This is an oldie but a goodie that’s been passed around for decades. It’s incredibly good, cheap to make & everyone seems to like it. Best of all, the simple ingredients are available year round almost every where, and it’s a great use for leftover chicken.
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans
I’ve made a few changes over the years, leaving out the sunflower seeds (high in omega-6) and using pecans, instead. I also like loading it up with grapes and celery, as much as I think my family will tolerate!
My favorite way to make this salad is with tarragon – I think tarragon isn’t used enough and it adds that extra something, a layer of mystery to the salad.
A little shout out to my friend, Jenni, who knows I love good honey and searches out special ones for me as she travels around and gifts them to me for Christmas!
I love using a yogurt mayo mixture in this, but it has to be a thick Greek style yogurt, just a little to turn that mayo into creamy deliciousness. A dab of sour cream doesn’t hurt either.
Sometimes I make sandwiches, often I serve it over lettuce, and if I have the fancy little lettuces (think Aldi) lettuce cups come to mind. Very inexpensive to make, and as sandwiches it’s well under five bucks or so.
Chicken Salad with Grapes & Pecans
Chicken Salad with Grapes
- 2 chicken breast halves, preferably bone-in, skin on, about 2 1/2 cups of chicken breast, diced or shredded
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups of grapes, sliced in half (see photos, below)
- 4 stalks celery, sliced or finely diced, about a cup
- 1/4 red onion, minced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise or a yogurt and mayonnaise mixture; it you have it add a dab of sour cream to the mix
- 1 to 3 tablespoons honey, as desired
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon tarragon or basil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or cashews
Roast chicken at 350 degrees for 50 minutes to an hour, until done. Remove from oven and let cool as you put together the other ingredients, then remove the bone and cut or pull into bite sized pieces. (Remember to save the bone for chicken stock.)
Cut grapes in half (see below), slice or dice celery and dice onion. I like to use the celery leaves in the salad, and then later in the garnish, too.
Put all into a bowl, add mayonnaise, honey, Dijon and tarragon or basil. Check and make sure it tastes good to you; I like it strongly flavored and a little zippy, but adjust the ingredients to suit your taste. Salt and pepper to taste, remembering when you add nuts, they may be salty.
Just before serving nuts. Nuts or seeds may become soggy in the dressing; if left overs are apparent, add them to just the portion of the salad you know you’ll be using.
The next day, this will not look as attractive as the mayonnaise will mingle with the grape juices and get a little watery, but it will taste even better.
from the kitchen of http://www.frugalhausfrau.com
Let’s talk about how to save money/time on this recipe:
- Use a coupon matching site! One of my favorites in my area is Pocket Your Dollars, but every store has a group of enthusiastic Coupon Matchers. Do not discount the savings! I check their site every week, even if I don’t “need” to go to the store and often find bargains I can’t pass up.
- Follow my 12 Strategies – You’ll see them on the upper drop down menu of every page and how I apply them, below.
- Don’t get discouraged if your prices don’t match mine! Keep shopping at the best prices and your fridge/freezer and pantry will be stocked with sales priced ingredients.
- Read Strategies Applied for additional tips as well as throughout the recipe, for saving time and managing food.
To cut your grapes, lay down a lid with a lip, fill it with whatever round objects you wish to slice in half. Put a second lid on top and press firmly down with your hand and run a sharp knife horizontally between the two lids:
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 420 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 34 g | 52 % |
| Saturated Fat 5 g | 24 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 12 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 16 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 83 mg | 28 % |
| Sodium 345 mg | 14 % |
| Potassium 368 mg | 11 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 16 g | 5 % |
| Dietary Fiber 2 g | 9 % |
| Sugars 10 g | |
| Protein 30 g | 60 % |
| Vitamin A | 9 % |
| Vitamin C | 8 % |
| Calcium | 10 % |
| Iron | 20 % |
Put Your Own Spin on It:
- Vary your fruits or try any combination you like. This is perfect in the summer with freshly ripe nectarines or peaches. It’s also good with dried cherries or cranberries.
- I can’t help but think how gorgeous this would be served layered in a clear glass bowl at a potluck or function, then mixed on the spot, or in salad jars to take to work.
My Pay Off:
This recipe uses very familiar ingredients that I know even my son will eat, and feels a little light and festive during the long winter season, and a great use of leftover chicken for a no heat up the kitchen summer meal.