Our Blueberry Chicken Salad is easy enough for a weeknight dinner yet fancy enough for special occasions.
This post is sponsored by Chosen Foods
Sweet, salty and crunchy – it’s all in here
Tender chunks of chicken get all fancied up with the addition of fresh, plump blueberries and pleasantly pungent rosemary in this Blueberry Chicken Salad with Rosemary.
At first it may seem odd to add blueberries to chicken salad but they’re actually the perfect way to add just a hint of sweetness, gorgeous color and cancer-fighting antioxidants. The same goes for rosemary, an often overlooked herb but one that has a distinct and pine-like flavor that pairs beautifully with sweet and savory alike.
This recipe is an evolution of a chicken salad I made in my days working as a caterer in college. Only recently did I start substituting the blueberries and walnuts for the red grapes and smoked almonds of the original recipe. And then that’s when it happened. The chorus of angels began to sing and my kids licked their plates clean. No picking out the celery or onions and no pushing it around their plates. Just crazy good satisfaction and requests for seconds. Since then this Blueberry Chicken Salad with Rosemary has become an almost weekly lunch box staple at our house.
It’s all about the mayo
Ask any chicken salad lover what they love best about chicken salad and they’ll probably say that it’s all about that cool creaminess and convenience.
I mean really, you just need some cooked chicken, a few mix-in’s and a big dollop of great mayo and you’re on your way to a killer lunch or easy weeknight dinner.
That’s why I love the Avocado Oil Mayo from Chosen Foods. The ingredient list is straightforward: Avocado oil, cage-free egg yolks, water, cage-free organic whole eggs, organic distilled white vinegar, organic honey, organic mustard (organic mustard seed, organic distilled white vinegar, organic spices), salt, organic rosemary extract.
NOTE: To make this recipe Whole30-friendly, make your own mayo using Chosen Foods Avocado Oil.
It’s just like the homemade mayonnaise I make in my own kitchen only it’s much more convenient. My family loves how rich and creamy this mayo is and they like the mild, neutral flavor. I love the fact that the ingredients are clean and organic and that it’s made with avocado oil and here’s why:
Several studies have concluded that the monounsaturated fatty acids from avocados can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, enhance weight loss due to increased satiety, support healthy cardiovascular function and aging and lower the risk of some cancers thanks to their high levels of antioxidants (polyphenols, tocopherols, carotenoids and proanthocyanidins). To learn more about avocado oil, click here.
About Chosen Foods
Chosen Foods is a San Diego based company taking a clean and simple approach to real food. Founded by a naturopathic physician, Chosen Foods strives to bring the healing powers of superfoods like avocado, coconut and chia seeds to the world with it’s high-quality products.
And that’s exactly what they’re doing in this too-good-to-miss Blueberry Chicken Salad with Rosemary. Spreading the delicious superfood love!
Try it this week for an easy weeknight dinner, to change up your usual lunch or even serve it in pretty little butter leaf lettuce cups or atop your favorite crackers for a bridal shower, baby shower or brunch with the ladies.
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked, cooled and cubed (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- ⅛ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ cup Chosen Foods avocado oil mayo**
- To cook chicken: Place a medium skillet with lid over medium-high heat. Lay chicken breasts in pan and add ½ cup water. When water just starts to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate to cool before dicing. Note: This salad is best when the chicken has been refrigerated before adding the other ingredients so it’s best to plan ahead for this step or use leftover roasted chicken or a rotisserie chicken and decrease the amount of salt in the recipe to taste.
- To make salad: Combine cooked chicken and remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add mayo and gently stir to combine.
- Serve with butter lettuce wraps, over a bed of mixed greens, with cucumber slices or your favorite crackers.
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Comment below! What’s your favorite way to use leftover cooked chicken?
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Beautiful flavors! I love rosemary and blueberries together
Thanks, Rebecca! I agree – I just wish I’d found that combo years ago!
Blueberries in chicken salad is a new one to me! Very creative and looks delicious 🙂
Thanks, Ruth! Yes, blueberries do seem like an unlikely addition to chicken salad but, like red grapes, they add a little sweetness to compliment the savory rosemary. I hope you’ll try it – I’d love to hear what you think!
Drooling at this one! I love fruits in my chicken salad – but I’ve not yet tried blueberries. What a wonderful idea! This is on my menu for next week for sure!
I agree – Jessica was the master creator of this recipe! I had the chance to try it first hand when I was visiting her in Colorado. So good!
Second time making this – it’s a keeper! This time, I added some chopped baby spinach, just because. It’s great both ways.
Hey Jana,
I love the addition of spinach for added flavor, fiber and nutrition. So glad you love this recipe – it’s one of my favorites, too!
This is delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Lorie,
Thanks so much! I’m so thrilled to hear you loved this recipe.
Loved this! Added a little dijon to cut the sweetness…amazing.