Chicken Salad With Walnuts and Grapes

By Jill Santopietro

Updated June 11, 2017

  • Craig Lee for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(788)
Comments
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A pile of this chicken salad plopped on top of a bed of greens or tucked between two slices of good bread would make a most excellent lunch or light supper. It starts with a quick dressing made of mayonnaise, chopped chives, parsley and tarragon and the juice and zest of a lemon. Combine the dressing with chopped, cooked chicken (for ease, use supermarket rotisserie chicken or Thanksgiving turkey leftovers), red grapes, red onion, celery and walnuts. It's a delightful and deeply satisfying combination of flavors (sweet, salty, tangy) and textures (cold, crunchy, juicy) that's almost impossible to stop eating.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

  • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped chives

  • 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon

  • 1 3-pound roasted chicken, skin removed, meat roughly chopped

  • ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion

  • ½ cup finely chopped celery

  • 1 cup halved red seedless grapes

  • ¾ cup roughly chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

  • Mesclun, optional

  • Crusty bread, optional

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

9 grams carbs; 176 milligrams cholesterol; 608 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 17 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 36 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 364 milligrams sodium; 60 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Add the chives, parsley and tarragon and mix gently.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine the chicken, onion, celery, grapes and walnuts. Add the mayonnaise mixture and fold together to combine. Season to taste. If desired, serve over mesclun or with bread.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
788 user ratings
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Comments

Peggy

Anyone know how much chicken breast meat to use to substitute for the meat from a three pound supermarket chicken?

Karen Strickholm

I have made almost exactly this recipe for years, subbing green grapes for red, and sliced (not slivered) almonds for the walnuts. Omit tarragon OR I put in mutiple herbs. Delicious and the sliced almonds are very satisfyingly crunchy in the salad. Yum!

Janet

This is so yummy. Great to make in the fall with fresh herbs from our garden. Excellent with leftover turkey.

Ingrid

Way too much lemon!

JudiM.

I’ve been making a similar recipe for years. The seasonings vary, depending on what fresh herbs are available. Today it was mint, parsley, chives, oregano, and a sprinkle of dried marjoram. I served it in scooped-out cantaloupe halves, an idea we borrowed from a restaurant chain 30+ years ago.

Mrs Cleaver

No tarragon but added garam masala and a little curry. No red onion but used green onion. Nice summer recipe.

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