This is chicken salad with a personality — salty Kalamata olives, sweet Honeycrisp apple chunks, tangy dill pickles, plump raisins, and juicy grapes tossed with a bright lime-flavored mayo. It's the kind of chicken salad that turns a boring lunch into something you actually look forward to, and it holds up beautifully in the fridge for three days.
The apple choice matters — you want something that stays crisp and doesn't brown when it sits in the mayo. Honeycrisp is our top pick for exactly this reason, and Cortland (famously slow to brown) is another wonderful choice. Order fresh from our orchard by clicking here.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 2 cans chicken, drained (or 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or paleo lime mayo — regular mayo whisked with 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice)
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
- 2–3 dill pickle spears, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup red grapes, quartered
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, mayo, apple, pickles, olives, raisins, and grapes.
- Stir gently until everything is coated. Add more mayo a tablespoon at a time if you like it creamier.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Serving Ideas
- Croissant sandwich — the buttery contrast is unbeatable.
- Lettuce wraps for a low-carb lunch.
- On top of greens for a chicken-salad-topped salad.
- Scoop-and-serve appetizer with crackers, cucumber slices, or endive leaves.
Tips & Variations
- Toast the pecans or walnuts and add 1/4 cup for extra crunch.
- Swap the olives for capers if Kalamatas are too briny.
- Herbs. A tablespoon of chopped fresh dill or tarragon brings it fully to life.
- Meal prep. Make Sunday, portion into containers, eat all week.
Made this? Send us a photo — we'll send you a coupon for 20% off your next order. Comment below or email [email protected]. Enjoy!
