Sonoma Chicken Salad

Whole Foods Sonoma Chicken Salad

I've always liked the Sonoma Chicken Salad from Whole Foods. I picked some up last week and thought it could use a little update. The flavors are good, but a few simple tweaks make it easier to eat.

I like the grapes sliced in half so they mix better with the chicken. I also think the pecans should be roughly chopped so they're not so big or hard to pick up with a fork.

For The Chicken

Poaching is an easy way to cook white meat so it stays tender and moist. I have a full post on how to poach chicken for chicken salad. Poaching keeps white meat soft and moist, which is what you want here. It helps you avoid the rubbery chicken that's unpleasant to eat. It will add another 30 minutes to the time.

Make sure to cool the chicken before adding the dressing.

Once the chicken is cooked and cooled, slice each breast in half horizontally so it's flat. Then dice it into ½-inch cubes.

If yo have a rotisserie chicken, dice it up and use that instead. It works well and saves time.

Ingredients

• Cooked and cooled chicken breasts (3 cups diced or shredded)
• Red seedless grapes, halved
• Celery, finely chopped
• Toasted pecans, roughly chopped
• Green onions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• Chopped parsley

Poppyseed Dressing 

This sweet dressing give Sonoma chicken salad it's signature taste.

• Mayonnaise
• Honey
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• Dijon Mustard
• Poppy seeds
• Salt and black pepper to taste

See recipe card below for amounts.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Chicken: use cooked white meat, either homemade poached chicken breast or rotisserie chicken
• Grapes: use red or white grapes, sliced in half lengthwise
• Celery: adds crunch, slice thinly
• Nuts: use pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
• Onions: use green onions or finely chopped red onion
• Mayo: substitute Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Honey: substitute honey with a teaspoon of sugar for a similar taste

Instructions

This recipe makes 3 cups of chicken salad, 1 ½ pounds.

• Whisk the mayo, honey, vinegar, and poppy seeds in a large bowl.
• Add the grapes, celery and parsley and mix to combine.
• Fold in the chicken and pecans and mix well.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Chill until ready to serve.

What To Serve with Chicken Salad

Enjoy the chicken salad with crackers, sliced cucumbers, or spooned over a bed of greens. You can do lettuce wraps or stuff it in an avocado.

For bread choose a fresh croissant, toasted sourdough, or pita chips. For a gluten free option, try our semi-homemade gluten-free breadsticks, made with a box of Simple Mills Almond Flour Baking Mix (Amazon link).

Storage

Store Sonoma Chicken Salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir before serving.

More Creamy Salads

• New York Diner-Style Tuna Salad Recipe
• Veggie Tuna Salad
• Lobster Salad
• Shrimp Salad with Pasta
• Tuna Melt on a Tortilla
• Surimi Crab Salad
• Deli Potato Salad

Visit our Deli Recipes for more great ideas!