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California chicken salad recipe

Healthy California Chicken Salad Recipe with Grapes

A crunchy and creamy salad packed with fresh ingredients, dressed in a tangy mustard dressing, this Healthy California Chicken Salad Recipe with Grapes is truly delicious!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Fridge time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 3 cups chicken breast (cooked as you prefer: grilled, poached, baked, pan-seared; or rotisserie chicken)
  • 2 stalks celery
  • ½ cup red grapes (or white grapes)
  • ½ cup walnuts (or more)
  • parsley for decoration

Dressing

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt (1 small 130 g yogurt)
  • 1 tbsp sour cream
  • 1 tsp chia seeds (or poppy seeds)
  • 3-4 tsp mustard
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
  • ¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Toast your walnuts (or pecan nuts) in a dry pan on medium heat for 5 minutes, keeping an eye so they do not burn, until they start to be fragrant (you can also bake them for 5 minutes at 400F or 200C). Then coarsely chop them (you want to feel that crunch and nutty goodness!)
  • Wash the celery stalks, cut them in half lengthwise if needed, and chop them. Wash the grapes and halve or quarter them, depending on size.
  • In a large bowl, add 3 cups of cooked chicken breast cut into small pieces (or shredded). Then add the chopped celery, the halved grapes and combine all the ingredients well.
  • In a small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients until everything is well-mixed and smooth.
  • Pour the dressing over your chicken mix in the big bowl, and combine well to fully coat all of the ingredients.
  • Season to taste with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
  • You can serve this classic chicken salad as it is, at room temperature, but the best way is to refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes or, even better, overnight. This will allow all of the flavors to perfectly combine and compliment each other.
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