Wine Country Chicken Salad

As a California girl, my version of wine country chicken salad utilizes red grapes and walnuts instead of dried cranberries and pecans. And although I typically prefer savory dishes, the subtle pops of sweetness in this recipe definitely make this west coast chicken salad come to life.

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken Breast [ 1 Large Portion – Diced ] 
• Red Grapes [ 1 Cup – Halved ]
• Walnuts [ 1/2 Cup – Rough Chopped ]
• Red Onion or Shallot [ 1/4 Cup – Diced ]
• Thyme [ 4 – 5 Sprigs]
• Mayonnaise [ 4 – 5 Even Tablespoons ]
• Whole Grain Mustard [ 1 Teaspoon ]
• Apple Cider Vinegar [ 2 Tablespoons ]
• Red Wine Vinegar [1 Teaspoon ]
• Honey [ 2 – 3 Tablespoons ]
• Salt [ A Few Sprinkles ]

TOOLS

• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife
• Serrated Knife
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Serving Bowl or Storage Container
• Tablespoon for Mixing & Scooping Out Condiments
• Measuring Spoons & Measuring Cups if You Prefer Not to Eyeball It
• Baking Dish if Cooking Your Own Chicken Breast

EXTRAS

• Crispy Crackers
• Toasty Bread
• Bed of Salad
• Lettuce Cups

YIELD

This recipe will easily feed 2-4 people and keeps very well in the fridge if you want to enjoy it for lunch across the span of a few days. Simply double the recipe to make more.

Step One

Have fun! 

Step Two

Decide if you want to cook your chicken from scratch OR if you want to use pre-cooked chicken.

PRO TIP: If you don’t have the time or patience to cook protein from scratch, just use the breast from a good ol’, store bought, rotisserie chicken. If you’re not a fan of rotisserie chicken or can’t find one at your local market – prepackaged, fully cooked chicken breast will work as well.

> If using pre-cooked chicken, scroll down to Step Five.
> If cooking your chicken from scratch, continue to Step Three.

Step Three

Prepare your chicken for baking by first preheating your oven to 350°.

Next, slice the raw chicken breast into strips that are approximately 3/4″ to 1″ thick to allow for a quicker cooking time.

PRO TIP: If you purchase chicken from a meat counter, you can ask your butcher to slice the chicken for you. You can also just buy pre-sliced, chicken breast as well.

Step Four

Season both sides of the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Place your seasoned protein in a baking dish. Drizzle the meat with some olive oil, and pop the strips into the oven for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven. Flip over each slice of chicken, place the dish back into the oven, and bake for another 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven, and allow it to cool on the counter for at least 20 minutes.

Step Five

Add the mayo, whole grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and honey into your bowl. Stir everything together until it’s properly mixed.

PRO TIP: Since I always prefer washing less dishes, I oftentimes assemble any large format, deli style salad that I make in one of my bigger CorningWare pieces. I do this because there’s always enough room to mix all of my ingredients together & a lid which makes refrigeration a breeze. It’s also pretty enough to use for a party. But obviously, feel free to use a separate mixing bowl to prepare your chicken salad and/or dressing before transferring it to a serving dish or storage container. Whatever works best for you my friends 🙂

Step Six

Prepare the wine country ingredients.

> Dice up your onion.
> Rough chop your walnuts.
> Cut up the chicken into bite sized pieces.
> Slice the grapes in half using a serrated knife.
> Strip the thyme leaves off of their woody stems.

Step Seven

Combine your dry ingredients with the dressing, and gently stir everything together until nicely incorporated.

PRO TIP: If cooking your own chicken from scratch, I suggest adding in the drippings for some extra flavor as well!

Step Eight

Last but not least, taste the mixture.

I typically don’t add any additional salt to my chicken salad since the mayonnaise and pan drippings provide plenty of seasoning. However, If you think the mixture is a bit bland, please add your favorite finishing salt a few sprinkles at a time until the chicken salad is seasoned to your preference.

If you think the chicken salad is a touch too dry for your liking, add half a teaspoon of mayo at a time until you’re satisfied with the consistency.

And if you prefer a sweeter chicken salad, add some additional honey one teaspoon at a time until you are pleased with the level of sweetness!

Step Nine

Enjoy your crisp and crunchy, Wine Country Chicken Salad over a bed of leafy greens, inside some lettuce cups, on top of your favorite crackers, or in between two slices of quality bread!

Happy Cooking!