Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
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This Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is relatively light, with fresh herbs and tangy Greek yogurt pulling together tender bites of chicken, sweet apple and cranberries, and crunchy celery and pecans. It all adds up to a delicious combo that even chicken salad skeptics can enjoy for a special lunch or breezy dinner.
Light and flavorful chicken salad.
I admit to being a chicken salad skeptic myself, which is undoubtedly related to my unusual aversion to mayonnaise and similarly creamy white condiments. Hopefully, rather than turn you off of this recipe, that admission confirms that this chicken salad is something of an exception.
Swapping tangy, rich Greek yogurt for the traditional mayo is a great start, and adding a delicious medley of crunchy items makes the whole thing a lunch to celebrate. We’ve got cranberries and pecans, as you’d expect from the title, along with crisp bites of celery and apple, fresh herbs, and plenty of salt and pepper to bring all the flavors to life with minimal fuss. If I’ve got extra meat from a rotisserie or a whole roast chicken, this is a great way to repurpose it and make sure we have quality lunches prepped for the week ahead.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
- Cooked chicken. While I most often make this recipe using leftovers, you also can typically purchase pre-cooked, grilled chicken breasts in major grocery stores. Alternatively, you can poach raw chicken breasts yourself, by simmering them in gently boiling water or broth for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and ready to shred or to dice.
- Greek yogurt. I like to use a plain whole milk Greek yogurt in this, but feel free to play around, or use a dairy-free yogurt if needed. Of course substitute mayo if you like, though you may want to use a bit more or less to taste.
- Celery. Chop this relatively small for the best texture throughout the salad.
- Apple. Any variety works well in this. Try Granny Smith to keep the salad more tart, or a mild Fuji or Pink Lady to pull more sweet notes.
- Red onion. Even if you’re not a big red onion fan, try a little bit of it here. It adds a very mild tang. Substitute shallot or omit if raw onion is just not working for you.
- Pecans. Toast them if possible, and substitute freely with walnuts, almonds, or another nut you like.
- Dried cranberries. Look for a low sugar, organic option, if possible. Dried cherries are a fun variation.
- Thyme or rosemary, kosher salt, and black pepper. Fresh herbs really liven up this salad, but dried herbs absolutely work in a pinch.
Variations and Other Chicken Salad Mix-Ins
Feel free to use this recipe as a jumping off point, and add in a bit of chopped bell pepper, carrot, green onions, and other herbs, spices, and nuts. Just increase the amount of Greek yogurt and salt as needed, to ensure everything stays well-coated and well-seasoned.
A particular favorite extra of mine is a squeeze of lemon juice, if I happen to have a cut lemon hanging out in the fridge.
How To Make Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
I’ve included a few step-by-step photos here to make this recipe extra easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This is about as simple as it gets – you don’t even need a separate bowl for the dressing – but let’s walk through it together, all the same.
Most of the work lies simply in prepping and chopping your ingredients. You do want to make an effort to chop the celery and apple into relatively evenly-sized pieces, and the mince the onion rather fine. This yields the best overall flavor and texture once everything melds together.
Add to a large mixing bowl, and stir in the Greek yogurt plus a bit of salt and pepper. The yogurt should evenly coat all the other ingredients.
The final step is simple but important: tightly cover the chicken salad and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
What to Eat with Chicken Salad
A classic way to enjoy any chicken salad is stuffed into croissants for generous sandwiches. It’s also delicious rolled into a wrap, or piled between two slices of Dutch oven or your favorite sandwich bread, which can be lightly toasted.
You could also serve this with homemade burger buns. Yum!
I also enjoy this particular combination served over a bed of spring mix or butter lettuce. If you need just a little bread with your meal — I do! — a few crackers do the job, or a mini croissant is especially lovely on the side. Best of both worlds!
Storage Tips
Store chicken salad tightly covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. I find it tastes great as-is, but if you want to liven up the flavors, a tiny sprinkle of sea salt and a few drops of lemon juice can work wonders.
Do not try to freeze and defrost.
Related Recipes
If you enjoy this, you may also like my take on the Jennifer Aniston salad, a chickpea quinoa salad, or this balsamic chicken and blackberry spinach mix.
We also love making a big batch of Greek-marinated chicken for topping simple Greek salads or greens with homemade Italian dressing for easy and nutritious lunches.
If you try this Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 apple diced
- 1/4 small red onion diced
- 1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or mayo, more to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, apple, red onion, pecans, cranberries, and thyme or rosemary.2 cups cooked chicken, 3 stalks celery, 1 apple, 1/4 small red onion, 1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or rosemary
- Add the Greek yogurt and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Try starting with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then sampling and adding more until the flavors really pop.) If you prefer a creamier salad, add extra Greek yogurt until it has your preferred consistency.1/2 cup Greek yogurt, kosher salt and black pepper
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve cold in sandwiches, over salad greens, in wraps, etc.
Notes
- Chicken: I most often make this recipe using leftover rotisserie or whole roast chicken. You also can typically purchase pre-cooked, grilled chicken breasts in major grocery stores. Alternatively, you can poach raw chicken breasts yourself, by simmering them in gently boiling water or broth for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and ready to shred or to dice.
- Greek Yogurt: If you prefer the taste and consistency of mayonnaise (I admit that I don’t) you can absolutely substitute it here.
- Storage: Store chicken salad tightly covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Do not freeze and thaw.
Awesome recipe. My husband says this is the best chicken salad he has ever had.