This easy chicken salad with grapes and walnuts is a healthy version of the restaurant classic you can whip up in a few minutes. It's gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30 friendly and perfect for lunch or a no-cook dinner!
This chicken salad with grapes and walnuts is a remake of restaurant chicken salad that was one of my favorites before I went paleo. The original was loaded with commercial mayonnaise and served on a croissant. This version is pure paleo — organic chicken, fruit, and vegetables, with healthy fats from the walnuts and olive oil. No mayo in sight, and it’s gluten, grain, and dairy-free.
Easy chicken salad with grapes
You can make this chicken salad recipe with roasted chicken, slow cooker chicken or rotisserie chicken. My local grocery store has organic chicken in the rotisserie with no seasonings added. That's what I use when I don't have time to cook.
I like the grapes cut in half. It's easier to eat and you get a little bit of the sweetness from the grape juice when you fold them into the dressing. To cut them in half quickly, place the individual grapes on a plate or lid with a lip that comes halfway up the grapes. Invert another plate or lid over the top of the grapes. Then carefully slice through them between the plates so you cut them in half all at once.
The dressing is a simple fresh lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette. Whisking the olive oil into the lemon juice thickens it to a creamy, emulsified finish. Here's a tutorial on how to make a basic vinaigrette.
I like this chicken salad in lettuce cups — or straight out of the bowl. You can also serve it on a grain-free paleo bread or roll. Either way, it's a perfect easy paleo lunch.
More easy paleo salads
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and fresh ground pepper
- 2 cups diced cooked organic chicken
- 1 cup halved organic seedless grapes
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup diced organic celery
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Add shallots and lemon juice to medium bowl. Whisk in olive oil slowly until dressing is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add chicken, grapes, walnuts, celery, and parsley to bowl with dressing. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Nutrition
Paleo salad recipes
Looking for more salad ideas? Check out this collection of easy paleo salads. Or try one of these favorites:
- Broccoli Salad with Bacon (Paleo, Whole30, Gluten Free)
- Avocado Tuna Salad (Paleo, Keto, Whole30)
- Antipasto Salad with Easy Italian Dressing
- Easy Avocado Caprese Salad (Dairy Free)
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad (Paleo, Whole30)
AnnMarie
This was excellent. I was hesitant to use a lemon vinaigrette-I’ve tried others and didn’t really like them. Plus, what’s chicken salad without mayo? Anyway, I was BEYOND pleased and this will be my definite “go to” chicken salad. I adore the taste of the extra virgin olive oil…and don’t leave out the shallot. Perfect together, thank you!
Ginger Wroot
This looks lovely! I look forward to trying a chicken salad with your suggested dressing instead of mayo. Thanks!
Lisa
Thanks Ginger! Hope you love it!