Great for picnics and tailgating, chicken salad is a Southern staple. There are a thousand different ways to make this stuff. This recipe is a bit chunkier than most folks are used to. Serve on sliced cucumber or zucchini as an appetizer or spoon into romaine lettuce leaves and serve as a meal.
1½–2 pounds (1 kg) chicken breasts
1 cup (100 g) celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, minced
1 cup (175 g) seedless grapes, sliced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon (40 ml) salt (optional)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground mustard
½ teaspoon black pepper
1½ cups (375 mL) Paleo Mayonnaise ( recipe here)
½ cup (60 g) walnuts, chopped
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Coat casserole dish with butter or olive oil.
- Place chicken breasts in dish, sprinkle a pinch of black pepper/salt over the top and cook uncovered for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken from oven and let cool.
- Mix all other in ingredients in large bowl.
- Once chicken has cooled, roughly chop and combine with all other ingredients.
Ingredients—Skinless chicken breasts are ideal for this recipe.
Variations—Boiling chicken also works but removes some flavor. You can also use leftover chicken in this recipe, which will spare you the cooking of the chicken step! Pressed for time and don’t have access to pastured chicken? Use some store-bought precooked chicken (rotisserie, baked, etc.)
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Chicken and grape salad bakes chicken breasts until tender, then folds them with crisp celery, sliced grapes, walnuts, and two mustards into a chunky Southern staple. It is built for picnics and tailgating, and it is best spooned into romaine leaves or onto cucumber rounds. A little chunkier than most versions, on purpose.
Pro Tips
- Roughly chop the chicken rather than dicing it - the recipe wants this chunky, with recognizable pieces in every bite.
- Cool the chicken completely before mixing; warm chicken melts the mayo and turns the salad greasy.
- Toast the walnuts for about 8 minutes first so their crunch survives the dressing.
- Leftover roast chicken spares you the cooking step entirely - the variation says so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes - the recipe explicitly allows store-bought precooked chicken when time is short.
How should I serve it?
On sliced cucumber or zucchini as an appetizer, or spooned into romaine lettuce leaves as a meal.
Does it keep well?
Two days covered in the fridge. Stir before serving, as the grapes release juice as it sits.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Coat casserole dish with butter or olive oil.
- Place chicken breasts in dish, sprinkle a pinch of black pepper/salt over the top and cook uncovered for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken from oven and let cool.
- Mix all other in ingredients in large bowl.
- Once chicken has cooled, roughly chop and combine with all other ingredients.
