Instant Pot Chicken Salad with Grapes
Moist, flavorful chicken salad with grapes, celery, and red onions tossed in a mayo/mustard sauce. Easy recipe for lunch or to serve to a hungry crowd.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of seedless red grapes
- 2 to 3 stalks of celery about 1 cup, diced
- ⅓ to ½ cup of red onions diced
- Sandwich bread or croissant rolls
Dressing
- ⅓ cup of mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
- 1½ tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt to taste (start with ¼ teaspoon)
- Pepper to taste (about ¼ teaspoon)
Instructions
Chicken Prep Work
- This step is optional, but will make a significant different in the moisture and taste of the cooked chicken. Get in the habit of pre-salting your chicken right after you bring it home from the grocery store. The taste of every chicken recipe will improve with this tip.
- REMOVE the chicken breast packaging and pat the meat dry.
- MEASURE out about ¼ teaspoon of salt into your hand. Sprinkle the salt on both sides of each piece. If you need a pinch more salt, go for it.
- COVER the chicken in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 48 hours. At least 24 hours is ideal.
Cook Chicken in the Instant Pot
- REMOVE the chicken breasts from the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before cooking to bring them to room temperature.
- PUT the trivet in the bottom of the electric pressure cooker and pour in the chicken broth or water.
- PLACE the raw skinless chicken breasts on the trivet. DO NOT SALT.
- CLOSE the Instant Pot and press the pressure cook button. It will take 7 to 8 minutes for the pot to reach full pressure.
- COOK the chicken on high pressure for 5 to 9 minutes, depending on the breast size. The cook time depends on the thickness of the meat. Breasts that are 2 inches thick take about 6 or 7 minutes to cook.
- DO A NATURAL RELEASE. Let the Instant Pot naturally release when the chicken has finished cooking. Stick a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken to check the internal temperature. It should be between 150 to 155°F (65 to 68°C). Let it sit in the pan for 1 to 4 minutes to ensure safe cooking. (See notes on what to do if the chicken temperature is below this range.)
- PULL the chicken out of the pressure cooker and rest it on a cutting board for 5 to 8 minutes. This allows it to reabsorb its moisture and cool down enough to process.
- SHRED the cooked chicken with a blender, stand mixer, or food processor. It is easier to cut the chicken into a couple of pieces for easier processing. Pulse to shred. Alternately, hand-shred it with two forks.
- CHILL the shredded chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour until it is completely cooled.
Prep the Salad
- WASH the red grapes and slice them into quarters or halves. Then wash and chop the celery into small slices.
- DICE the red onion. Keep your grapes, onion, and celery in the fridge until you’re ready to get mixing.
- JUICE the lemon.
- MIX the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Compose the Salad
- TOSS the grapes, onion, celery, and cold shredded chicken into the bowl with the dressing. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. You can also throw in some optional fresh herbs. Parsley and a little bit of fresh dill are tasty.
- CHILL the mixed chicken salad for about an hour to allow the flavors to mix and mingle, if you have time. If not, you can eat it right away.
- SERVE the chicken salad as a meal on whole wheat bread (or your favorite gluten-free bread), a croissant, or on a bed of lettuce. Or eat it as a side dish with pita chips.
Notes
Remember to check the temperature in the thickest part of the meat. If the internal chicken temperature is not high enough (less than 140°F), follow these instructions. DO NOT cook it again in the pressure cooker.
- Place the chicken back into the pressure cooker and secure the lid. Keep it there for a few minutes (5-10, depending on how low the temperature was). The residual heat from the pan will continue to cook the meat.
- Recheck the temperature. It should now be high enough. I like to aim for 155°F (held for 1 minute). Some people prefer 150°F (held for 4 minutes). Do what you feel comfortable with.
- See the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's Time Temperature Poultry Chart for exact time and temperature combinations.
Nutrition
Calories: 148kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 13gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 259mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!