I made this Poppy Seed Chicken Salad one night on a whim, and it has been a weeknight summer favorite ever since. Here I pair tender chicken with grapes, red onion, celery, cashews, and chives and dress them in a dressing that adds a refreshingly vibrant bite. This is an irresistible chicken salad recipe that you will turn to again and again.
Since it is so hot here, I like to keep things cool and serve recipes like today’s Orange Poppyseed Chicken Salad.
I love that I can easily make this salad ahead of time. Then all I have to do once my guests arrive is serve it.
It frees me up to enjoy myself, making it the perfect light lunch.
How to Make Poppy Seed Chicken Salad:
One of the best things about chicken salad is that even if you can't cook, it is a cinch to throw together.
Step 1: In a large bowl combine chicken, celery, grapes, red onion, cashews, and chives.
Step 2: In a blender combine yogurt, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, orange juice, maple syrup, poppy seeds, salt, and cayenne pepper. Process until smooth.
Step 3: Add dressing to the chicken mixture and toss. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Step 4: Serve on a bed of Boston lettuce.
Variations for This Recipe
- Use lemon juice or lime juice in place of the orange juice in the dressing.
- Use diced red apples in place of the grapes.
- Add crumbled goat cheese on top.
- Use dried cranberries in place of the grapes.
You May Also Like:
Poppy Seed Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cooked chicken diced or shredded
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 2 cups red grapes halved
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup cashews chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1 head Boston lettuce separated into leaves
- Poppy Seed Dressing
- ¼ cup plain yogurt dairy or non-dairy
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or sweetener of choice
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Combine chicken, celery, grapes, red onion, cashews and chives in a large bowl.
- In a blender, combine yogurt, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, orange juice, maple syrup, poppy seeds, salt and cayenne pepper. Process until smooth.
- Toss dressing with the chicken mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour. Re-toss before serving.
- Serve on a bed of Boston lettuce.
Robin Rue says
That sounds so good. I love your twist on this classic salad. It sounds delish.
Kristin & Megan says
Oh my goodness...I am absolutely drooooooling! What a delicious, fresh looking dish. Totally going on the old menu plan!
Rebecca Bryant says
What a yummy light lunch. Tea goes with everything from breakfast to dinner in our house.
Michelle Myers says
Oh yum! I love all things orange, being a Florida gal, and this would make a lovely poolside lunch!
Kiwi says
Wow this look so delish and healthy! I am gonna pin this!
MyTeenGuide says
I can thrive on salads! This one looks amazing. I wish I could just literally grab this from my screen.
Blythe A. says
I'm always on the hunt for different ways to prepare chicken. This salad reminds me of a salad from my favorite restaurant at college. They used poppy seeds and it was so good. Can't wait to try this new salad out at home.
Karen Coghlan says
I love that this salad is not only beautiful but healthy.... It sounds delicious too...
caroline | thecarodiaries says
This salad looks absolutely amazingggg (and I never crave salads! so that says something!)
Lesha says
I don't eat meat, but the meat lovers in my life will love this salad recipe. Thank you for sharing! - HilLesha
Amanda Love says
The salad looks amazing! I really love making salad for lunch so I make sure that I have plenty of recipes to choose from. I love the combination of flavors!
Nicole Escat says
Wow, I wish I can make this too! My son loves chicken and I want to try this on him.
Veronica Pototska says
This salad has all the ingridients that I truly love! You really inspired me to cook it for lunch tomorrow!
Rose Sahetapy says
This is delicious! I can eat this salad like everyday. Your photos are amazing that really make me to just grab the salad out of the screen ☺️. Love all the ingredients.
Karina Romero Pacheco says
Now that is a yummy salad. Healthy can be fun and delicious. I love adding fruit and fun dressings to my salad. Trying this one with my family.