Chunky Chicken Salad Pitas

Name: Chunky Chicken Salad Pitas
Prep time: 18 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup cooked chicken diced or shredded; 1/3 cup celery chopped fine; 1/3 cup shallots minced (substitute sweet onion, rinse if strong); 1/2 cup red grapes halved; 1/3 cup toasted pecans roughly chopped (instead of walnuts); 1/3 cup mayonnaise; 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard (swap Dijon); 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; 4 pita bread halves; 4 leaves crisp lettuce; 4 tomato slices

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 26 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

A quick chicken salad mix with a twist. Cooked chicken, crunchy celery, crisp onion swapped for shallots, juicy grapes, toasted pecans, zingy lemon, a whisper of whole grain mustard instead of Dijon, mayo, salt, white pepper. Served in pita pockets layered with lettuce and tomato. Preps in about 12-18 minutes depending on chopping speed. Flavors bold yet balanced with texture contrasts. Pantry-friendly swaps, common hiccups, and sensory cues covered. No fuss, just chopped, mixed, stuffed. No wait time. Fresh, not mushy. Can double up and refrigerate, but keep pitas separate or they get soggy. Salad can thicken overnight, adjust mayo accordingly. A solid, reliable layering of simple ingredients with a subtle nutty twist. Lunch or light dinner. Easy to adapt to what’s on hand. Little tweaks make all the difference.

Prep: 18 min

Cook: 0 min

Total: 18 min

Servings: 4 servings

#chicken salad #quick lunch #pita sandwich #pecans #whole grain mustard #easy dinners #meal prep

Ever chopped chicken salad that ends up mushy or bland? Had grapes that just vanish into mayo, or nuts that turn bitter and dull the whole mix? Tried swapping onions but it overwhelmed or disappeared? I’ve been there. Learned to tweak things, like swapping Dijon for whole grain mustard for textural pop, peeling back onion sharpness by using shallots instead. Nuts switched from walnuts that get soggy, to toasted pecans that hold strong in bites. Give audible cues a chance in cooking - nuts snapping tell you when to stop to avoid acrid flavors. The grape bursts are the magic punch, paired with crunchy celery and crisp lettuce leaves layered inside fresh pita pockets. Trust tactile and aromatic cues; the salad shouldn’t be runny or solid bricks. We run risks, mess ups, but luckily salad assembly is quick and forgiving. Efficient chopping and mix technique matters. And yes, lemon juice needs to kiss mayo just right to keep the flavors bright but balanced. This meal is about textures working against each other, bursts versus cream. Fresh, fast, with punch - no mushy regrets here.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked chicken diced or shredded
1/3 cup celery chopped fine
1/3 cup shallots minced (substitute sweet onion, rinse if strong)
1/2 cup red grapes halved
1/3 cup toasted pecans roughly chopped (instead of walnuts)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard (swap Dijon)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 pita bread halves
4 leaves crisp lettuce
4 tomato slices

About the ingredients

Chicken can be shredded leftover roast or diced poached breast, whatever your stash. If celery’s too fiberous or watery, pick freshest stalks, chop fine to avoid stringy bites. Shallots clean sharpness unlike white or sweet onions, but rinse them if you can taste too much bite. Grapes, seedless red or green, halve them to avoid watery pockets inside salad. Pecans hold texture better than walnuts once toasted; toast until you hear a light crackle—don’t wander, they go from perfect to burnt fast. Whole grain mustard brings texture and a rounded tang, milder but deeper than Dijon; you could swap Dijon but be wary of extra sharpness. Mayo should be of good quality, not super runny or heavy on oil, as it binds but can also weigh salad down. Lemon juice must be fresh; bottled juice tastes flat. Salt and white pepper season subtly without dark specks. Pitas thick enough to hold filling but soft. Lettuce—romaine or iceberg—gives crunch and dryness, preventing sog from mayo drain. Tomato slices add juiciness but slice fairly thick so they hold shape inside pockets.

Method

Chop chicken, celery, shallots. Rough chop pecans, toast in dry skillet until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes, watching so they don't burn. Toss grapes next to prep area.
Mix mayo, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, salt and white pepper vigorously in big bowl. Use whisk or fork to blend so dressing is tangy but not runny.
Fold chicken, celery, shallots, pecans, grapes into mayo mixture gently but completely. Taste. Adjust salt or lemon juice. Texture should be chunky with juicy bursts from grapes, nuts adding crunch.
Cut pitas in half. Tear lettuce, stuff one leaf and one tomato slice in each pocket. The crispy veggies keep the bread from sogging too fast.
Spoon chicken salad into pitas, packing but not overstuffing. Serve immediately or cover chicken salad separately and refrigerate max 24 hours. Toast pitas lightly if they feel too soft before stuffing.
If salad thickens after chilling, stir in small spoon of lemon juice or a splash of milk to loosen. If pitas get soggy, dry them in skillet or toaster quick before filling.
Listen for toasted nuts’ pop and crackle to avoid bitterness. Smell the lemon hitting mayo to know it’s bright enough but not sour. Fingertip test on salad - should cling to spoon but still move easily. Lettuce should be firm, no wilt or water spots.

