A seriously addictive Chicken Salad Chick Grape Salad recipe! This Southern Grape Salad uses real food ingredients and tastes delicious, no it tastes amazing!
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!
Trust me, this is a crazy good salad—perfect for a crowd! Make it for a brunch, baby shower, potluck, cookout, tailgating, or a garden party.
I made this for a church potluck recently and everyone wanted the recipe. Don’t let the salad moniker fool you, though; this is a dessert! I wouldn’t call this healthy! Think of it like those delicious jello salads of old!
Reasons to ❤️ this Southern Grape Salad
- Easy Recipe – This recipe takes just 10 minutes to throw together and 30 minutes to chill.
- Copycat Recipe – It tastes just like the real deal! But without any preservatives!
- Southern Staple –It’s the ultimate summer side dish. Bring it to picnics, cookouts, BBQs, and holidays!
This is one of those unique recipes, like this Chicken Salad and Chick Broccoli Salad. People might turn their noses initially, but once they try it, they will beg for the recipe. It’s the perfect side dish!
Simple Ingredients
- Cream cheese: Room-temperature cream cheese blends easier. I recommend full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor, but you could use low-fat cream cheese if preferred.
- Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream brings a tang and thins the creamy dressing.
- White sugar: The original recipe called for a lot of granulated sugar, but I toned it down a bit, and it was just as good!
- Vanilla Extract: A hint of vanilla elevates the salad.
- Grapes: Combine seedless green grapes and red grapes, washed and dried.
- Brown sugar: Sprinkle the top of the salad with light brown sugar.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans are the final touch that brings a satisfying crunch!
How to Make Chicken Salad Chick Grape Salad
Add the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla to a medium bowl and beat them together with an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer) until smooth.
Put the grapes in a large mixing bowl and add the cream cheese mixture, folding gently to combine until all the juicy grapes are evenly covered with the sweet cream cheese dressing.
Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid and chill the salad for 30 minutes.
Just before serving, transfer the creamy grape salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with brown sugar and crunchy pecans. Enjoy!
Fresh Tips
- This easy recipe can be made up to one day in advance. Leave the pecans and brown sugar off until you’re ready to serve it.
I wish we had a Chicken Salad Chick restaurant near us, I’d be there all the time! I tried it several times when I was in Nashville recently and fell in love!
Try my other popular copycat recipes, like this Panera Broccoli and Cheese Soup, Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies, Grilled Nuggets or this Broccoli Salad Recipe.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Variations & Substitutions
- Nut-Free Grape Salad: Replace the pecans with sunflower seeds for a little crunch or leave them off entirely.
- Lighter Grape Salad: You can use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream and Neufchatel cheese to replace the cream cheese.
- Nuts Alternatives: If you’re not a fan of pecans, you can sprinkle the salad with chopped walnuts, almonds, or another favorite nut. These maple bourbon candied pecans would be amazing!
- Sugar-Free Grape Salad: Swap the sugar for alternatives; try this Besti Brown Sugar substitute and this Besti Granulated Sugar or go healthier and use coconut sugar or date sugar.
- Grapes: Any grape is a great option for this creamy salad, just make sure they are seedless and equal to 4 pounds of grapes!
Gluten-Free Grape Salad
I wasn’t sure what category to put this in, gluten-free desserts (yum) or just the basic gluten-free dishes. This gluten-free grape salad is a fabulous and safe salad to serve to your gluten-free friends!
Storage Tips
Refrigerate – Store leftover grape salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that the pecans will soften, and the brown sugar will melt into the salad, but it still tastes great!
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a lovely presentation for the grape salad. If the brown sugar were added to the cream cheese, it would tint the dressing yellow-brown. Plus the brown sugar on top brings a slight crunch—it would easily melt into the dressing.
I used a block of full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature. However, you can also use whipped cream cheese or low-fat cream cheese if you prefer.
Sure! You can substitute the cream cheese and sour cream with your favorite plant-based alternatives. However, the texture and taste will be different.
Best Drinks to Serve with Copycat Chicken Salad Chicks Grape Salad
This refreshing grape salad recipe just begs for a fruity beverage, don’t you think?
- Peach Green Tea Lemonade
- Starbucks Passion Tea
- Watermelon Slush
- Blueberry Limeade
- Easy Strawberry Refresher recipe
What to serve with Grape Salad from Chicken Salad Chick
More Easy Fruit Salad Recipes
If you want to make it ahead of time, leave the pecans and brown sugar off until serving.
I hope you loved this Copycat Chicken Salad Chick’s Grape Salad — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Chicken Salad Chick Grape Salad Recipe (Copycat)
Click stars to rate now!
Print Pin Save RateIngredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature (I used full-fat)
- 1 cup sour cream I used full-fat, you can also try Greek Yogurt
- ¼-½ cup granulated sugar Start with a little, give it a taste adding more if needed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 pounds green grapes seedless, washed and dried
- 2 pounds red grapes seedless, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream, g¼-½ cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Beat together with an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer) until smooth.
- Place the grapes 2 pounds green grapes, 2 pounds red grapes in a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese mixture, and gently stir to combine until all the grapes are covered.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill.
- Just before serving, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons light brown sugarand ½ cup pecans, chopped.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Notes
- Use room-temperature cream cheese, so it is easy to blend with the other ingredients.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pecans will soften, and the brown sugar will melt into the salad, but it still tastes great!
- Can be made up to one day ahead of time. Leave the pecans and brown sugar off until just before serving.
Variations & Substitutions
- Nut-Free Grape Salad: Replace the pecans with sunflower seeds for a little crunch or leave them off entirely.
- Lighter Grape Salad: You can use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream and Neufchatel cheese to replace the cream cheese.
- Nuts Alternatives: If you’re not a fan of pecans, you can sprinkle the salad with chopped walnuts, almonds, or another favorite nut. These maple bourbon candied pecans would be amazing!
- Sugar-Free Grape Salad: Swap the sugar for alternatives; try this Besti Brown Sugar substitute and this Besti Granulated Sugar or go healthier and use coconut sugar or date sugar.
- Grapes: Any grape is a great option for this creamy salad, just make sure they are seedless.
Vicky
I love this salad at chicken salad chick and this copycat was an absolute delight! The taste was spot on. Such a refreshing and flavorful salad that’s perfect for summer lunches.
Kathleen Pope
Thanks so much! So glad you liked it!!
Justine
I love this salad! It’s so sweet and creamy, with a little bit of crunch – it’s fantastic.
Kathleen Pope
Perfectly described! Thanks so much!
chara
Love this recipe, gonna make this on the weekend. thanks for sharing
Kathleen Pope
Thanks so much, glad you are making it!
suja md
Wonderful recipe, thanks so much!
Kathleen Pope
Thanks Suja, so glad you liked it!
Debbie
When we lived in Indiana, we had one lady who always brought grape salad to our church potlucks. I loved it and miss it. I don’t make it, because my husband is not a fan. I really should make a small portion for myself!
Kathleen Pope
You really should, Debbie!!
Laura
I swear I could eat this every day!! It is SOOO good!! I love the sweet and tart balance. I brought it to a potluck and not one grape was left! THANK YOU for the recipe!
Kathleen Pope
Love it, not one grape left!! You are most welcome!
Donalyn
This recipe was an eye-opener for me! I never made a grape salad before but this looked so good that I had to try it. It’s delicious and I plan to make it again for guests next weekend – thanks!
Kathleen Pope
Love hearing that Donalyn! It’s surprisingly good!