This Easy, Dairy-free Chicken Salad with Grapes recipe is the perfect addition to your weekly lunch lineup. The incorporation of organic grapes takes the salad to another level. If you’re looking for a family-friendly Chicken salad without mayo or a gluten-free chicken salad, this is where your search ends. Read on for the full recipe and step-by-step guide on how to make chicken salad from scratch!
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I’ve been eating a lot of chicken salad during the quarantine. Mainly because it’s a great way to use leftover chicken. Though I recall it being a part of my childhood, I don’t remember enjoying it as much back then. This Easy, Dairy-free Chicken Salad with Grapes is a recipe that I am sure you and your entire family will love. The incorporation of organic seedless grapes takes the chicken salad to another level.
Have you ever had a chicken salad without mayo? Some may believe that’s not even possible, but I am here to tell you that it is! This dairy-free chicken salad is made with vegan mayo and vegan ranch dressing. You won’t be able to tell the difference, I promise. In addition to the dairy-free products, I also added organic grapes and chopped pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for a bit of sweetness and crunch.
Not only do the grapes add a fresh burst of flavor and pop of color, but their health benefits are also what’s most noteworthy. Did you know the resveratrol found in red wine, famous for heart health, is a type of powerful antioxidant found in the skins of grapes? That’s even more of a reason to give this Easy, Dairy-free Chicken Salad with Grapes recipe a try.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DAIRY-FREE CHICKEN SALAD
The combination of chopped chicken, vegan mayo, red grapes, pepitas, celery, and vegan ranch make this recipe one of my family’s favorite anytime salads or sandwiches. Here are the ingredients you will need to make chicken salad from scratch.
- Chicken thighs – Leftover chicken thighs make this recipe even more special. The fact that I didn’t have to shred or cook chicken made this a very simple recipe!
- Organic, Seedless grapes – Grapes add a bit of sweetness to this savory chicken salad (or sandwich). The juicer the grapes, the better. That burst of sweet fruit juice is truly magical in this salad.
- Vegan Mayo – Adds the creamy texture that we all love our chicken salad to have. This is the go-to brand I use to make my spicy hot honey mayo!
- Vegan Ranch – We love this ranch dressing. It’s perfect for dipping wings, and veggies, and adding to recipes like this!
- Creole Mustard – Provides a bit of a spicy kick to the vegan mayo.
- Red onion – Red onion adds sharpness to the chicken salad. Another level of flavor.
- Celery – Provides a bit of crunch to break up the texture from the chicken and grapes.
- Roasted Salted Pepitas – Traditional chicken salad recipes usually contain nuts, like pistachios. As we don’t eat nuts I decided to chop up a cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds) that I had lying around.
- Salt and Pepper
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SALAD FROM SCRATCH
First, grab a large cutting board. Wash your celery and grapes. This is the most important part. Properly washing your fruits and vegetables ensures that your food is clean and doesn’t contain any dangerous bacteria.
Next, finely chop your leftover chicken, fruit, red onion, and celery. Add these chopped ingredients to a large bowl and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl combine your vegan mayonnaise, vegan ranch, add salt and pepper to taste.
Lastly, pour your vegan mayo mixture over your chicken and mix well. Add chopped pepitas to the top. If chicken looks too dry add a tablespoon more of vegan mayo or ranch to taste.
WHAT CAN I SUBSTITUTE TO MAKE CHICKEN SALAD WITHOUT MAYO?
Many products on the market can be used in place of traditional mayo. It simply depends on the flavor you’d like for your chicken salad to have. I prefer this brand of vegan may and typically use the plain brand. This particular brand of vegan mayo offers a variety of different flavors. If you’re looking for a spicy mayo, their sriracha vegan mayo is the option you should choose.
You can also substitute vegan ranch dressing in place of mayo. There are a few options for the vegan ranch on the market, but I prefer to use Primal Kitchen’s vegan mayo made with avocado oil. It’s light, flavorful, and can be used for many other things.
IS CHICKEN SALAD HEALTHY?
It depends on how much you eat and the ingredients used. Full-fat mayo and ranch kick up the calorie count. I’d also say that it depends on how you eat it. I eat both chicken salad as a salad as well as a sandwich. If you want to enjoy a healthy chicken salad and cut some calories, I suggest a chicken salad paired with fresh veggies like spinach, carrots, avocado, and broccoli!
I hope you enjoyed this Easy Dairy-Free Chicken Salad with Grapes recipe. Nothing beats making a chicken salad from scratch, especially when it’s loaded with sweet grapes and salty, roasted pumpkin seeds.
If you’ve made this recipe or plan to, please tag me #gristleandgossip @blackallergymama on Instagram, and Facebook; oh, and don’t forget to rate this recipe and comment below.
Easy Dairy-Free Chicken Salad with Grapes
Ingredients
- 4 Leftover Chicken Thighs Finely Chopped
- ½ Cup Red or Purple grapes Chopped in half
- ⅓ Cup Vegan Mayo
- 3 Tbsp Vegan Ranch
- 3 Tbsp Creole Mustard
- ¼ Cup Red onion Finely chopped
- 4 Celery stalks Finely chopped
- ¼ Cup Pepitas Coarse chop
Instructions
- First, grab a large cutting board. Wash your celery and grapes. This is the most important part. Properly washing your fruits and vegetables ensures that your food is clean and doesn't contain any dangerous bacteria.
- Next, finely chop your leftover chicken, fruit, red onion, pumpkin seeds, and celery. Add these chopped ingredients to a large bowl and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine your vegan mayonnaise, vegan ranch. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Lastly, pour your vegan mayo mixture over your chicken and mix well. If chicken mixture looks too dry add a tablespoon more of vegan mayo or ranch to taste.
Notes
LOVE IT? PIN IT!
