Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing

This sweet and savory chicken salad with creamy yogurt dressing is a perfect combination. Sweet grapes, crunchy celery and a tangy dressing make a delicious flavor match. 

Let’s talk about cooked chicken. I think we all know that there are many dishes you can whip up pretty quickly with cooked chicken.

Cooked chicken freezes really well, so it’s easy to keep on hand.

It’s Always Good to Have Cooked Chicken On Hand

I usually freeze my shredded, cooked chicken in 1lb or 1/2 lb portions and then just defrost what I need for a recipe. So, if  you’re cooking chicken breasts for dinner, cook a few extras, shred and freeze them for later.

I have also seen several stores that carry cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken breast, Costco being one of them. And, of course, a rotisserie chicken is always a great go-to when a recipe calls for cooked chicken.

In addition to this chicken salad, chicken taco pinwheels, baked chicken taquitos and Avocado Chicken Salad Dip are several of my other favorite quick recipes that use cooked chicken.

I Love Grandma’s Chicken Salad!

Now, let’s talk about this chicken salad. It is hands down, my favorite chicken salad recipe. It’s based on a recipe that my Grandma used to make and I always loved it. It’s sweet and savory as well as crunchy and creamy, such perfect combination.

I wasn’t able to find my Grandma’s recipe, so I had to come up with the dressing on my own, and I think it turned out pretty amazing! It’s a dressing that you don’t have to feel bad about eating, either. It’s mostly made up of Greek yogurt, with just a couple tablespoons of mayo added to make it extra creamy and give it extra flavor.

This salad tastes great on it’s own, but it also makes a fantastic sandwich.

Make a big batch of this salad and eat it all week, it just gets better the longer it sits!

Tips and Tricks

• Any cooked chicken that you have on hand will work with this recipe. I prefer using white meat, but if you prefer dark meat that will also work. If you don’t have any on hand, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken and shred the meat.
• For a bolder onion flavor you can substitute red onion for the green onion.
• If you’re not a fan of almonds or don’t have any on hand, cashews are a tasty substitute.
• Don’t skip the celery salt, it really adds depth to the flavor of the salad.
• This salad is delicious on it’s own, served on a bed of lettuce or tucked into a ciabatta roll or a croissant.

Ingredients Needed to Make this Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing

Full instructions can be found below in the recipe card

• Cooked, cubed or shredded chicken – A rotisserie chicken works great for this salad, but any leftover chicken will work.
• Celery – Adds crunch and color
• Green onions – Add mild onion flavor to the salad without being overpowering.
• Purple grapes – I prefer these over green grapes because of the pop of color that they add, because we also eat with our eyes.
• Slivered almonds – Add a nutty component to the flavor profile.
• Plain Greek Yogurt – Fat free, low fat or full fat will work, but I do recommend using Greek rather than regular yogurt. I like the thicker texture that Greek yogurt has
• Mayonnaise – This adds a richness to the dressing as well as additional flavor.
• White wine vinegar – This thins out the dressing a bit as well as adding a slight tanginess.
• Salt 
• Black pepper
• Celery salt – Enhances the the flavor of the dressing.

How to Make this Easy Chicken Salad Recipe

• Combine chicken through almonds in a medium size bowl.
• Whisk together the yogurt through the celery salt in a small bowl.
• Pour dressing over the chicken mixture and stir gently to coat,
• Serve salad as is, over lettuce or on a sandwich roll.

ENJOY!