Description

This Easy Chicken Salad is a creamy, crunchy, and flavor-packed dish that’s perfect for meal prep, weekday lunches, or light entertaining. Made with cooked chicken, celery, red onion, and a tangy mayo-mustard dressing, it comes together in under 20 minutes if your chicken is already cooked. Serve it as a sandwich, in lettuce wraps, or spooned over greens—it’s incredibly versatile and always satisfying. The best part? It gets better with time, making it ideal for make-ahead meals.

Ingredients

Scale

3 cups cooked, chopped or shredded chicken
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
½ cup red grapes or 1 apple, diced (optional)
⅔ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, dill, or tarragon (optional)

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Instructions

If needed, cook the chicken first and let it cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, onion, and grapes or apples.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice.
Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and fold gently until combined.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving if possible.
Serve in sandwiches, lettuce wraps, or over greens.

Notes

For a lighter version, use half mayo and half Greek yogurt.
Add toasted almonds or pecans for crunch.
Don’t skip the chilling time—it improves the flavor.
Adjust seasoning after chilling as flavors intensify.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes (with pre-cooked chicken)
Category: lunch, salad
Method: No-cook (if using pre-cooked chicken)
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 310
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 410mg
Fat: 23g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 18g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 22g
Cholesterol: 70g