Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes

Name: Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes
Prep time: 43 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 1 h 16 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 3 large breasts, trimmed of excess fat; any breast thicker than 1¼ inches (3 cm) sliced in half horizontally into two thinner cutlets; 8 cups (1900 ml) cold water, about; enough to cover the chicken by 1 inch (2.5 cm); 2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt, for the poaching water; 1 whole (1 g) bay leaf; ¾ cup (165 g) mayonnaise; ¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about ½ lemon; 1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard; 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh tarragon or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ¼ tsp (0.6 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1½ cups (225 g) seedless red grapes, washed, dried and halved lengthwise; 1 cup (100 g) celery, about 2 medium stalks, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 tbsp (20 g) red onion, very finely minced; ½ cup (45 g) sliced almonds, raw, to be toasted

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender poached chicken, juicy red grapes, crisp celery and toasted almonds in a creamy, lemony mayo dressing. Chilled for an hour so the flavors meld, it's perfect for sandwiches, lettuce cups or a picnic lunch.

Prep: 43 min
Cook: 33 min
Wait: 1 hr 40 min
Total: 2 hr 56 min
Makes: About 6 cups (6 generous servings)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

6 servings

For the chicken
2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 3 large breasts, trimmed of excess fat; any breast thicker than 1¼ inches (3 cm) sliced in half horizontally into two thinner cutlets
8 cups (1900 ml) cold water, about; enough to cover the chicken by 1 inch (2.5 cm)
2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt, for the poaching water
1 whole (1 g) bay leaf
For the dressing
¾ cup (165 g) mayonnaise
¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about ½ lemon
1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (6 g) fresh tarragon or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
¼ tsp (0.6 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the salad
1½ cups (225 g) seedless red grapes, washed, dried and halved lengthwise
1 cup (100 g) celery, about 2 medium stalks, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 tbsp (20 g) red onion, very finely minced
½ cup (45 g) sliced almonds, raw, to be toasted

Equipment (8)

4- to 5-quart (4–5 L) wide pot or Dutch oven (about 10–11 inches / 25–28 cm across) with lid
Instant-read thermometer
Small (8-inch / 20 cm) skillet
Large mixing bowl (at least 3-quart / 3 L)
Small mixing bowl
Cutting board and chef's knife
Rimmed baking sheet for chilling the diced chicken
Rubber spatula

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: poaching takes about 30 minutes, the diced chicken needs about 35 minutes in the fridge to get cold all the way through, and the finished salad needs at least 1 hour of chilling.
Use 2 lb (900 g) raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or about 4 cups (560 g) of cold leftover cooked chicken. If you use cooked chicken, skip the poaching step and start at 'Toast the almonds'.
Wash and thoroughly dry the grapes and celery. Wet produce will thin the dressing.
Food safety: count storage from the day the chicken is cooked. The cooked chicken and finished salad together must be eaten within 3 days of cooking; discard anything left after that.
Make the dressing and chop the vegetables while the diced chicken chills.

