Hawaiian Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken, pineapple, celery and grapes tossed in a creamy lime-honey dressing; chilled and garnished with cilantro.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Fruits & Vegetables

02 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
03 - 1 cup celery, sliced thinly
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup seedless grapes, halved
07 - 1/4 cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped

→ Dressing

08 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
09 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
11 - 2 teaspoons honey
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
15 - Butter lettuce leaves, for serving

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken, pineapple, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, grapes, and macadamia nuts.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until the mixture is completely smooth.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad base and gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - Arrange butter lettuce leaves on plates, spoon the salad on top, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley before serving.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The creamy-tangy dressing with a whisper of lime will make you rethink what chicken salad should be.
  • It uses fresh, crunchy vegetables and juicy fruit, so every bite brings a different texture and a little joy.
02 -
  • I once skipped chilling the salad, eager to eat—learn from me, the melded flavor is totally worth the wait.
  • Dicing everything uniformly means each forkful really pops; it’s more important than it sounds!
03 -
  • Letting the salad sit in the fridge (even overnight) deepens its flavor, so it’s a perfect make-ahead dish.
  • Zest your lime before squeezing for a little aromatic zing in the dressing—no one will guess why it’s so bright.

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