Pineapple Chicken Salad

I made this pineapple chicken salad for a party yesterday at the suggestion of my sister in law who introduced me to your blog a few months ago. I tripled the recipe to make sure I enough and it turned out great – I received so many compliments! Thank you for sharing!

— Bethany

This Pineapple Chicken Salad recipe is the perfect blend of sweet and savory, and is always a big hit! Some of my favorite options for fast and simple ways to get lunch on the table include healthy egg salad, classic tuna salad and this creamy, slightly tropical chicken salad made with pineapple and grapes.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• So quick & easy. This recipe comes together in minutes. It’s just a matter of shredding your chicken, slicing the grapes and green onions, and mixing everything together. Easy, peasy!
• Great for meal prep. This keeps well and is great for meal prep! We like to make it at the beginning of the week and use it for sandwiches over the next several days, or snack on it as-is!
• Kid-friendly. It’s creamy, tangy, and SO tasty! Even picky kids love it, whether it’s in a sandwich or served with crackers!

Ingredients needed

This chicken salad recipe is made with a handful of fresh, simple ingredients. Feel free to mix and match ingredients as you like, but personally, I really love the recipe as written. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Chicken. Use any cooked, shredded chicken. Rotisserie chicken is my go-to because it’s easy and adds so much extra flavor. Or try this perfect baked chicken breast.
• Grapes. We typically use red grapes for that pretty pop of color, but green grapes work just fine. For ease, be sure to get seedless grapes.
• Crushed pineapple. The crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits work best to disperse nicely throughout the salad. Pineapple chunks can be used in a pinch, though.
• Nuts. Toasted almonds add a lovely crunch. Feel free to replace with chopped pecans or walnuts, if you prefer.
• Green onion. For savory flavor that is not too overpowering.
• Mayonnaise. The best creamy binder to mix all the ingredients together is full fat mayo. However, you can use a mix of greek yogurt and mayo or a low fat mayo, if preferred.
• Salt & pepper. To bring out all of the delicious flavors.

How to make this recipe

This tasty lunch could not be easier to whip up!

Once you have all of your ingredients out and ready to go, pineapple chicken salad is as easy as stirring them together in a large mixing bowl.

1. Prep the ingredients. Gather all of the ingredients and start by shredding the chicken, slicing the grapes, draining and drying the pineapple, chopping the almonds, and slicing the green onion.
2. Stir salad ingredients. Combine the chicken, grapes, thoroughly drained crushed pineapple, almonds, and green onion in a large bowl and toss to combine.

3. Add mayo and serve. Add the mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste and stir until well coated. Now, you’ve got yourself a delicious lunch! You can spoon this on sandwich bread, a croissant or on lettuce cups.

Expert tips

This is super easy, but here are a few tips, so that it turns out perfect every time!

• Chill time. This salad recipe takes a total time of 10 minutes to whip up and can be enjoyed immediately, but I like to refrigerate it for at least an hour to give the flavors a chance to come together.
• Toasting nuts. Toast the almonds (or whatever nuts you choose to use) in a small pan and let them cool before adding to the salad. Toasting nuts helps them to retain their crunch and expand their flavor!

Frequently asked questions

Variations

Aside from the ingredients listed, you have a few options to play with when it comes to texture and flavor. Here’s some ideas:

• Vary the nuts. Swap the almonds for pecans, walnuts or macadamia nuts.
• Mix up the fruit. You can omit the grapes and add diced apples, dried cranberries or dried cherries.
• Change the onions. If green onions aren’t your thing, you can swap them for finely diced red onions. Or leave out the onions altogether. You could also add in celery, if you’d like.
• For the dressing. Swap the mayo for greek yogurt or do half and half. You could also do half mayo and half sour cream, if you love that tang. Another option is to add in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

Serving suggestions

Sometimes I find myself eating this by the spoonful straight out of the bowl – because it’s that good. But to turn it into a meal, here’s a few options:

• Sandwich. Stuff it between sandwich bread or a croissant with lettuce.
• Wrap. Turn it into a wrap with tortillas.
• Lettuce wrap. For a lighter, low-carb option, use large romaine or butter leaf lettuce to wrap it.
• Over a salad. Pour a spoonful on top of a bed of greens and enjoy with crackers or pita bread.
• Dip. Serve it with crackers, chips or pita bread.

Storage recommendations

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 4 days. Give it a good stir when you’re ready to serve it. We don’t recommend freezing chicken salad.

Don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours for food safety.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

Pineapple Chicken Salad

Nutrition