Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad Recipe

5 from 44 votes

This 'Church Lady Level' savory chicken salad is made particularly delicious with the addition of toasted pecans and tiny champagne grapes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time5

Chilling Time30

Total Time55

Course: Sandwiches

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: servings

Cost: $2.56 per serving

2 cups cooked chicken white meat, dark meat, or a combination of both; chopped or shredded to desired consistency
2 medium eggs hard-boiled and cooled; chopped fine
1 large rib and leaves celery diced fine
½ medium white onion diced fine
½ cup mayonnaise or to taste
black pepper to taste
1 cup Corinth grapes removed from stems and well washed
½ cup pecans toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary fresh; minced
1 tablespoon sage fresh; minced
1 tablespoon thyme fresh; minced

To a large mixing bowl, add cooked chicken. To this, add in the chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced celery and onion, black pepper, minced herbs, and mayonnaise. Use the tines of a fork to get everything very well incorporated.
TASTE; if additional aromatics (onion or celery) are required, add them now. I can usually discern if I require more, but I sometimes also wait until everything has had a chance to chill. Pro Tip: if you are lucky enough to have celery ribs with their leaves, try chopping some of the leaves into the chicken salad. The leaves have bunches of fresh flavor and also look visually appealing.
Toast the pecans on a baking sheet at 425°F for 3 to 5 minutes. Cool. Coarsely chop and add to the chicken salad mixture. Again, use the tines of a fork to get everything very well incorporated. Add the Corinth/Zante grapes to the chicken salad. Gingerly combine using the tines of the fork so as to avoid crushing the tiny grapes.
While the salad is ready as soon as everything is combined, I find that the flavor benefits from having at least 30 minutes for the ingredients to meld. Load the salad into an airtight container. Chill it for at least 30 minutes. Serve plated over salad greens with sliced fruit and butter crackers, or as a sandwich or lettuce wrap.

Leftovers May Be Stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir well before serving.

Substitute Seedless Red Grapes if you are unable to source Corinth/Zante grapes