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The Chunky Chef

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Easy Harvest Almond Chicken Salad

5
/5
5 minutes
51 Comments
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By: published: 07/27/2015

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Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad!  Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

“Mommm… what’s for dinner?  I’m starving!”  Sound familiar?  On a busy weeknight when I don’t feel much like cooking, that’s just about the last thing I want to hear.  But instead of having a cereal for dinner night (don’t judge…), or ordering a pizza, I like to whip up this quick and absolutely delicious chicken salad!

Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

I’ve been a chicken salad fan for what seems like forever… there’s so many flavor combinations!  Today I decided to go with my tried and true, go-to favorite… harvest almond chicken salad!  

In this chicken salad there are a lot of fresh, vibrant flavors going on.  I start with some Hormel Premium Chicken Breast…  it’s the easy way to add great-tasting, satisfying protein to your meals!  If I have a lot of time, I’ll roast or poach some chicken, but on a busy weeknight… I don’t always have that kind of time.

Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

The chicken is packed in water, so there’s nothing extra added to your chicken… just drain it and add it to a large bowl.  Now things get interesting!  

Add some sliced grapes, diced apples, sliced almonds, diced shallots, minced fresh thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar, and a little mayo.

Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

Give it a good stir….

Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

Grab a fork and do a taste test to check your seasonings… take another bite… and another…!  You may not be able to stop “taste testing”… I know I always end up eating several forkfuls as a part of my “quality control” 😉

As for how you serve your chicken salad, that’s up to you!  I usually go for the classic sandwich, or on a toasted sesame bagel, but for a lighter version, you could add some to a little cup of lettuce.

Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

Healthy and delicious!!  For those of you who would rather lighten this up even more, you could swap out the mayo for some tangy Greek yogurt if you’d like.  I’ve personally never tried it, but I do think it would still have great flavor!

Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!
Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

The combination of flavors is really something I know you’ll love… the savory shallots, bright lemon, woodsy thyme, sweet grapes, crisp apples and crunchy almonds!

Try this recipe out for a weeknight meal your family will LOVE!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

Easy Harvest Almond Chicken Salad

5 from 7 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
(hover over # to adjust)
Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

Ingredients

  • 2 (10 oz each) cans of Hormel Premium Chicken Breast (or 1 lb of shredded, cooked chicken)
  • 1/3 cup shallot minced
  • 2/3 cup apple diced
  • 2/3 cup grapes sliced in half
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 – 2/3 cup mayo to your tastes
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Drain cans of chicken and add to large bowl.
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.
  • Use right away, or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

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Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Make busy weeknight meals a snap with this easy harvest almond chicken salad! Crisp apples, sweet grapes and crunchy almonds add great texture and flavor!

Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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5 from 7 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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  1. Desirae says

    Hi, this looks delicious! Quick question. I need to make this a couple of days in advance. Do you think it will keep well? I’m concerned about the apples turning brown. Thanks for posting !

    Reply

    • The Chunky Chef says

      Hi Desirae 🙂 Thank you! I’ve had some of this in the fridge for several days and the apples never turned brown, due to the citrus. The only issue is that the fruit may go a little mushy. If possible, maybe make up the chicken salad, then add the apples and grapes the day of serving? I hope you love it!!

      Reply

  2. Lorrie says

    Thanks for the recipe. I have never really cared for chicken salad but I really like this. My whole family liked it. I was concerned that my son would not because of the fruit – he’s not a “fruit in my food” kind of guy but he really liked it too. We’ve had it several times since I found the recipe a few weeks ago. I am a fan of the ease of making myself…that makes it taste even better!

    Reply

    • The Chunky Chef says

      Hi Lorrie! I’m SO glad you all loved the recipe 🙂 It’s funny, my husband usually doesn’t like fruit in his food either, but he definitely loves the chicken salad 🙂 Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!

      Reply

  9. Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says

    My sister would love this! My dad would always buy flaked ham in a can when we were kids (I could never get into it but my sister and him love it and have moved onto chicken as well.) I love how you have made this meal gourmet!

    Reply

  10. Christine says

    I agree, I think the yogurt would be delicious. I just bought some chicken with the intention of making chicken salad which I’ve NEVER done before. Can you believe it? How does an American woman get to be 46 years old without ever having made chicken salad? Love the fruits in here. And the lemon zest. I’m so in.

    Reply

  12. Lou Lou Girls says

    I absolutely love this! Pinned and tweeted. Thank you so much for bringing such a masterpiece to our party. I hope to see you tomorrow at 7 pm. We can’t wait to party with you! Lou Lou Girls

    Reply

  13. swayam says

    Who can say no to chicken salad or sandwich!!! Not me!! Im in from the first pic babe.. And guess what?? I LOVE adding grapes to my salad too.. But i add peanuts in place of almonds.. Looks so good its making me hungry! Thanks for linking up at #SaucySaturdays

    Reply

    • The Chunky Chef says

      Thank you girl!!! I love chicken salad… sooooo much 🙂 Canned chicken is good for a really quick chicken salad, although I do like to use rotisserie chicken or some leftover chicken if I have a bit more time 🙂

      Reply

  17. Zan says

    This salad looks delish. I am totally saving this recipe as I never seem to know how to make good chicken salad.. I love fruits and nuts for in salad!

    Reply