Cooking tips

Precise chopping is your best friend—uniformity means each bite contains a perfect blend of flavors and textures, preventing pockets of too-much onion or grape. Toast pecans in skillet over medium heat, stirring or shaking pan often to keep heat even. When smell deepens and a subtle pop is heard, pull off immediately, nuts continue cooking in warm pan. Whisk dressing first to emulsify lemon juice into mayo, preventing curdling or separation later. Fold ingredients gently: overmixing crushes grapes and releases water, watering down salad and making mayo thin. Cut pitas evenly through center, tear lettuce rather than cut—tearing reduces bruising and wilting. Stuffed pitas should not be overfilled; too much filling and the bread stretches and tears. Serve quickly. If holding salad in fridge, keep filling and pita separate, mix and stuff just before eating to avoid sogginess. If salad thickens up after resting, revive with lemon juice or splash of milk for freshness and proper spread consistency. Use visual cues like salad sheen, lettuce firmness, and tomato plumpness to judge readiness.

Chef's notes

💡 Chop everything uniform but chunkier than usual. Rough pecans toasted in a dry skillet give crunch—listen for subtle pop and smell deepening or nuts burn fast. Grapes halve to avoid watery pockets syndrome. Mix mayo with whole grain mustard and lemon juice vigorously first; helps emulsify and keeps mayo from thinning out. Fold ingredients gently or grapes break and make salad watery. Cut pitas clean, tear lettuce, no cut lines prevent browning and wilting inside pockets.
💡 If celery feels stringy or watery, pick fresh stalks, chop extra fine to avoid bite distract. Shallots sharper than sweet onion; rinse if too much bite but then dilute flavor slightly. Pecans swap walnuts here because walnuts turn soggy quick. Keep pitas separate from filling until serving. If salad thickens in fridge, stir in splash lemon juice or milk. Toast pitas quick in skillet or toaster if soggy before stuffing. Helps keep firm texture against moist filling.
💡 Watch for sensory cues: nuts crackle lightly when ready for off-heat. Smell lemon hit mayo as indicator of balanced brightness, no sour. Texture should cling to spoon but move easily—not runny mush. Salad should hold lumps—juicy bursts from grapes contrast crunchy celery and toasted nuts. No drowning flavors. Lettuce leaf torn not cut prevents water seepage. Tomato slices sliced thick hold shape and add juiciness inside pockets without soaking bread.
💡 Packing pitas stuffing moderately important. Too much overfills and pita tears. Layer lettuce then tomato then chicken salad gently but fully. Chill salad if prepping ahead but keep bread dry in separate container. If salad sits and thickens, not a problem, just fold in small amount lemon juice or milk to loosen. Hold pitas on side. Toast if soft before filling. Efficient prep means chopping and mixing balanced; no overmixing which breaks grapes or crushes nuts leaving pasty mess.
💡 Alternate onions carefully. Shallots a sharp but clean one, rinse if overpowering. Whole grain mustard chosen for texture and milder tang than Dijon—if swapping back, be careful with sharpness overpowering. Use fresh lemon juice only or mayo flavor dulls. Incomplete emulsifying means salad either runny or mayo separates later. Use whisk or fork to beat vigorously before adding solids. That citrus punch wakes slowing binding mayo and tang, crucial texture and flavor harmony.

Common questions

How to keep salad from getting soggy?

Keep pita separate until just before serving. Chill salad alone. If gets thick add lemon juice or splash milk for loosen. Toast pitas quick if soft, stops soggy bread.

Can I use onions instead of shallots?

Yes but be cautious, onions stronger flavor. Rinse thin slices if too sharp or overpower. Shallots cleaner bite. Avoid raw sweet onion that fades fast. Adjust dressing acidity if swap.

Why toast pecans?

Toasting brings crunch, smell cues when ready—pop and crackle. Nuts keep texture better than raw. If burnt bitterness spoils salad. Shake pan to toast evenly. Pull off heat at scent peak.

How long can leftovers last?

Salad up to 24 hours in fridge, keep pitas separate. Lettuce can wilt fast if premixed. Toast pitas before refill from fridge. Salad thickens over time okay, stir lemon or milk to freshness.