Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad (Printable)
Creamy chicken salad with cranberries, toasted pecans, and tender chunks. Ideal for sandwiches, wraps, or fresh greens.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced (about 2 medium breasts)
→ Fruits & Nuts
02 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries
03 - 1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
04 - 1 stalk celery, finely diced
05 - 2 green onions, finely sliced
→ Dressing
06 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
07 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Optional
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
# How-to Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine the diced chicken, cranberries, pecans, celery, and green onions.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
03 - Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
05 - Chill for at least 20 minutes for best flavor.
06 - Serve on croissants, in lettuce cups, or atop a bed of greens. Garnish with parsley if desired.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- The sweet cranberries and crunchy pecans create the most incredible texture contrast
- It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all day on it
02 -
- Overmixing will turn your chicken salad into a mushy mess, so fold everything together gently
- The flavors really do need that 20 minute chill time to develop properly
03 -
- A rotisserie chicken from the grocery store shortcuts the cooking time dramatically
- Toast your pecans in advance and store them in the freezer for future recipes