I wait all year for grapes to come into season so I can make my favorite chicken salad. I still prepare it year-round, but it’s at its best from July through September when red seedless grapes are at their sweetest and have that crisp snap. Use whichever grapes your family prefers—red seedless are my go-to because they’re pretty and sweet. During grape season I often alternate chicken salad sandwiches with fresh heirloom tomato dishes.
A touch of lemon juice brightens the mayonnaise, making this salad light and perfect for hot weather. I use light mayonnaise to avoid the heavy mouthfeel full-fat versions can leave. Avoid Miracle Whip here; its sweetness clashes with the other ingredients. If you want to cut calories with plain yogurt, expect a slight tang—if you use yogurt, consider omitting the capers to keep the flavor balanced.
Poaching chicken may seem intimidating, but it’s an easy technique that yields tender, moist meat. To poach, simmer water with a splash of white wine and aromatics like shallot, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaf and peppercorns. After infusing the liquid, gently add the chicken and maintain a slow simmer—just below a boil with only small bubbles. Poached chicken soaks up subtle flavor without drying out, making it ideal for this salad.
Leftover grilled or roasted chicken also works well, as does store-bought rotisserie chicken when you’re short on time—just debone and chop or shred. When I roast or grill for dinner I often make extra so I have ready-to-use chicken for salads, tacos or enchiladas; it saves time and gives everyone a homemade meal with less effort.
To extract the most juice from lemons and other citrus, two basic tools are best. A wooden or handheld reamer offers excellent traction and control—use a fine strainer when juicing to catch seeds or excess pulp. The other common tool is a handheld squeezer, favored by bartenders: place a lemon half cut-side down and press the handles together to extract juice efficiently.
A wooden reamer gives you the best traction for squeezing citrus fruits
Serve this mixture as a sandwich or on a bed of lightly dressed greens. For sandwiches, shredding the chicken helps the filling hold together between slices of bread. If serving over lettuce, dress the greens sparingly with vinaigrette, place a neat scoop of chicken salad on top and garnish with sliced tomatoes or cucumbers for color and texture. An ice cream scoop can make for an attractive presentation.
When fresh grapes are out of season, sweetened dried cranberries lightly plumped in boiling water are a delicious substitute—their tangy-sweet contrast is excellent here. Golden raisins also work. This salad adapts well to other poultry, which makes it a great way to repurpose leftover turkey and cranberry sauce from holiday meals.
Enjoy this bright, easy chicken salad through the summer and any time you want a comforting, low-effort meal. It’s fresh, versatile and ready in minutes when you have cooked chicken on hand.
- Chicken Poaching Liquid (Court Bouillon)
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
- 2 shallots, peeled and studded with 4 whole cloves
- 1 whole clove garlic, peeled
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 3 pieces
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 to 10 whole peppercorns
- 2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 lb boneless chicken breasts
- Salad
- 3 cups medium diced cooked chicken (roasted, rotisserie, or poached)
- 2/3 cup finely diced celery
- 1 tsp well drained capers, minced
- 1/4 cup finely minced red onion
- 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved or quartered, or dried sweetened cranberries, plumped
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, lightly bruised
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup light mayonnaise, or to taste
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
- 4 large croissants or 8 slices of artisan bread
- 4 washed and dried green or red leaf lettuce leaves
- To Poach the Chicken: Combine water and wine in a large pot, big enough to hold all the chicken. Add the remaining poaching ingredients (except the chicken) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes to infuse the liquid. Skim and discard any foam.
- Add the chicken so it is covered by the liquid and maintain a gentle simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the hot broth until cool to finish cooking without drying out. Refrigerate within 2 hours for food safety.
- Store poached chicken submerged in some of the strained broth in the refrigerator up to 2 days. The strained liquid can be kept up to 3 days as a base for soup or to poach more chicken.
- To Make the Salad: Use poached, roasted, grilled, or rotisserie chicken. Chop into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Stir in the celery, capers, red onion, grapes (or plumped dried cranberries), and thyme until evenly distributed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the light mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon pepper, and salt. Taste and adjust. Fold half the dressing into the chicken mixture, then add more to reach your desired consistency. For delicate breads like brioche, use less dressing to prevent sogginess.
- Split croissants or arrange bread slices, line with a lettuce leaf, and fill with chicken salad. Serve immediately.
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
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