By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 6
332 cal · 15 min
Loaded Chicken Salad
Recipe GLPRda0f6035618ecd
A vibrant and satisfying chicken salad loaded with crisp celery, sweet grapes, fresh apple, and toasted pecans, bound together with a tangy mustard-tarragon mayo dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or protein-packed side dish.
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Ingredients
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 small apple, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup pecans
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly chopped tarragon leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and fresh tarragon until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, combine the diced cooked chicken, celery, red onion, halved grapes, diced apple, and pecans.
Pour the tarragon dressing over the chicken mixture and gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
Comments
Every ingredient is standard stock at Charlotte's major chains, though fresh tarragon—if the recipe means fresh rather than dried—requires a special trip to Harris Teeter's herbs section or a Latin market, adding real friction to a weeknight dinner. The cost per serving runs about $2.50–$3.00, driven mostly by the chicken breast and pecans, which is reasonable for a lunch-friendly main. The stated 15 minutes is honest if your chicken is pre-cooked; if you're poaching or roasting it fresh, add 20–25 minutes minimum. This is classic family-friendly fare that reheats poorly due to the apple and grapes oxidizing and salad texture collapsing, so plan it as a same-day meal, but the hands-on work is genuinely light and the dish needs no watching once assembled.
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