woman against one another in the name of finding the best chicken salad on the internet. Each recipe uses a different method for cooking the chicken, different mix-ins, and different dressings. The Pioneer Woman’s savory-sweet chicken salad with grapes, almonds, and dill was crowned the winner, with Ina Garten’s recipe coming in a very close second. I loved both recipes, so I took what I liked from each, added a few touches of my own, and combined them into a version that’s delicious on a sandwich, scooped over greens, or eaten straight from the bowl. This is the fun of cooking!
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rub the chicken with the oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads between 160°F and 165°F (the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees as it cools).
It’s important not to overcook the chicken or the salad will be dry. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer with a remote probe (affiliate link) so that you can monitor the temperature of the chicken without ever opening your oven. It takes all of the guesswork out of it.
When the chicken is cool, remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Dice the chicken into a 1/2-inch pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, sugar, 1 scant teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 
Whisk to combine.
Add the diced chicken, celery, scallions, grapes, almonds, and herbs to the dressing.
Toss until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Chill the salad in the refrigerator for a few hours. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning again, if necessary.
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Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds
This savory-sweet chicken salad is delicious in a sandwich, scooped over greens, or eaten straight from the bowl.
Ingredients
- 3 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 3 lbs)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 stalks celery, finely diced
- 4 large scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups grapes, halved
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Rub the chicken with the oil and sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads between 160°F and 165°F (the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees as it cools). Set aside to cool.
- When the chicken is cool, remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Dice the chicken into a ½-inch pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, sugar, 1 scant teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the diced chicken, celery, scallions, grapes, almonds, and herbs and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, sugar, and lemon juice, if necessary. Chill the salad in the refrigerator for a few hours. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning again, if necessary.
- Note: If you'd like to use leftover or rotisserie chicken, you'll need about 4 cups. Begin at step 3. (Toss very gently if using a rotisserie chicken; it shreds easily.)
- Note: The key to making a good chicken salad is not overcooking the chicken. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer with a remote probe (affiliate link) so that you can monitor the temperature of the chicken without ever opening your oven. It takes the guesswork out of it.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 584
- Fat: 43g
- Saturated fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Sugar: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 36g
- Sodium: 679mg
- Cholesterol: 114mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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As usual, a delicious and refreshing recipe! My husband loved this and asked for me to make it weekly all summer long! And if there are any ingredients you normally don’t use or like, ignore your history and just make it as written and you won’t be disappointed! I now have learned to trust Jenn and her perfected recipes — and though we’re not fans of dill or even sour cream, and I thought there might be too much lemon juice, I followed the recipe and the flavors all melded beautifully (none taking center stage) into a praise-worthy chicken salad! A bit savory, a bit sweet from the ripe (I used green) grapes, … why I could go for some right now! Make it. Follow the recipe. You’ll love it!
YES, it is the best chicken salad ever. Used toasted almonds and green grapes. It is the dressing that makes this so wonderful. I had some left over rotisserie chicken, both light and dark meat and threw the dressing together not really measuring…outstanding. Curried chicken salad will be next. Thanks Jen for another winner
I went to this recipe directly from poached chicken technique. Is there a downside here if poached is used rather than roasted?
Thanks. Chuck Klemballa
Hi Chuck, Either method will work perfectly here.
I love it
This chicken salad with grapes recipe out-shined several others in my pursuit of recreating the flavors of one I enjoy at a local restaurant. Following it as designed, it did not disappoint. I am grateful for discovering it and your talents. When friends and family are looking for recipes, I send them your way.
This was a big hit with my wife. Made according to the directions except, I used pecans instead of almonds because we have a couple of pecan trees in the yard. Made a few times now and it’s always a hit.
Great tasting recipe. I don’t always have grapes and almonds but it still turned out great.
This is my go-to recipe for chicken salad
When I visited my mother she would insist that I make this
I made this and it is very good. I am a ginger lover and the second time I made it I added some freshly grated ginger to the dressing mixture, WOW!
Thanks for the great recipe!
George
I LOVE this chicken salad – it is company worthy. I make this with high quality fresh bread whenever I invite someone for lunch – always a big hit!
Hi Jen. Have you tried to freeze leftovers?
Hi Karen, I haven’t tried it and unfortunately, I don’t think it would freeze well — sorry!