Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad will soon become your favorite chicken salad, hands down! This easy-to-make recipe has loads of tender chicken, tart cranberries, crunchy pecans, and sweet apples. It’s great as a sandwich, with lettuce as a salad, on crackers, and great for parties and potlucks.Â
This is my all-time favorite chicken salad recipe. Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is a simple recipe with the perfect combination of flavors and texture to make it super delicious. It’s great to serve all year long, but it’s especially good when you want to have a festive dish like Orange Cranberry Sauce to serve for lunch during the holidays or a festive celebration.
This is a terrific recipe for using up leftover turkey or chicken. If there are no leftovers, I snag a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket to save time and keep things simple.
What Goes In Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad?
- Cooked Chicken – white or dark meat are both great to use.
- Dried Cranberries
- Pecans
- Apple – I like to use Honeycrisp apples that have a tart sweetness.
- Green Onions
- Salt and Pepper
Scroll Down For Measurements
Variations And Substitutions
This recipe lends itself to all kinds of variations. Here are a few ideas to consider:
- Use different nuts like walnuts, slivered almonds, or sunflower seeds for added crunch.
- Get a bit fancy and add Candied Pecans.
- Red onions are a great addition for a bit of savoriness.
- Add Dijon mustard to the mayo dressing for a bit of spice.
- Celery, grapes, or pears are also great to add.
- In a pinch, you can use plain Greek yogurt and lemon juice instead of mayo.
What’s In The Salad Dressing?
The salad dressing is what brings all these wonderful ingredients in the chicken salad together. It’s super simple with just 4 ingredients if you count the salt and pepper.
- Good or homemade mayonnaise – not salad dressing.
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Garlic Powder
Whisk everything together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour over the chicken and other ingredients. Using a large spoon or spatula, toss all ingredients together until well-mixed.
How To Make The Best Chicken Salad Recipe
- This recipe comes together quickly, especially if you use leftovers or rotisserie chicken. Just remove the chicken meat from the bone and chop or shred it into bite-size pieces.
- Chop the pecans, apple, and green onion.
- Add all the ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Stir the ingredients for the dressing, then add it to the chicken mixture.
- Mix everything together, taste, and adjust the seasoning, then you’re ready to enjoy.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
How To Serve Chicken Salad With Cranberries And Pecans
- There are so many yummy ways to serve this salad. My favorite is putting a big dollop on a cracker, then sitting back and savoring. The boys love it served as a roll-up, and Mr. SS likes it served in a lettuce wrap.
- It is a great dish to serve at lunch with a croissant, tortillas, or toast when you’re having friends over.
- Homemade chicken salad is a great meal prep option for lunch, a snack, or dinner.
- And if that’s not enough, it’s always a hit at a covered dish supper. I guarantee you’ll be taking home an empty bowl at the end of the meal!
More Great Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Artichoke Chicken Salad
- Cranberry Pecan Slaw
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
If you tried this Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 – 3 ½ cups cooked chicken
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 1 apple – chopped
- ½ cup pecans – chopped
- ¼ cup green onions – chopped
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add chicken, cranberries, pecans, apple and green onion to a medium-size bowl.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together mayonnaise, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour over chicken and other ingredients. Using a large spoon or spatula, toss all ingredients together until well mixed.
- Serve immediately. It can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Leftovers – Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
Nutrition
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Delicious. I added a fourth of a cup of finely chopped celery for a little added taste and texture. It was a good add in. It was a hit for our baby shower.
Thank you. I’ve been looking for a tasty recipe for chicken salad. Have a great day.
Thanks!
~Donya
Yummy will makeorefor summer
Interesting flavors! I had leftover chicken from last nights instant pot dinner & homemade mayo to use up. My husband suggested making chicken salad. I looked for a different recipe & stumbled upon this. I’ve never had anything like it. It’s great & my little 20 month old toddler is gobbling it up. I did add a little almond milk sour cream & it’s great. The apple I used is my favorite Lady Alice. Thanks for sharing!