This Paleo Chicken salad combines shredded chicken breast with grapes, green apples, celery, onion, pecans and tarragon for a healthy and delicious meal!
The Perfect Whole30 / Paleo Chicken Salad
Now in all honestly I feel like most chicken salad recipes can be pretty easily converted to become Paleo/Whole30 compliant. But y'all this one is special.
I actually threw this together for an outdoor baby shower I was hosting, while on a Whole30, and wanted to make sure there was something that I could eat. It was so good that all the non-Whole30/Paleo guests were eating it up faster than the more indulgent food options. I got asked for the recipe several times so I figured I'd just add it to the blog. And here we are!
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Equipment
- Sauce pan or pot
- Cutting board
- Sharp Knife
- Forks
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment (optional): My favorite way to shred chicken is in my Kitchenaid Stand mixer. It gets the job done and fast. But if you don't have a stand mixer you can always just shred the chicken by hand using two forks.
- Large Mixing or Serving Bowl
Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: My favorite way to cook these is to poach them in water seasoned with bay leaf, salt and black peppercorns. I think add a little of this poaching liquid back to the shredded chicken to keep it nice and moist before mixing with the other ingredients.
- Mayonnaise: Be sure to check your labels to make sure that your mayo is Paleo/Whole30 compliant.
- Grapes: I love grapes in chicken salad and to be honest I often add more than the 1 ½ cups written in this recipe. But that is completely up to you!
- White Onion: I prefer the milder taste of white onion in this recipe. If you only have red or yellow onion, those will still work but chop them much finer.
- Celery: I love the freshness celery gives to the recipe. About 1 large stalk or 2 medium stalks is all you need.
- Green Apple: While you can use another color or apple I highly recommend sticking with Granny Smith. It adds a nice acidity and brightness to the recipe.
- Pecans: Definitely don't skip the step of toasting the pecans. It may be tempting to throw them in raw, and the chicken salad will still taste good. But the toasted pecans really brings out and earthiness and depth of flavor that tastes amazing.
- Fresh Tarragon: I think fresh tarragon is really the key to this chicken salad. It's definitely a strong taste so if you want to scale back from the recommended 2 tbsp feel free. But I absolutely love the flavor this gives to the dish and really makes it something special. If you don't like tarragon you can replace with a little chopped fresh parsley, which will give great freshness though not the same flavor.
How to Shred a Chicken...
Using a Stand Mixer
This is my favorite way to shred chicken. It's crazy fast and gets the job done every time.
Simply place your hot, cooked chicken breasts in bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Turn to medium for 30 seconds to a minute and you will have perfectly shredded chicken.
Using a Hand Mixer
Place your hot chicken breasts in a large bowl. Mix the chicken with a hand mixer on medium speed until it is shredded to your desired consistency.
Using Two Forks
This is by far the most traditional way to shred chicken. When the chicken is still warm but cool enough to touch, simply use two forks to shred the meat.
Remember to Season Your Food!
If you taste this Paleo Chicken Salad and feel like something is missing, chances are it is probably salt!
Add some more seasoning and taste again!
Serving Suggestions
This Paleo / Whole30 Chicken Salad is fantastic whether you eat Paleo or not!
It's a great option for parties and showers. Simply provide an abundance of serving options. Sliced veggies are great for those on Whole30 or Paleo. Cracker and croissants are delicious for everyone else.
Check out more Whole30 Recipes from The Jam Jar Kitchen!
Paleo Chicken Salad
This Paleo Chicken salad combines shredded chicken breast with grapes, green apples, celery, onion, pecans and tarragon for a delicious meal.
5
minutes15
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 - 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
bay leaf, black peppercorns (optional)
½ cup chicken broth or poaching liquid
1.5 cups seedless red grapes, halved (or quartered if especially large)
½ cup white onion, finely diced
½ cup pecans
½ cup celery, diced
1 green apple, peeled and diced
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
salt & pepper
Directions
- Add chicken breasts to a medium sized pot filled with water. Season the water with salt and, if desired, add 1 bay leaf and about a tsp of black peppercorns.
Heat the pot over medium-high heat until the water begins to boil. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to boil the chicken for about 10-12 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. - Remove the chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium sized mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment, turn to medium speed and beat until the chicken is finely shredded. You can use the same process with a hand mixer in a mixing bowl. Or you have shred the chicken by hand using 2 forks.
Add in ½ cup of the poaching liquid or chicken broth and give another stir. Set aside and allow the chicken to cool completely before adding the mix-ins. - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place pecans on a small baking sheet and toast for 5-8 minutes until fragrant but not burned.
Remove from the baking sheet onto a cutting board and roughly chop. Allow to cool before mixing into the chicken salad. - When the chicken is cooled, add in white onion, celery, grapes, green apple, tarragon and pecans plus ½ cup of mayonnaise. Stir until well combined and then add a pinch of salt & pepper to taste.
If on Whole30/Paleo diet serve with cucumbers, celery, bell peppers or on a salad. It's also wonderful in a croissant or on crackers. Enjoy!
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This looks wonderful! I'm a huge fan of chicken salad and I love knowing that I can make it at home! Great recipe!
So incredibly light and refreshing. I usually add walnuts but I'm looking forward to trying yours with the pecans. I can almost taste it already.
Chicken salad is my favorite! This recipe is so delicious!
It's raining here and I'm craving this salad combo! And will try using the food mixer trick to shred my chicken.
My favourite! This was yumm