If you live near a Chicken Salad Chick restaurant, chances are your Fancy Nancy chicken salad includes grapes. With this copycat recipe you can recreate that same dish at home using easily accessible ingredients.
Red and green seedless grapes are coated in a sweet cream cheese mixture flavored with vanilla for an exquisite side or dessert dish. Completed by brown sugar and pecans for the final touch.
Ingredients
Juicy grapes combined with sweet cream cheese mixture, sour cream seasoned with brown sugar and pecans create this delectable dessert-inspired side dish, popular at Chicken Salad Chick restaurants across the South.
Homemade grape juice can be easily prepared, with quality grapes from both red and white seedless varieties providing the necessary balance in terms of both taste and texture.
Add extra sweetness or crunch by including other elements in this recipe, like mini marshmallows after folding in grapes, or mix in chopped Butterfinger candy as an extra-special surprise!
This gluten-free dish should be prepared at least 24 hours in advance to allow time for the cream cheese and pecans to soften before refrigerating it, making sure it comes out at least an hour or so prior to serving so it can be sprinkled with brown sugar and pecans just prior to service.
Prep Time
Juicy grapes are combined in a creamy mixture of softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla for this delectable dessert side dish. Topped off with brown sugar and pecans for an irresistibly sweet crunch, it makes an excellent addition to potlucks, Easter brunches or family picnics!
Begin by whipping the cream cheese using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, before gradually mixing in sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Fold grapes carefully while beating, before refrigerating until ready for service.
Make this light appetizer at least an hour in advance so the grapes have enough time to soften while the cream cheese mixture remains smooth and silky. Refrigerate, cover and store in an attractive presentation bowl in your fridge until serving time, when brown sugar and pecans will give a stunning finishing touch! Serve this low-sodium appetizer alongside any main dish dish as a light lunch or snack; church potlucks and baby showers often choose it!
Cook Time
Southerners know a true salad cannot exist without mayonnaise! Incorporating this creamy ingredient into this chicken salad recipe gives it that classic creamy texture so beloved by so many. Grapes add sweet notes while pecans provide crunch. This copycat recipe makes an easy addition to any meal and travels well, perfect for picnics or potlucks; pair it with sandwiches for a satisfying lunch or dinner option!
Use only high-quality chicken for optimal flavor and texture, and add fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary for a bright herbal note. To add gluten-free option to the mix, swap almonds out for pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead. Sprinkle on some brown sugar just before serving for extra sweetness if time allows or simply skip this step altogether!
Total Time
Chicken Salad Chick restaurants are well known for their selection of delicious chicken salad, but they also offer other delightful meals such as this delicious grape dessert topped with velvety cream cheese and satisfying pecan crunch!
This recipe is easy and serves a crowd. Perfect for potlucks, picnics or family reunions! Keeps in the fridge for several days but should be eaten at room temperature if served at all possible.
Just before folding in your grapes, add some flavor by folding in mini marshmallows. Or you could switch up the nuts you use – walnuts or almonds could work just as well! Or serve this creamy treat as a dip for fruit slices, pretzels or even graham crackers – the possibilities are limitless!