Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad combines the best in creamy and crunchy, sweet and savory. It’s not only a cacophony of textures and flavors but also a cacophony of colors. It’s straight-up festive without even trying. And don’t forget the lemon honey dressing and walnuts. OMIGOD. So good. Each ingredient gets its moment to shine. Serve this decadent salad by itself or atop a bed of lettuce. {Paleo}
There is something so satisfying about a paleo salad recipe that combines the best in creamy, crunchy textures and sweet, savory flavors! Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad is all of that and more. I am particular about my salads, and I don’t love a lot of over-the-top sweet, mushy flavors. But I also don’t like to walk away hungry. Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad ensures we neither buckle under the mush nor walk away dissatisfied. It is the ideal festive fall-into-winter salad.
So if you are looking for a holiday-friendly paleo salad recipe everyone will enjoy, then Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad is your answer. It’s also your answer if you want a healthy dish to offset heavy main dishes. In my family, we actually designate someone to bring a healthy option, otherwise everyone would bring lard, sugar, and more lard. You think I jest, however I invite you back to the 90s and early 2000s to witness with your own eyeballs just how insane the food table was between November and December. We laugh about our ridiculousness to this day. But our leftovers game was STRONG.
Are you ready to make this salad? If so, then let’s dive right in!
Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad ingredients
Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad is full of delicious ingredients that pair well together. No one ingredient steals the show from another ingredient. Although, once those walnuts are added, the final result is *chef’s kiss*!
- Chicken breasts. I like to cook the chicken myself, however you can buy pre-cooked if that is easier. I also cut the pieces into strips or cube them. To cook your own, there are two easy ways to do this:
- Sauté the chicken in a skillet with coconut oil and a pinch of sea salt.
- Bake the chicken breasts in an oven at 375 degrees for about 25-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Similar to the stovetop method, add coconut oil or olive oil to the baking dish, drizzle more directly on top of the chicken breasts, along with pinches of sea salt.
- Celery, red onion, red grapes, avocados, apples (red and/or green), sea salt, and walnuts. I dice, slice, or chop the ingredients to make them easier to work with. You can also throw in some lettuce or spinach of your choosing, but it isn’t required.
- Dressing: I like to work with 100% pure honey and fresh lemon juice (when I can). I also garnish this salad with pepper.
How to make Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad
If I’m serving Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad to a large crowd and I’m not sure what they’ll prefer, then I let them build their own salads, with or without lettuce/spinach. Otherwise, I toss everything together and dive in!
- First, if not using pre-cooked chicken, then sauté the chicken breasts in a skillet with a little olive oil or coconut oil until they are cooked through.
- Next, chop the celery, red onion, avocado, apples, and grapes. Throw the ingredients together in a large bowl, add the sea salt, and then stir away. Add the chicken breasts, either cubed or cut into strips.
- In a small dish, combine the honey and lemon juice. Drizzle the mixture over the salad ingredients and stir evenly.
- Finally, either layer the ingredients on top of a bed of lettuce or toss ingredients with the lettuce. Alternatively, you can serve this salad without lettuce, if you wish. Garnish with walnuts and black pepper.
Creamy, crunchy salad pro tips
To keep this salad from getting mushy, I highly suggest:
- Assembling this the day you intend to enjoy it.
- Prepping ahead and keeping the ingredients as separate from each other as possible until just prior to serving.
- Dicing and chopping the avocado and apples last so they don’t turn brown before you are ready to dine.
One of the benefits of making this salad is how you can chop and dice and prepare at your own pace. If you get tired mid-chop on a stalk of celery, then YES go sit down and catch your breath (literally me as I’m about to put cookies in the oven to bake – I use up my energy on the dough!). This salad will wait for you.
More delicious salad recipes!
Spiriteds, if we eat with our eyes, then these recipes understand the assignment. Because in addition to being full of delicious fruits, the following salads are just downright gorgeous, too.
Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad
Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad combines the best in creamy and crunchy, sweet and savory. It’s not only a cacophony of textures and flavors but also a cacophony of colors. It’s straight-up festive without even trying. And don’t forget the lemon honey dressing and walnuts. OMIGOD. So good. Each ingredient gets its moment to shine. Serve this decadent salad by itself or atop a bed of lettuce. {Paleo}
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salads and Dressings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or cut into strips
- 1 cup red grapes, halved
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3/4 cup celery, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 apples, chopped (I like a combination of red and green)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons 100% pure honey
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- Coarse black pepper for garnishing and shredded lettuce, if desired
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, red grapes, red onion, celery, avocado, and apples. Add sea salt and stir well. In a small dish, combine honey and lemon juice and pour onto salad mixture, stirring evenly. Top with walnuts.
- Then either layer the ingredients on top of a bed of lettuce or toss ingredients with lettuce. Alternatively, you can serve this salad as is without lettuce, if you wish.
- This salad is best enjoyed right after assembling. However, it can be stored in an airtight container for about 24 hours.
Notes
- Work on this salad in stages, or even over a day or two, by preparing the chicken ahead of time and refrigerating it until you’re ready to use it. You can also prep the onions, grapes, and celery and store them in glasses jars or containers until you are ready to toss them into the salad.
- If not using pre-cooked chicken, then bake two chicken breasts in a baking pan, coated in olive oil or coconut oil and sea salt, at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees internal temperature. Alternatively, sauté the chicken in strips or cubes in a skillet with a dollop or two of coconut oil or olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. For either method, remove cooked chicken from the heat and let cool. If not using right away, refrigerate in an airtight container until you’re ready to use.
- For best results, assemble ingredients just prior to serving.
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