Get ready to fall head over heels for this Chicken Salad with Grapes recipe! Featuring tender cooked chicken, crunchy celery, and juicy grapes bursting with sweetness, it has to be the BEST way to use leftover chicken.

A bowl of chicken salad being tossed with serving spoons.

There's been some debate about whether grapes belong in chicken salad, and I'm here to declare that they absolutely do! Their sweetness balances out creamy and savory elements, providing a full spectrum of deliciousness that is good enough to eat by the spoonful.

A twist on the classic chicken salad recipe, this version is made with grapes, optional fresh herbs (dill is a secret ingredient… shhh!), and a creamy dressing. It's a great way to use that rotisserie chicken you picked up from the grocery store.

Best of all? This easy chicken salad recipe is super versatile. While it's good enough to eat on its own, you can add it to sandwiches, lettuce wraps, crackers, buttery croissants, etc. It's the ultimate easy dinner idea that works for any occasion.

Why You'll Love It:

Easy recipe. As long as you have some leftover cooked chicken, it's a no-cook recipe. Combine the ingredients and you're ready to serve!
Great for meal prep. Make this on a Monday and you'll have a tasty lunch for days! Just pair it with some leafy greens and/or a carb source and you're good to go.
Balanced flavors. I've tested this recipe SO many times, and the balance of sweet, savory, and crunchy is just so good!

Ingredients

Cooked chicken: This can be anything from cooked and chopped chicken breasts, to leftover store-bought rotisserie chicken. My favorite option is to use leftover oven-roasted whole chicken, since the meat is well-seasoned and makes for the best chicken salad (in my opinion anyway).
Grapes: I recommend red grapes for their sweetness and flavor, but if you like green grapes you could use those instead! You could even use a little of each. Just be sure to use seedless grapes.
Celery: This adds a yummy crunch and delicious flavor. It's my favorite part! The most important thing is to chop your celery finely, meaning each piece should be ¼" or smaller.
Green onions: This adds a subtle onion flavor without the strength of raw onions. It's my favorite hack for chicken salad, egg salad, and tuna salad too!
Dill: A secret ingredient! Although the recipe is still delicious without it, the flavor of fresh dill packs a punch and adds something special. I will seek it out far and low whenever possible, but honestly, if you can't get your hands on some, it's fine — I just urge you to try it again (when you can) with fresh dill.

For the Dressing:

Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Lemon juice (fresh if possible, but bottled is fine)
Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika)

Check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and the quantities needed.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Salad with Grapes

Adding chicken, celery, green onion, and dill to a bowl and tossing to make chicken salad.

Combine. Add the chicken, celery, green onion, grapes, and fresh dill to a large bowl.
Toss the ingredients together until well combined.
Make the dressing. Add the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder to a small bowl.
Whisk well until smooth and uniform.
Pour the dressing over the chicken, celery, green onion, and grape mixture.
Toss well with salad tongs to evenly distribute the dressing. Add salt according to your taste; add a little at a time and mix, then taste until the flavors are bright and pronounced. Add more dill or seasonings if desired.
- For the best results, chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving, but if you want to serve it right away that's totally fine!

A bowl of chicken salad in a black bowl, surrounded by a bowl of grapes and some croissants.

Storing Leftovers

Transfer leftover chicken salad to an airtight container.
Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (depending on how long the chicken you used has been stored).
Leftover chicken is generally good for 3-4 days, so if the chicken used was stored for more than 24 hours, adjust the storage time accordingly.
Discard if there are any signs of spoilage such as an off smell, texture, or appearance.

Can you freeze chicken salad?

No, chicken salad cannot be frozen. Since chicken salad is intended to be eaten as a cold salad with a mayonnaise-based dressing, the loss of texture associated with freezing would not be pleasant. Most chicken salad recipes include additional ingredients like celery, green onion, and grapes which are not favorable to freezing and thawing.

If you want to have chicken salad at a later date, it's a better option to freeze the cooked chicken, then assemble the salad fresh after thawing the cooked meat.

Ways to Serve Chicken Salad

Lettuce wraps (or lettuce cups)
Croissants
On crackers
As a sandwich filling
On a bed of greens
Alongside a variety of salads for a cold plate meal
Straight out of the bowl with a spoon!

A croissant sliced in half and filled with chicken salad.

Expert Tips

Finely chop everything. To avoid large and unpleasant chunks, finely chop all vegetables, and keep the chicken pieces small too! This makes each bite enjoyable and creates the perfect consistency for spreading on crackers or tea sandwiches.
Halve the grapes widthwise. When I first started making this salad I halved the grapes lengthwise, creating an oval shape. I found that cutting them in half widthwise (across the middle) creates a half sphere, which works much better for this recipe.
Use well-seasoned chicken. I've made this chicken salad recipe many times, and with many different types of chicken. Those that are well seasoned (like my roast chicken recipe) taste far superior to plain chicken breast or (most) store-bought rotisserie chickens. That being said, all versions taste great! Just be sure to add salt to taste once the salad is finished - it makes a big difference!

Flavor Variations

With goat cheese. Add ½ cup of goat cheese crumbles into the salad once the dressing is added, then fold it in carefully.
With walnuts. Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts to the salad. I like candied walnuts, as they maintain their crunch, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
Turkey salad with grapes. I've tested this recipe using turkey instead of chicken and it tastes great - no other adjustments needed!

A close up of chicken salad dotted with red grapes.

Substitutions

Mayonnaise: Some of the mayonnaise can be substituted for sour cream or even plain Greek yogurt. I wouldn't substitute more than half of the mayo for one of these swaps, at least not without making significant changes to the dressing itself (I think more Dijon and lemon would be needed).

Onion: I used green onions in this recipe as they are mild, but still provide a nice oniony flavor without overwhelming the delicious chicken salad. You could try swapping them for 2 tablespoons of chopped red onion (or white onion). Soaking the onion pieces in hot water for 5-10 minutes can help reduce their sharpness.

Low-carb option: Since the grapes are spread out over several servings, many people find that the carbs are low enough for their needs. That being said, there is a way to reduce the carbs further by omitting the grapes. In their place, you could use nuts, radish, chopped hearts of palm, or even avocado for a yummy avocado chicken salad.

More Recipes Using Leftover Chicken

If you loved this recipe for cold chicken salad with grapes, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.

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Chicken Salad with Grapes