Prepare the Ingredients: Ensure the chicken is cooked thoroughly and shredded. You can use leftover chicken, or rotisserie chicken, or boil/bake chicken breasts and then shred them. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until they are fragrant and slightly browned, about 3-5 minutes, then let them cool.
Mix the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, coarsely chopped celery, halved red grapes, and toasted pecans.
Add Flavor: In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the dried parsley flakes and ground curry powder. This mixture will be the dressing for your salad.
Combine: Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture. Once every component has a good coat of dressing, whisk gently. Add freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt to taste.
Chill (Optional): For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate the salad for at least an hour before serving. This enables the flavors to harmoniously blend.
Serve: Serve the chicken salad on a bed of greens, as a sandwich filling, or with crackers as a light and flavorful meal or appetizer.
