Easy Chicken Salad with Grapes and Gorgonzola Recipe
Not Your Mother's Chicken Salad
Are you tired of traditional chicken salad and ready for a change? Imagine... shredded chicken with sweet grapes, creamy Gorgonzola cheese crumbles, slightly tangy poppy seed dressing and sliced almonds. No need for chicken smothered in mayonnaise and celery here. This recipe for a gourmet chicken salad is perfect for entertaining guests for a luncheon or brunch and yet casual enough for a weeknight meal.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 3 medium-large chicken breasts
- 2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, oven roasted
- 1/4-1/2 cup light mayo with olive oil
- 1/2 cup poppy seed dressing
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Recommendations
Brianna's Homestyle Poppyseed Dressing
Kraft Reduced Fat Mayo with Olive Oil
Boar's Head Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles
All Natural Almond Accents: Oven Roasted Almonds
Chicken Salad Variations and Shortcuts
If you are in a crunch for time, you can eliminate the cooking time by using store bought rotisserie chicken. If you prefer chopped chicken, rather than shredded or pulled, that is fine too. And for a lighter option, cut the Gorgonzola cheese in half and select a lower calorie poppy seed salad dressing.Feel free to substitute walnuts or pecans instead of almonds if you prefer. You can even roast your own nuts if you have time. I just use the store bought options for convenience.
- Wash chicken breasts and trim if needed.
- Place chicken in large saucepan and cover with water by an inch. Add poultry seasoning and stir in. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to a slow boil for about 40 minutes.
- Cool chicken completely. (if you shred it when hot or warm, it will dry out) Once cool, shred chicken with hands and place into large mixing bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients, except for the almonds, and stir well. Add additional dressing and mayo to your desired consistency. Refrigerate for an hour minimum.
- Add oven roasted almonds just prior to serving.
- Serve on top a bed of lettuce, on a challuah bun or with your favorite crackers.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
| Calories | 328 |
| Calories from Fat | 144 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 16 g | 25% |
| Saturated fat 3 g | 15% |
| Unsaturated fat 1 g | |
| Carbohydrates 8 g | 3% |
| Sugar 6 g | |
| Fiber 1 g | 4% |
| Protein 36 g | 72% |
| Cholesterol 95 mg | 32% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Organic vs. Non Organic Chicken
Is there a difference between eating organic chicken and regular chicken? Yes. We hear so much about the benefits of organic food, but is it worth spending the extra money at the grocery store? That depends on you. When it comes to chickens, the only difference is in how the animals are raised. This means the meat, texture and nutrients may be similar, but the real difference is putting extra antibiotics into your body. According to Livestrong.com and Food Inc, the increased use of antibiotics on farm animals is one reason why we are seeing more antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria in the United States. Organic chickens do not need the doses of antibiotics because they do not live in such cramped conditions where they are prone to disease. Conventional farmers also use growth producing antibiotics to grow larger chickens more quickly.
Price is also a factor as we all spend a significant portion of our household income at the grocery store. At Harris Teeter, boneless skinless chicken breasts are $4.99/lb. or $3.99/lb. if you buy a value pack. The Smart Chicken organic chicken breasts are significantly higher at $8.99/lb.
