Try this delicious chicken salad recipe for a quick and hearty meal. rotisserie chicken loaded with dried cranberries and pecans, all covered in a delicious sweet and tangy dressing make this irresistible!
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Chicken salad is always in season, but as the weather starts getting warmer it becomes even more tempting. This recipe is perfect for a quick dinner, a weekday lunch, or for serving at parties.
This chicken salad was inspired by the cranberry pecan chicken salad at Sam's Club. It used to be one of my favorite chicken salads, but after a few recipe changes, I didn't care for it nearly as much as I used to so I decided to make my own.
This cranberry pecan chicken salad goes great with my Farro Salad, served alongside some homemade chicken noodle soup, or just simply with your favorite potato chips.
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Ingredients
- Mayonnaise
- Honey
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Poppy Seeds (optional)
- Salt and Pepper
- Cooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - for the best results I use slow cooker shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken. I love to buy the pre-pulled rotisserie chicken breast at Costco!
- Celery
- Dried Cranberries
- Pecans
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Chicken Salad
This chicken salad is seriously about as easy to make as it gets.
Before you get started, be sure that the chicken is fully cooled and cut or shredded into bite sized pieces.
Tip: I think this chicken salad is at its best when it is made with rotisserie chicken! Use the breast meat from rotisserie 1-2 chickens OR buy the pulled rotisserie chicken from the prepared meals section at Costco!
Next, combine the mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Then, in a separate large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, dried cranberries, and pecans.
Lastly, pour the mayonnaise mixture over the chicken mixture and then gently combine everything.
Once the chicken salad is mixed well it is ready to eat, or you can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days!
Variations
There are probably a billion different variations on chicken salad. If this one isn't for you, then a quick google search will lead you to many alternatives. Here are a few simple ways to change up this recipe:
- Swap the fruit - Swap the dried cranberries for sliced grapes, diced apples, or raisins
- Use turkey - This is a great way to use up holiday leftovers!
- Swap the mayo for yogurt - If desired you can swap some or all of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt, OR use Greek Gods honey vanilla yogurt in place of the mayo and honey.
Here are some other delicious and unique chicken salad recipes:
How to Store Leftovers
This chicken salad can keep easily for up to 5 days as long as it is stored covered, in the fridge. I DO not suggest freezing this (or any) chicken salad.
FAQs
I've never had any trouble with this chicken salad getting watery which I attribute to the fact that it only uses dried fruit. If you find that your chicken salad is getting watery a quick stir will usually fix the problem.
This is simply a matter of personal preference. I prefer diced chicken, but as long as you make sure that the chicken pieces are bite-sized, then either way will work fine.
Top tip
This chicken salad is at its best when it is made with rotisserie chicken! Use the breast meat from rotisserie 1-2 chickens OR buy the pulled rotisserie chicken from the prepared meals section at Costco!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Poppy Seeds
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 stalks Celery diced
- ½ cup Dried Cranberries
- ½ cup Pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then set aside.½ cup Mayonnaise, 2 tablespoon Honey, 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 tablespoon Poppy Seeds, Salt and Pepper
- In a separate large bowl, add the chicken, celery, cranberries, and pecans. Gently combine the ingredients.1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 2 stalks Celery, ½ cup Dried Cranberries, ½ cup Pecans
- Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the chicken and stir until everything is well combined. Serve immediately or store it covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
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