Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans includes delicious sautéed potatoes and a lovely Lemon-Mustard Dressing. It’s bursting with sweet, spicy and fresh flavors. 
Did you know you can invite people over for a meal and serve only salad?
It’s true!
You could consider salad to be a “one-pot meal” of sorts.
Okay, let’s be realistic, I wouldn’t serve just salad without a nice, rustic loaf of bread, drinks and of course, a fantastic dessert!
A Main Course Salad
This chicken salad is definitely a meal unto itself. And just like my Winter Persimmon Salad, I would call this salad a “comfort food.” That’s right, a comfort food salad.
It’s as comforting as lasagna or a super hearty, spicy soup with noodles!
What’s in this recipe?
As with many of my recipes, a good deal of the ingredients are in the title. 🙂
- chicken and grapes
- Sweet Spiced Caramelized Pecans
- lettuce
- scallions
- potatoes
- Blue cheese
- Parmesan cheese
Doesn’t that list make you want to get in the kitchen?
Just check out these Sweet Spiced Caramelized Pecans that are mixed into this salad. They’re made with cumin, cayenne, honey, and olive.
Orange Glazed Pecans would also be great.
And the dressing. Oh my is it delicious!
Lemon-Honey Salad Dressing
Lemon, whole grain mustard, garlic, honey and extra virgin olive oil mix together to make a creamy and tangy dressing. It brings the whole meal together.
If you’re thinking at all about a casual holiday lunch or dinner — or you simply want a cozy food gathering with friends, this Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans is amazingly yummy! And satisfying! And pretty!
You can start a bit of prep on Friday night, and then on Saturday you can throw the rest together. I love it!
Enjoy!
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans
Ingredients
For the salad
- ¾ pound Pee Wee or Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes, washed and dried, cut in half if they're bigger than a bit
- 6 chicken tenders
- olive oil for the pan
- ½ head red leaf lettuce, washed and dried
- 1½ cups red grapes, sliced in half, lengthwise
- ⅓ cup scallions, finely chopped
- ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup Sweet Spiced Caramelized Pecans (click here for the recipe)
For the dressing
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1½ teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For the salad
- Coat a medium-sized sauté pan with olive oil and place it over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and season them generously with salt and pepper. Cook until they are nicely browned and tender, about 12 minutes. (Stir them periodically.) When they're done, remove them from the pan and set them aside to cool to room temperature.
- In the same pan, add a bit more olive oil and turn the heat to medium. Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Place them in the pan once it's hot. You should hear a sizzling sound -- if you don't, wait until the pan is hotter! Cook until the chicken is cooked through, a couple minutes on each side. Cool the chicken completely, and then use your hands to shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large mixing or serving bowl, combine the lettuce with the potatoes, chicken, grapes, scallions, pecans, and both cheeses. Set aside.
For the dressing
- Whisk the lemon juice with the mustard, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper to taste. Then very gradually whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. If necessary, add a bit more salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the desired amount of dressing to the salad and toss!
Notes
Roberta Stone says
I cannot wait to make this. It looks and sounds absolutely utterly delicious. And those pictures are gorgeous.
Sophie says
MMMMMM,..;recently, I have mad a similar salad! This one looks so appetizing!
MMMMMMMMMMMMM,…all the way!