1
Poach the chicken
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a 4- to 5-quart (4–5 L) wide pot.
- Add the cold water (about 8 cups / 1.9 L; add more if needed so the chicken is covered by about 1 inch / 2.5 cm), the 2 tsp poaching salt and the bay leaf.
- Bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat, 8–12 minutes.
- Reduce to low, cover and simmer gently 12–15 minutes (12 for pieces about 1 inch / 2.5 cm thick, 15 for thicker ones).
- Check the temperature at the end of the simmer by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the largest piece.
- If any piece is below 165°F (74°C), cover and keep simmering on low, checking every 2 minutes.
- Once all pieces reach 165°F, turn off the heat and leave covered in the water for 5 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Thickest part reads at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear with no pink inside.
Tip: Never let the water boil hard; a rolling boil makes chicken tough and stringy.
2
Toast the almonds
- Heat a dry 8-inch (20 cm) skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the sliced almonds and stir or shake the pan constantly for 3–4 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate right away and let cool completely, about 5 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Almonds are light golden at the edges and smell nutty.
Tip: Sliced almonds burn in seconds; don't walk away, and don't leave them in the hot pan.
3
Dice and chill the chicken
- Lift the chicken out of the water with tongs onto a cutting board; discard the poaching water and bay leaf.
- Cut the chicken into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes, trimming away any tough bits; you should have about 4 cups (560 g).
- Spread the cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Refrigerate uncovered for 35 minutes, then stir the pieces and test a few from the middle of the pile with a thermometer or by touch.
- They should be cold all the way through, 40°F (4°C) or below, before you mix.
- If not, chill 10 minutes more.
- Use this time for the next two steps.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Center of the cubes is cold (40°F / 4°C or below), not just cool on the surface.
Tip: Dicing before chilling cools the chicken much faster than chilling whole breasts. Warm chicken makes the mayo dressing greasy and thin.
4
Whisk the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon, tarragon, ½ tsp dressing salt and the black pepper until smooth and evenly mixed.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dressing is smooth, pale and flecked with green herbs.
5
Prep the produce
- Halve the grapes lengthwise.
- Cut the celery into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice and mince the red onion very finely.
- Pat everything dry with paper towels and place in a large (3-quart / 3 L) mixing bowl.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Pieces are small and even so every bite has a bit of everything.
Tip: Mince the onion finely; large raw onion pieces overpower the sweet grapes.
6
Fold it together
- Add the cold chicken to the bowl with the grapes, celery and onion.
- Scrape the dressing over the top.
- With a rubber spatula, fold gently until everything is evenly coated, about 20 folds.
- Don't add the almonds yet.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All pieces are lightly coated and the grapes are not crushed.
Tip: Fold, don't stir hard, or the grapes will burst and make the salad watery.
7
Chill to blend
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour so the flavors meld and the salad firms up.
- For best quality and safety, serve within 2 days of mixing and never more than 3 days after the chicken was cooked.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Salad is cold throughout and the dressing clings to the chicken.
8
Add almonds and serve
- Just before serving, fold in the cooled toasted almonds.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon if needed.
- Serve on bread, in lettuce cups or on crackers.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Salad tastes creamy, bright and lightly sweet, with crunchy almonds throughout.
Tip: Adding almonds last keeps them crisp instead of soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Salt the poaching water; it seasons the chicken from within, so the salad doesn't taste flat.
Dry the grapes and celery well so the dressing stays creamy and doesn't turn watery as it sits.
If the salad seems dry after chilling, stir in 1–2 tablespoons more mayonnaise or a splash of lemon juice.
Use a thermometer rather than guessing; breasts vary in thickness, and 165°F (74°C) gives juicy, safe meat. Slicing thick breasts in half helps them cook evenly.

Make ahead

Poach, dice and chill the chicken up to 1 day ahead; store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Mix the salad (without almonds) up to 2 days ahead. Either way, the salad must be eaten within 3 days of the day the chicken was cooked. Toast the almonds up to 3 days ahead and store airtight at room temperature; add them just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container at 40°F (4°C) or below. Eat within 3 days of the day the chicken was cooked (cooking day counts as day 0) and discard any left after that, even if it looks and smells fine. Keep at room temperature no more than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F / 32°C). Not recommended for freezing, as the mayonnaise separates and the grapes turn mushy. Serve cold; no reheating. Stir before serving and add almonds fresh.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → 4 cups (560 g) diced rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken. Skip the poaching; use a mix of white and dark meat for richer flavor. Make sure it's cold and count its age toward the 3-day limit.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → Additional mayonnaise (¼ cup / 55 g) or sour cream. Mayonnaise gives a richer salad; sour cream adds more tang.
sliced almonds → Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts. Use the same amount and toast the same way.
fresh tarragon or flat-leaf parsley → Flat-leaf parsley or chives. Milder flavor than tarragon, which has a slight anise note.