Sonoma Chicken Salad (Whole Foods Copycat)
Creamy, crunchy, sweet, and satisfying all at once. With shredded chicken, red grapes, celery, and pecans, it's a high-flavor, low-effort lunch served over greens, in a sandwich, or with crackers and crisp raw veggies. You'll be delighted how easy it is to copy this popular Whole Foods salad at home!
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 4 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 cup red grapes cut in half
- 1/4 cup finely-diced red onion
- 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sub all or part mayo
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoons poppy or chia seeds see note
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the Greek yogurt, vinegar, honey, seeds, salt, and pepper. Whisk well to combine into an even dressing.1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, 2 and 1/2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoons poppy or chia seeds, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Add chicken, celery, grapes, red onion, and pecans to the bowl and stir well. Sample and season with more salt and pepper to taste.3 cups shredded chicken, 4 stalks celery, 1 cup red grapes, 1/4 cup finely-diced red onion, 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
- Serve over a bed of greens, in sandwiches, or with crackers and raw veggies. Enjoy!
Last step!Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked the recipe. This helps my small business thrive and continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
- Chicken: Prep this in bulk (poached chicken, Instant Pot, slow cooker, etc., then shred or dice) or just pull chicken breast meat from a rotisserie chicken as a big time saver.
- Grapes: I always add extra because I just love the sweetness in every bite! Feel free to substitute green grapes or another fruit—chopped apple or pear can be a nice change of pace, mandarin oranges are extra-sweet but very convenient.
- Pecans: Toasted pecans have a little extra oomph. Substitute walnuts, almonds, or another nut if you like. Substitute sunflower seeds or pepitas for a little crunch that keeps it nut-free.
- Greek Yogurt vs. Mayo: I like using all Greek yogurt as the base of the dressing, only because I don't personally enjoy mayonnaise. Mayo is the more traditional foundation; many copycat recipes suggest using half and half. The great news is that you really can't go wrong with either. Use mayo to keep this chicken salad dairy-free; opt for Greek yogurt to reduce calories and add protein; or just choose the texture you most enjoy.
- Poppy vs. Chia Seeds: Poppy seeds are the traditional choice for Sonoma chicken salad and contribute a subtle crunch and nuttiness. However, I sometimes use chia seeds instead for a little extra fiber, especially if I'm not planning to have much extra salad. If you’re meal prepping or just have incidental leftovers, chia seeds will absorb moisture and become more gel-like, whereas poppy seeds keep their texture.
- Make Ahead: I think this tastes just as good on day two and is therefore great to make ahead with no changes. This said, if you want the crunchy parts to be as crunchy as possible, mix in the celery, red onions, and pecans just prior to serving.
- Store: Leftover chicken salad keeps in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Our favorite glass storage containers keep it perfectly fresh.
- Recipe: Lightly adapted from Whole Foods.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 274 kcal, Carbohydrates: 13 g, Protein: 30 g, Fat: 11 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Trans Fat: 0.003 g, Cholesterol: 80 mg, Sodium: 383 mg, Potassium: 406 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 11 g, Vitamin A: 91 IU, Vitamin C: 2 mg, Calcium: 64 mg, Iron: 2 mg