Discover the Southern charm of Chicken Salad Chick’s beloved Fancy Nancy chicken salad with this authentic copycat recipe that brings together tender shredded chicken, crisp Fuji apples, sweet grapes, and crunchy pecans in perfect harmony. This fruity twist on classic chicken salad has earned its place as one of the most requested varieties at the popular Southern chain, and now you can recreate this crowd-pleasing favorite in your kitchen.
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Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Special
Chicken Salad Chick understands that everyone has their vision of the perfect chicken salad, which is why they offer more than a dozen varieties ranging from simple to nutty, fruity, and spicy. Their Fancy Nancy stands out as the ultimate fruity option, combining the satisfying protein of tender chicken with the refreshing sweetness of fruit, the delightful crunch of pecans, and the crispness of celery.
Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Salad
For the Chicken Base:
- Chicken tenders – Provide tender, easily shreddable meat with superior texture and flavor
- Low-sodium chicken stock – Infuses the chicken with additional flavor during the cooking process
- Salt and pepper – Season the chicken properly for enhanced taste throughout
For the Salad Components:
- Mayonnaise – Creates the creamy base that binds all ingredients together smoothly
- Dry ranch salad dressing mix – Adds distinctive savory character and herbaceous depth
- Red seedless grapes – Contribute sweet, juicy bursts that complement the other fruits
- Fuji apple – Provides crisp texture and natural sweetness that holds up well
- Pecans – Deliver satisfying crunch and nutty richness that enhances the overall experience
- Celery – Adds subtle crunch and fresh flavor when finely minced
How to Make Chicken Salad with Apples, Grapes, and Pecans
- Cook the chicken in chicken stock until done. Use two forks or a stand mixer to shred chicken.
- Add the remaining ingredients to another bowl.
- Add shredded chicken and stir to combine. For the best flavor, make the salad a couple of hours in advance. Keep salad refrigerated until serving.
- Serve on top of lettuce or in a sandwich.
Serving suggestions for homemade chicken salad?
You may wonder what you should eat your chicken salad with or what you should put it on. Let’s cover how you can turn it into a copycat for Chicken Salad Chicken.
- A bed of leaf lettuce if you want to enjoy it as a scoop, be sure to serve with some wheat Keebler crackers
- A croissant with leaf lettuce and sliced fresh tomatoes
- Wheat Berry bread with leaf lettuce and sliced fresh tomatoes
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days for best quality and food safety
- Temperature Safety: Never leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours due to the mayonnaise content
- Serving Temperature: Serve chilled for optimal flavor and food safety
- Freezing: Not recommended as mayonnaise and fruits don’t freeze well, and the texture will be compromised
More Chicken Salad and Salads with Chicken Recipes
- Original Chicken Salad Recipe
- Applebee’s International, Inc. Oriental Chicken Salad
- Arbys Salads Grilled Chicken and Pecan
- Panera Salads Green Goddess Cobb Salad
- Jason Deli Nutty Mixed Up Salad
- Subway Orchard Chicken Salad
- Mediterranean Grain Bowl Recipes
- Very Berry Salad
- Chicken Salad Recipe with Fruit and Nuts
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad
Top Copycat Recipes
Be sure to check out more of my easy salads and the best restaurant copycat recipes.
Copycat Fancy Nancy Chicken Salad from Chicken Salad Chick
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise Chicken Salad Chick uses Duke's
- 2 tablespoons celery finely minced
- 2 teaspoons dry ranch salad dressing mix
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup red seedless grapes
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup Fuji apple chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken tenders and chicken stock in a large pot. Poach over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Shred the chicken. The chicken can be shredded with a stand mixer by using a paddle attachment. Or shredding the chicken tenders using two forks works well also.
- In a medium-sized bowl, place the celery, dry ranch dressing mix, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Blend well.Â
- Add the shredded chicken and mix in thoroughly. Add in the grapes, chopped apples, and pecans. Stir until blended.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce or in a sandwich.
This sexatly like the restaurant here but oh so much cheaper when you make it yourself. The same goes for the grape salad. DELICIOUS!
What do you do with the stock after you poach the chicken. Seems like you would not need that much but still you should give a suggestion on how to use it.
I personally would discard the stock. It will have residue from the chicken in it, so it will not be clear, it will be cloudy. If you wanted to you could use it to make dumplings, but I have generally discarded it, or let it cool, and given it to my pets.
I love chicken salad, however I was raised with crushed pineapple instead of grapes. This gives is a great texture and we think better than grapes.