Chicken Salad with Apples and Walnuts combines cooked shredded chicken with creamy homemade mayo, crunchy walnuts, and sweet apples -great served as a sandwich, salad, wrap and so much more.

My love for chicken salad grows every year. Chicken salad is the perfect recipe for healthy eating and meal prep because one batch will last a few different meals and it can be eaten on a sandwich, lettuce wrap or green salad.

And because fall is apple season, this chicken salad is made with diced apples. I used honey crisp apples for this recipe because they are my absolute favorite, but feel free to use any type of apple you enjoy!

🥣 Ingredients You’ll Need

Cooked Shredded Chicken – is a huge time saver. Any cooked white meat (or a mixture of white and dark) will taste great -just be sure to shred well.
Homemade Mayonnaise– tastes so much better and is so much better for you. The richness of homemade mayo adds something special to this chicken salad.
Walnuts – This tree nut has a rich, sweet taste and gives the perfect crunch.
Celery – Adds that classic refreshing chicken salad flavor and keeps the salad moist and crunchy.
Red Onion – A bit sweeter than yellow, red onion does not overpower the chicken salad.
Apples – Use your favorite apple. They should be firm to the touch and have a crisp-bite. Use crisp and slightly tart apples such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples.
Fresh Parsley – Brightens the flavors of the chicken salad and gives it a pop of green color.
Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper – Enhances the sweet and savory flavors.

📖 How To Make Chicken Apple Walnut Salad

1️⃣ Using 2 forks or a stand mixer, shred cooked chicken breast and add to a large bowl.

2️⃣ Add in chopped celery, onion, apples and walnuts.

3️⃣ Stir in mayonnaise, salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley and mix until chicken salad is fully combined and coated with mayo.

4️⃣ Serve cold and enjoy!

👩🏻‍🍳 Chef’s Tips & Customizations

Instead of using apples, use grapes like in my popular Sonoma Chicken Salad or make a savory Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad.
Use mashed avocado in place of mayo or a half and half mix of both
Use green onions or shallots instead of red onions for a mild onion flavor.
Another great tip besides making your own shredded chicken in the instant pot is to use the meat from a rotisserie chicken.
Be sure to dice the celery and onion. No one wants to bite into a big chunk of onion.
Make sure the chicken is cool and shredded thoroughly before stirring in the remaining ingredients.
The salad gets tastier when the flavors have had some time to mingle. It’s even better when chilled in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

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