Description
This Sonoma Chicken Salad is a fresh and flavorful Whole Foods copycat recipe featuring shredded chicken combined with juicy red grapes, crunchy celery, diced red onion, and chopped pecans, all tossed in a creamy dressing made from avocado oil mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey, and poppy seeds. Perfect for a light lunch, snack, or sandwich filling, this salad can be enjoyed immediately or chilled for enhanced flavor.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- ½ cup red grapes, halved
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup diced celery
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (avocado oil mayo recommended)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, sea salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, add shredded chicken, halved red grapes, diced red onion, diced celery, and chopped pecans. Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients.
- Toss to Combine: Gently toss the salad so all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve or Chill: Enjoy the salad immediately, or cover and refrigerate it to chill for a more melded flavor. It pairs wonderfully with crackers as a snack or appetizer, can be served on bread or in a wrap for sandwiches, or placed over a bed of greens for a light meal.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad will stay fresh and flavorful for 3-5 days.
Notes
- Grapes: Use fresh grapes for the best flavor, or substitute with chopped apples, raisins, or dried cranberries.
- Pecans: Substitute with walnuts or almonds if preferred.
- Nut-Free Option: Omit pecans or replace them with sunflower or pumpkin seeds to keep it nut-free.
- Dairy-Free Variation: Use all mayonnaise in the dressing instead of combining with Greek yogurt to make it dairy-free.
