Barefoot Contessa Chicken Salad with Grapes
This dish is Ina Garten’s elegant take on traditional chicken salad. She uses roasted chicken breasts as the base, then adds halved grapes, celery, and a mayonnaise-based dressing with Dijon mustard and lemon juice. The result is a refreshing, well-balanced salad that’s creamy, slightly sweet, and full of texture.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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Olive oil
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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¾ cup good-quality mayonnaise
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1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
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1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1½ cups red seedless grapes, halved
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1 cup diced celery
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½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
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Fresh parsley or dill for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30–35 minutes, until cooked through. Let cool, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
Add the diced chicken, grapes, celery, and nuts (if using) to the bowl. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Serve chilled.