This gluten-free chicken salad recipe is both delicious and versatile. The combination of fresh herbs, juicy grapes, and sliced almonds add a burst of flavor to this classic chicken salad recipe. It's the perfect, easy meal for lunch or a light dinner. Also great for bridal showers, picnics, or road trips.
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Chicken salad is one of those dishes that just hits the spot. It's light, refreshing, and perfect for those hot summer days when you don't feel like heating up the kitchen.
You can enjoy it on gluten-free bread, crackers, or even in a lettuce cup for a filling meal that's not too heavy. With a combination of tender chicken, crispy vegetables, and a creamy dressing, it's super easy to customize to your liking.
Plus, it's a great way to use up leftover chicken from the grill and create a new meal that's both delicious and easy to prepare. So next time you're craving something yummy but don't want to turn on the oven, whip up a batch of this chicken salad. Then head to your nearest picnic spot or bring it to your next party!
Simple Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken: Start with cooked chicken, whether that be leftover chicken breasts from the grill, a shredded rotisserie chicken, or even chicken tenders baked and cooled just for this recipe. I prefer light meat but feel free to use whatever your preference is.
- Celery: A few stalks of celery add a pop of color and wonderful crunch to the chicken salad.
- Green Onions: Substitute finely diced red onion if desired.
- Grapes: You can use red grapes, green grapes, or a combination of the two.
- Sliced Almonds: Almonds add another layer of crunch and that nutty flavor but feel free to omit if needed.
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh dill or fresh cilantro are my favorite herbs to use in this recipe. Feel free to play around with your choice of fresh herbs to change up the flavor.
Dressing Ingredients:
- Mayonnaise: Use your favorite mayonnaise. You can also use Miracle Whip or a plant-based alternative.
- Sour Cream: You can substitute greek yogurt for a healthier alternative.
- Cream or Milk: You can also use a dairy-free alternative if desired. This is used basically to thin out the dressing.
- Lemon Juice: Adds the perfect tanginess to the dressing. I prefer fresh lemon juice. You could substitute a splash of red wine vinegar if desired.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds the perfect touch of sweetness to the dressing. You can omit if you would like or use an alternative sugar like coconut sugar or honey.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Variations
There are so many ways you can vary this chicken salad recipe to either change up the flavor or use what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas:
- Add different fruits: Diced apples, dried cranberries, or sliced strawberries would be delicious in place of the grapes.
- Change up the nuts: Instead of sliced almonds, you could try using chopped walnuts, pecans, or cashews.
- Use a different herb: If you're not a fan of cilantro or dill, try using Italian flat-leaf parsley, basil, tarragon, or thyme. Pretty much any fresh herb would be delicious in this recipe.
- Add more veggies: Add shredded carrots, chopped bell peppers, or diced cucumbers to the chicken salad for extra crunch and nutrition.
- Experiment with different dressings: If you're not a fan of the mayonnaise-based dressing, you could try using a vinaigrette made with olive oil and vinegar or a honey mustard dressing.
- Make it spicy: Add diced jalapeños, red pepper flakes, or a dash of sriracha hot sauce to the chicken salad for a bit of heat.
Instructions
- Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Finely chop the chicken, celery, and green onion. Halve the grapes. Place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture.
- Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add more milk or cream to thin the dressing if needed.
How to Serve Chicken Salad
- Sandwiches: Serve as a filling on your favorite gluten-free bread, buns, or wraps. My favorite gluten-free breads for this sandwich are:
- Homemade gluten-free Hawaiian rolls or this easy flatbread, only three ingredients!
- Schar Deli-Style Sourdough: If you love the tangy taste of sourdough, try this bread.
- Schar croissants: Find these in the freezer section. They are small but if you like a croissant, give them a try.
- Schar Ciabatta: One of my go-to buns for this and other sandwiches.
- Canyon Bakehouse: The Hawaiian sweet bread is one of my favorites. They also make a brioche roll that is good.
- B-Free pitas are also a great option!
