Crispy Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken combined with celery, grapes, and crisp greens for a fresh, satisfying dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped
02 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
03 - 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
04 - 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
05 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, arugula, spinach)
06 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds or pecans (optional)
07 - Salt, to taste
08 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, chopped (optional)

# Cooking Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, gently mix shredded rotisserie chicken, mayonnaise, diced celery, and halved grapes until evenly coated.
02 - Add salt and black pepper according to taste and stir to incorporate.
03 - Arrange mixed salad greens evenly on four plates or a large serving platter.
04 - Spoon the chicken mixture over the salad greens, spreading uniformly.
05 - Sprinkle sliced almonds or pecans over the salad if desired, then garnish with chopped chives or parsley.
06 - Serve immediately to maintain maximum crispness and freshness.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in minutes, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel elegant without the stress.
  • The sweetness of grapes against creamy mayo and tender chicken is an unexpectedly perfect trio that somehow tastes like comfort and freshness at the same time.
  • You can double or halve it, change what nuts you use, or swap in apple slices—it's forgiving enough for improvisation but structured enough to never disappoint.
02 -
  • Don't over-dress the greens—let the salad mixture sit on top of them rather than tossing everything together, or you'll end up with soggy leaves and a watered-down sauce.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the chicken mixture and the greens separate until just before serving; they're patient enough to wait in the refrigerator but deserve to come together fresh.
  • The quality of your mayonnaise genuinely matters here—it's one of just five main components, so cheap mayo makes its presence known in the worst way.
03 -
  • Shred the rotisserie chicken while it's still warm and the meat is easiest to pull apart, then let it cool before mixing with the mayo so the dressing doesn't get warm and separate.
  • If you're making this ahead and the mixture seems dry when you refrigerate it, stir in an extra tablespoon or two of mayo just before serving—the chicken will have absorbed some of the creaminess as it sat.
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