California Chicken Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing
Jun 22, 2015, Updated Mar 01, 2021
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This healthy take on the classic California Chicken Salad makes for a delicious meal! Made with grapes, celery, nuts and grilled chicken served atop a bed of romaine lettuce, all tossed in a lightened-up creamy yogurt dressing.
A HEALTHY AND EASY CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE
It’s Chicken Salad TIME! It’s Lunch. It’s a snack. It’s Dinner. It’s a Picnic!
Also? The only salad to prove to my Mom that fruit and chicken belong together, especially in a salad. I mean, just LOOK at that beauty! LOVE IT!
HEY HEY Friends! Happy Monday! Cheers to a new week! I hope your week started off with a meeting in your manager’s office, discussing your super deserved promotion.
OR! I hope you’re on a beach, getting your tan-on with a SPF 100.
Sitting on the couch with the iPad in your hands? That’s also just as good! That’s what I’m doing!
I am SO excited to tell you about a combination that I adore. I’m possibly more excited about this than I am about chocolate and peanut butter. Possibly…
Chicken and grapes in a salad, be still my heart.
First. Cold, firm grapes… oh, my. It’s all in the crunch. I sometimes freeze them and throw ’em in a glass of Chardonnay. My OH my! Other times, I pair them up with feta cheese and enjoy a caprese salad, Macedonian-style. Try it – it’s a.may.zing!
WHAT IS CALIFORNIA CHICKEN SALAD?
But then, then, once upon a time (a loooong time ago…) I was introduced to a California Chicken Salad and the world stood still. It was the classic kind. The mayo-heavy one, sans lettuce, and it was kind of awesome.
Even better though? Ditching the mayo. Seriously. Besides, it looks like lard and that’s enough for me to look away. I haven’t had mayo in over 10+ years. Yogurt is my BFF. If you’ve known me for five minutes, you know this to be true. You love it, too?? See! I know what you like.
You know what else you might like?
Homemade and creamy yogurt salad dressing?! YES!
Cold, firm grapes? YEEEES!
Crunchy Celery? CHECK!
Nuts?! YAY!
Green onions? HEY HEY!
Grilled chicken that you didn’t have to grill/bake/cook because your rotisserie chicken leftovers are so dang good?! And cooking on Monday should be illegal? HECK YEAH!
Well, then, let’s git ‘er done!
ENJOY!
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California Chicken Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1- pound grilled chicken breast, , cubed
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, , halved, cold
- 2 apples, , cored and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, , thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, , thinly sliced, white parts only
- 1/3- cup coarsely chopped nuts, (pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc...)
FOR THE YOGURT DRESSING
- 1/3- cup nonfat plain yogurt
- 1/3- cup nonfat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/4- cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- salt and fresh ground pepper, , to taste
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, chicken, grapes, apples, celery, green onions and nuts; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine yogurt, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper; whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- If dressing is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water; taste and adjust accordingly.
- Add salad dressing to chicken mixture.
- Serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
SIMILAR RECIPES
This looks fabulous. I have to make this SOON. YES, chicken and grapes–together. And yogurt dressing. Yum! 🙂
I always crave chicken salad in the summer and I love mine packed with fruit! That creamy dressing looks perfect!
I freeze grapes and throw them in my Chardonnay too!! So much better than watery ice cubes. I love the mix of grapes and chicken in a salad. This is so perfect for summer – love it!
Geebuz, Kate. What is with you and salads and dressings which are healthy enough to well…drink?
Love this recipe like your Caesar one. Way to spark a craving. Again. Just chuck a kabob on here too.
I never think to add grapes to my salads, but holy moly, does this look good! Love the dressing too!
Absolutely gorgeous salad! Love the addition of the grapes, yum!
This is a beautiful salad! I love the dressing, I could make this work all week long in any of salads, thank you!
never seen a prettier salad. and grapes and chicken sounds actually good together.
I think Mondays should become the new Sundays. Maybe then we would all look forward to them! This salad is just what I need to start the week! Pinned!
Oh YES!! I can taste this gorgeous salad already – especially those crunchy grapes! And cooking SHOULD be illegal on Mondays 🙂