This recipe for Easy Classic Chicken Salad in Under 1 Hour is packed with tender chicken breast, grapes, celery, onion, pecans and just the right amount of dressing. A touch of Dijon mustard and white balsamic vinegar add depth to this delicious and flavorful classic salad.
This simple chicken salad recipe is delightful over a bed of spring greens, but I like it best when served on a croissant as a sandwich. Perfect for garden parties, brunch, or for no reason at all, this chicken salad may just become one of your new favorites.
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Happy Memories Making This Simple Chicken Salad Recipe
When my daughter was about 2 years old, I began letting her help me in the kitchen. After I prepped all the ingredients and cleared the work space of knives and other dangers, I would sit her on the counter next to me and allow her to add ingredients as the recipe directed. As she grew older and could manage a butter knife, I would trust her with the responsibility of dicing up the chicken or cutting the grapes in half.
If you read my recipe on Edible Finger Paint for Little Artists, you know that I believe that time spent in the kitchen with kiddos is time well spent. My daughter was always sitting on the counter while I cooked – watching, helping, tasting and asking questions. The time she spent in the kitchen was more than just a way to introduce her to new foods. Cooking together became a way for her to learn. The kitchen was where she learned colors. She learned the difference between sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savory. Baking was her first lesson in fractions (1/4 cup goes into a 1 cup measure four times and so on).
She got to experiment in the kitchen. We made buttermilk bubble up with a small addition of baking soda (baking is chemistry, after all). And I can’t tell you exactly how many rolls of banana sushi she and her daddy made together. Yes, it was exactly how it sounds – bananas wrapped in seasoned sushi rice and nori — and we declared every single one of her creations as being “chef’s-kiss delicious”. At least we did when she was little. Now that she’s an adult, we are more truthful about her early concoctions. Parents, raise your hands if you know exactly what I’m talking about!
This recipe for Easy Classic Chicken Salad in Under 1 Hour is the recipe that came out of those early years when we cooked together in the kitchen. It’s a blend of all of our favorite flavors and textures in one delicious chicken salad. It’s characteristically sweet, tangy, and earthy.
Easy Classic Chicken Salad in Under 1 Hour – Truly
One of the ingredients that makes this simple chicken salad recipe so delicious is the addition of a touch of White Balsamic Vinegar. Like many classic chicken salads, this recipe contains mayonnaise, which can be a bit heavy and a considerable amount of fruit, which can run sweet. The addition of a little White Balsamic adds a touch of bright, tartness to this simple salad. In essence, it balances out the dressing, so don’t be tempted to skip this ingredient. It makes a big difference in the end.
White Balsamic isn’t as strong as regular balsamic. I also like the fact that it’s light color doesn’t muddy the appearance of a dish if a pristine presentation is desired. For example, I often use a drizzle of White Balsamic Glaze over Caprese Salad because it doesn’t interfere with the beautiful colors of the fresh ingredients like a classic balsamic would. If you haven’t tried this vinegar, it really is worth making a little space for it on your counter.
A Few Simple Steps
The first step in this recipe is to boil 2-3 chicken breasts in water until completely cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the hot water and allow it to cool uncovered in the refrigerator. Save the water for cooking rice, pasta or as a base for stock.
Once cooled, dice the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. If you are short on time, you can pick up a finished roaster from the store and pick off the meat. Just make sure you have one pound of meat total.
While the chicken is cooling, I like to use that time to prep and measure out the other ingredients. Dice the onion, celery and pecans. Slice the grapes in half and toss with the other fresh ingredients and cooled chicken.
Finally, add 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, the Dijon mustard and white balsamic and give everything a good stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
I hope you give this simple chicken salad recipe a try. It’s not fancy and it doesn’t break any new culinary ground. However, if you believe that not everything has to be on-trend to be good, that there are some things worth holding onto over the years – like a really good recipe, then this one is for you. It’s just a really lovely and satisfying chicken salad. Enjoy!
Easy Classic Chicken Salad in Under 1 Hour
Course: Mains, SaladsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes15
minutes20
minutesPacked with tender chicken, grapes, celery, onion, pecans and just the right amount of dressing.
Ingredients
1 pound cooked chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
1/2 cup seedless green grapes, sliced in half.
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, sliced in half.
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1/4 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
- In a medium-size pot, add the chicken breasts and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook completely, approximately 10-15 minutes depending on how cold your chicken was when you started cooking. Remove the chicken from the water and cool in the refrigerator.
- Once the chicken is cooled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
- In a medium-size bowl, combine the onion, celery, pecans and grapes. Add the cooled chicken and combine.
- Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and white balsamic vinegar and stir until combined.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over fresh greens or on a croissant and enjoy.
Notes
- I can’t find White Balsamic Vinegar. What is a good substitution? If you can’t find White Balsamic Vinegar, I recommend using a raspberry vinegar or some other semi-sweet fruit vinegar.
- Can I use just one kind of grape? Yes. I like the visual appeal and subtle difference in flavor between the green and red grapes, but you can substitute one for the other. Just keep it to one cup total.
