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5 Minute Chicken Salad

This creamy chicken salad with crunchy celery and sweet grapes is a quick and convenient 5-minute lunch. Serve it with a spiced honey-vinegar dressing over lettuce for a refreshing bite.

Chicken salad close-up on top of lettuce with baby carrots on the side.

Quick & Easy Chicken Salad

There’s no excuse to ever skip lunch after this 5-minute chicken salad with creamy mayo-yogurt dressing. It’s got hints of Creole seasoning for a peppery, earthy blast and a bit of honey to keep the flavors in check. Don’t forget sweet grapes, crunchy pecans, and celery for texture! Once tossed, it’s ready to be served over fresh lettuce for a light, effortless meal.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Salad Recipe

Even people who don’t love cooking can pull this easy, stir-only chicken salad recipe in a heartbeat.

  • Convenient. Canned chicken means you can whip up this salad even if you haven’t been to the supermarket in a while.
  • Sweet and savory. Juicy grapes, honey, and Creole seasoning give this salad the perfect balance of flavors.
  • Quick. It only takes 5 minutes, are you kidding me? Everyone has time for that.
  • Creamy. There’s mayo and Greek yogurt in the dressing for lots of creamy richness.
Ingredients for chicken salad.

What You’ll Need

Creole seasoning and sweet balsamic vinegar are the secret ingredients in the creamy dressing. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

For the Salad

  • Canned chicken – I prefer sodium-free brands.
  • Pecans – Almonds, Brazil nuts, and macadamias work too.
  • Celery – Make sure it’s still super crunchy.
  • Grapes – They need to be seedless. Use purple or green grapes.

For the Dressing

  • Non-fat Greek yogurt – It has to be plain and unsweetened.
  • Mayonnaise – Feel free to use full-fat or low-fat.
  • Black pepper – Freshly-cracked pepper is best.
  • Creole seasoning – It’s packed with peppery earthy goodness so don’t skip it. Old Bay seasoning works too.
  • Balsamic vinegar – Don’t use any other kind of vinegar because they’re too tangy.
  • Honey – You can use agave nectar instead.
Overhead photo of chicken salad on a plate with fresh vegetables on the side.

How to Make Chicken Salad

Reduce clean-up by mixing everything in the same bowl. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.

  • Fill the bowl. Stir the chicken, pecans, celery, and grapes in a bowl.
  • Make the dressing. Whisk the yogurt, mayo, black pepper, Creole seasoning, balsamic vinegar, and honey in a separate small bowl. You can also add the ingredients straight into the chicken-pecan mixture.
  • Toss it. Pour the dressing into chicken mixture and toss until completely coated.
  • Serve. Place chicken salad on a lettuce wedge or use it to fill a pita or sandwich. Enjoy!
Plate of chicken salad with baby carrots and sliced cucumbers on the side.

Tips & Variations

Even if you add a bit of bacon for crunch and smokiness, this chicken salad is just as easy!

  • Swap the protein. Shredded rotisserie chicken or chopped grilled turkey are a great swap for canned chicken.
  • Add pasta. Cook 1-2 cups of fusilli or penne pasta and stir it into the salad for a heartier meal.
  • Make it spicy. Swap the Creole seasoning for Cajun seasoning for a kick of heat.
  • Add veggies. Chopped cucumbers, baby carrots, and bell peppers will add more crunch to each bite.
  • Make it Waldorf. Add diced apples and chopped walnuts. Skip the Creole seasoning and you’ll have a Waldorf-inspired salad.
  • Add more crunch. Crumbled bacon or croutons add amazing texture to the recipe.

Serving Suggestions

This easy chicken salad is a quick lunch that’s perfect over lettuce wedges. You can also use it to fill pitas or make sandwiches. Placing it between Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits is great too. If you want to serve some side dishes, go for something simple like my Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries or Baked Zucchini Fries.

How to Store Leftovers

This recipe doesn’t freeze well because the grapes will lose their texture and the dressing will split.

  • Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • To serve: It shouldn’t be reheated. It needs to be served cold or at room temperature.

More Easy Chicken Lunch Ideas

Chicken salad close-up on top of lettuce with baby carrots on the side.

5 Minute Chicken Salad

5 from 1 vote
This crunchy chicken salad recipe with creamy Creole-mayo dressing is an easy 5-minute lunch for hectic weekdays.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Salad:

  • 2 cans of chicken Hormel Premium Chicken Breast in water {no salt added} drained
  • 1/3 cup pecans chopped
  • 1/3 cup celery chopped
  • 1/3 cup seedless grapes quartered


Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup non fat greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup organic mayonnaise
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon honey

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl add drained chicken, pecans, celery, and grapes
  • In a small bowl stir to combine yogurt, mayonnaise, black pepper, Creole seasoning, balsamic vinegar and honey.
  • Pour dressing over chicken mixture and stir to combine.
  • Serve on a lettuce wedge with fresh vegetables or in a pita or in a sandwich.
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American

Categories:

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6 comments on “5 Minute Chicken Salad”

  1. Avatar photo
    Shelley Saukko

    For some reason the Dressing became jumbled on my phone. Would you please tell me what the Dressing is? (Not the mayo).

  2. 5 stars
    I will be making this recipe with the avocado substitution for a wedding shower for bride that needs gluten free dairy free!!! THank you ladies!!!

  3. Avatar photo
    Sharon Marshall

    I am looking for a simple recipe for chicken salad, but I don’t like mayo & (I’m not supposed to have it either) I don’t like celery & I can’t have yogurt, it triggers my migraines. Do you have any other suggestions for me to use in the chicken salad besides mayo or yogurt?

    1. Hi Sharon, omit the celery and add 1 large or 2 small avocados, peeled and mashed to the ingredients. I have done this to make a chicken salad in the past and if you are a fan of avocado, you should love the final recipe.

  4. Avatar photo
    Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom

    I am all about egg salad and chicken salad–but not tuna salad (or shrimp for that matter) either! I love your version of chicken salad–so quick and easy!

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