This Fancy Chicken Salad with Apples and Grapes with toasted pecans makes for a sweet, crunchy, and delicious light meal.

Chicken salad with grapes and apples in bowl image with text overlay

I often visit Chicken Salad Chick for lunch or to grab some of their selections to take home for a light supper. During the pandemic, I was craving their Fancy Nancy salad and decided to make my version of the delicious chicken salad at home. The version I created, was amazing and we all loved it even better than the restaurant.

It’s an easy recipe to make and you can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, or cook your own chicken at home. I tend to simmer some chicken breasts in chicken stock on the stove to use in this and other recipes.

One thing that I love about making copycat recipes at home is that I can control the ingredients, including the salt. Mine is less salty but that’s a personal preference.

Another great reason to make chicken salad at home is that you can change it up every time it’s made. Use what you have on hand, or add something new and spicy. Add diced red onion instead of the onion powder or omit the fruit and add diced bell peppers. Make it your own. I did, with this Fancy Nancy version.

Fancy Chicken Salad with Grapes and Apples with crackers

Table of Contents

How do I serve homemade chicken salad?

You can serve it as a sandwich on toasted bread, as a wrap, or on a roll. It’s great to serve with crackers at luncheons or in lettuce cups. Sometimes I will hollow a tomato or bell pepper and use that as a container for the chicken salad.

Can I Make this Ahead of Time?

Yes – Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days depending on how fresh the cooked chicken is. The USDA recommends storing cooked chicken for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

overhead shot of Chicken Salad with Grapes and Apples

Ingredients for Fancy Chicken Salad with Apples and Grapes

cooked chicken, deboned and diced
pecans, coarsely chopped and toasted
red seedless grapes, halved
Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
celery, chopped
mayonnaise
dijon mustard
lemon, juice only
celery salt
onion powder

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How to Make Fancy Chicken Salad

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, add diced chicken, fruit, celery, and pecans.

Step 2

In a small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice, celery salt, and onion powder; stir well.

Step 3

Pour the creamy dressing over chicken and fruit mixture, mixing well until combined.

Step 4

Refrigerate the fruity chicken salad for at least two hours or until ready to serve. Serve on crackers, a bed of lettuce, celery sticks, croissants, or your favorite bread.

This really is the best chicken salad recipe to make. Whether you have it for lunch or serve it at a special event, like a baby shower or birthday lunch, it’s perfect.

Tips, Tricks, and FAQs

You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or cook your own chicken at home.
Use salt and pepper, to taste.
Replace mayonnaise with avocado mayo, if desired.
Substitute half of the mayo with sour cream, if desired.
Green grapes can be used, if you prefer.
The kind of apple used is up to you, Honeycrisp is also delicious to use.
Add diced onion, or whatever else you like.
Serve on bread, rolls, as a lettuce wrap, or with crackers.
It can be made a day ahead.
This recipe does make quite a bit, you can half the recipe easily.

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