- Lettuce cups: Instead of bread, spoon chicken salad into a lettuce leaf and serve as lettuce cups. Iceberg or butter lettuce are great options as they are both sturdy enough to hold the salad without breaking.
- Salad: Turn your chicken salad into a salad. Serve atop of a bed of your favorite greens along with additional toppings such as nuts, diced vegetables, or other fruits.
- Appetizer: Scoop onto gluten-free crackers, cucumber slices, or celery sticks. You could use a food processor to pulse the chicken salad into a finer mixture.
- Stuffed into vegetables: Stuff into hollowed-out vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, or avocado halves.
What to Serve with Chicken Salad
The best side dishes for chicken salad sandwiches are light and refreshing, or complement the flavors and textures. Here are a few ideas:
- Salad: A fresh green salad with a simple vinaigrette can be a great complement to the creamy texture of a chicken salad sandwich.
- Fruit: Fresh fruit such as grapes, strawberries, or melon can be a refreshing and healthy side dish that balances out the richness of the chicken salad.
- Chips: A handful of potato chips or veggie chips can add a satisfying crunch to the meal.
- Soup: Chicken salad can be a great accompaniment to a bowl of soup, especially on a cold day.
- Pickles: A side of pickles, whether sweet or dill, can provide a nice tangy contrast to the creamy chicken salad.
Storage
Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The chicken salad will keep for 2-3 days. Stir before using, as the vegetables and grapes tend to release some moisture as the mixture sits. Add a splash of cream if the dressing seems a bit dry.
Top Recipe Tips
- Use good quality chicken. Be sure to use pre-cooked chicken that is moist and flavorful. You can use leftover chicken from a roast, grilled chicken breasts, or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Boiled chicken, while often used, is lacking in flavor and is usually dry and overcooked.
- Feel free to experiment and customize this recipe to suit your taste preferences, dietary needs, or food allergies.
- Always taste the dressing and adjust for seasoning before adding to the rest of the mixture. If you want more tang, add more lemon juice or a splash of red wine vinegar. Maybe you want a pinch more salt or black pepper. You might want more herbs! It's up to you and your taste. Have fun with it!
- Chill before serving. You can serve the chicken salad immediately, but it tastes a little better if you can give it time to chill in the refrigerator, even one hour will do the trick!
- Toast the almonds: This is optional but it can bring out the flavor of the sliced almonds, simply toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they are lightly browned and fragrant.
FAQ
While most chicken salad is gluten-free, you still need to check the list of ingredients on any store-bought chicken salad just in case. Also, consider the environment that the chicken salad is made in as there may be issues with cross contamination.
Rotisserie chickens are not always gluten-free. While chicken itself does not contain gluten, the seasonings used often contain gluten. Rotisserie chickens may be cooked in a shared environment where there is a risk of cross contamination. Always check the ingredients list, look for allergen statements, or ask the retailer about the ingredients and cooking process. Costco rotisserie chickens are gluten-free and a great choice.
Generally, mayonnaise is gluten-free. Always check the ingredients list for gluten-containing ingredients and look for allergen statements or a gluten-free claim on the package.
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Recipe
Gluten-Free Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup halved red grapes
- ¾ cup sliced green onions
- ½ cup sliced almonds
Dressing
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream, or greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk, or cream
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, or dill
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients by finely chopping the chicken, celery, green onions, and fresh cilantro. Halve the grapes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced chicken, celery, red grapes, green onions, and sliced almonds.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, cilantro, brown sugar, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken salad and stir to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
- When ready to serve, give the chicken salad a quick stir to make sure everything is well combined. Serve as a sandwich, in a wrap, or in lettuce cups.
Notes
- Always taste the dressing and adjust for seasoning before adding to the rest of the mixture.
- Feel free to experiment and customize this recipe to suit your taste preferences, dietary needs, or food allergies.
- You can serve the chicken salad immediately, but it tastes a little better if you can give it time to chill in the refrigerator, even one hour will do the trick!
Kathy
Yum! So good. I had that for lunch today.