Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad Recipe

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad Recipe

Description

A creamy, refreshing chicken salad featuring tender shredded chicken, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy celery, toasted pecans, and red onion, all tossed in a tangy mayonnaise dressing. It’s perfect for sandwiches, wraps, lettuce cups, crackers, or served over fresh greens. The combination of sweet, savory, and crunchy textures makes it an ideal meal for lunch, picnics, or meal prep.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

For the Dressing

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, celery, dried cranberries, pecans, red onion, and parsley.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
3. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and gently stir until everything is evenly coated.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
5. Serve chilled on croissants, sandwich bread, wraps, lettuce leaves, crackers, or over a bed of mixed greens.

Tips

• Toast the pecans for 3–5 minutes in a dry skillet to enhance their flavor.
• Add diced apples or halved grapes for extra sweetness and crunch.
• Replace pecans with walnuts or sliced almonds if preferred.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.