This dairy free, soy free chicken salad is one of those meals the whole family loves! All of my kids eat and enjoy it, which is a major win around here. Packed with protein, fruits, and veggies, you really can’t go wrong with this filling and tasty, make-ahead recipe. This chicken salad is so delicious we often make it weekly during the warmer months of the year. And here in the South, that is over half of the year!
I have always loved chicken salad. I love it with crackers, on a sandwich, salad, or just by itself. Using pecans make it extra filling, flavorful, and protein packed. It is also an excellent choice for meal prepping. This is because it can be made in large quantities ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Dairy free soy free chicken salad is perfect eaten cold throughout the week for a quick lunch or snack. Or, if you’d rather, made just a couple hours before lunch or dinner.
Additionally, I love how you can change the flavor of chicken salad whenever you want to vary the meal a bit. For example, using apples or green onion instead of celery, omitting the nuts (or using almonds or walnuts instead), using BBQ chicken, chopped hard-boiled eggs… The combinations are endless! The following recipe is my personal favorite combination. Let’s get started!
Ingredients for the best dairy free soy free chicken salad:
Boneless Skinless Chicken: The chicken can be dark or light meat depending on your preference. You can also use chicken left over from a previous meal in order to use up those leftovers.
Olive Oil: To season our chicken and also keep it from sticking to the skillet as it cooks.
Dairy free Soy Free Mayonnaise: We use and enjoy the Sir Kensington’s Avocado Oil Mayonnaise. You can also make your own from scratch. I recommend THIS dairy free soy free recipe.
Chicken broth: This will keep the chicken salad from being too dry. You can use the broth that naturally occurs in your skillet while cooking, or buy broth from the store.
Grapes: Red seedless or Concord grapes are the best for this recipe. Green grapes are too tart.
Pecans: These add a lovely texture and flavor and also make this recipe protein packed.
Celery: Gotta sneak in those veggies! Plus, the celery adds a nice pop of flavor.
Salt: To keep our chicken salad from tasting bland. Add more to taste.
Freshly Ground Black Pepper: You can use as much or as little as you like depending on your preference.
Tools you may need:
- Food processor OR stand mixer: The texture can be changed by combining the chicken salad with a food processor or a stand mixer. The processor will give you a finer, thoroughly combined chicken salad. The mixer will shred the chicken but give you more of a tossed chicken salad. Both are great, it just depends on your personal preference. I like using the food processor to incorporate the ingredients so that it stays in my sandwich and doesn’t fall out of my sandwich while I am eating. However, the mixer is quicker and creates a prettier end result that allows for pops of flavor because the ingredients are not so throughly combined. On this particular day, I used the stand mixer.
- Skillet with a lid OR a grill: An 8″-12″ skillet will work perfectly to cook the chicken on the stove top. You can also cook your chicken on a grill, such as a George Forman, or your grill of choice.
- Sharp cutting knife: A chef’s knife is my tool of choice to chop up the fruits and vegetables with.
- Cutting board: Any cutting board will do. I love my Boos cutting board!
- Spoon: To stir and scoop the chicken salad once you have finished making it.
- Medium-large bowl or container with a lid for storage: Chicken salad must be refrigerated in an air tight container for your health and safety and to maintain the freshness, flavor, and quality.
How to Make the Best Dairy Free Soy Free Chicken Salad:
1. Cook the chicken
First, place the skillet on the stove top with one tablespoon of olive oil. Let it heat up on medium heat. Then, take your chicken out of the package and place it in the skillet. Lightly salt and pepper your chicken to taste. Cook until it is completely cooked through (about 5 minutes on each side with the lid on.) I have found that 5 minutes total is perfect for cooking chicken on the George Forman grill.
Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove it from the skillet or grill. Place it on a plate to cool.
2. Combine the chicken salad
On a cutting board, cut the grapes, celery, and pecans into the desired sized pieces. If you are combining your chicken salad in a stand mixer, you will want to chop them up into bite sized pieces. If you are using a food processor, the pieces can be rougher because the processor will chop them up for you.
Next, add the chicken, pecans, grapes, celery, mayonnaise, salt and pepper to the mixer or food processor. Mix or pulse it a few times to achieve the desired texture. If the chicken salad is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of chicken broth as well as another tablespoon of mayonnaise if desired. Note: if using a stand mixer, shred the chicken with the mixer first before adding the remaining ingredients.
Once the chicken salad has been combined to your liking, scoop it out of the mixer or food processor and into a bowl. If the chicken you used was made ahead of time and is already cold, you can serve immediately, otherwise, put the lid on the bowl and place it into the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour before consuming.
3. Now, it’s time to enjoy!
When the chicken salad has chilled, it is time to enjoy! Serve on toasted bread with lettuce and tomato (maybe a little mustard too!) for the best chicken salad sandwich. Create a salad with leafy greens, fresh cucumber and tomato, enjoy simply with crackers, or all by itself! You really can’t go wrong with this recipe.
Storage:
Remember to store the chicken salad in an air tight container in the refrigerator for your health and safety and to maintain the freshness, flavor, and quality.
Check out more of my favorite Spring and Summer recipes:
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If you tried this recipe and love it, I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below and tag me on instagram @simplysarahcatherine with your own Dairy Free Soy Free Chicken Salad. Don’t forget to pin it for later!
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The Best Chicken Salad {Dairy Free Soy Free}
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer or food processor
- 1 8" to 12" skillet with lid
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 spoon
- 1 large bowl with a lid
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken makes about 2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise dairy free soy free
- 1/4 cup celery
- 1/2 cup red seedless grapes
- 1/4 tsp salt or more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 tbsp chicken broth
Instructions
- Place the skillet on the stove top with one tablespoon of olive oil and let it heat up on medium heat.
- Put the chicken in the skillet. Lightly salt and pepper your chicken to taste and cook until it is completely cooked through (about 5 minutes on each side with the lid on.)
- Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove it from the skillet or grill and place it on a plate to cool.
- After the chicken has cooled completely, cut the grapes, celery, and pecans into the desired sized pieces with a sharp knife on a cutting board.
- Add the chicken, pecans, grapes, celery, mayonnaise, salt and pepper to the mixer or food processor and mix until it is combined to your liking. If the chicken salad is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of chicken broth as well as another tablespoon of mayonnaise if desired.
- Once the chicken salad has combined to your liking, scoop it out of the mixer or food processor and into the bowl. Put the lid on the bowl and place it into the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour before consuming.
Love this recipe! It’s my go to for quick chicken salad. I use the canned chicken breast when I don’t have the time to cook!
Thank you so much! and that is a great idea!
I love this recipe. Makes a great chicken salad or a tasty open face cibatta sandwich! I add pickles and sometimes cilantro to my chicken salad mixture. If you dont have seedless grapes on hand, try using with raisins.