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Pecan Cranberry Chicken Salad

Cranberry pecan chicken salad on lettuce.
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This bright and tangy cranberry chicken salad with pecans is easy and full of crunch. Use baked, grilled, poached, or rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Toasted pecans

  • 3/4 cup pecan pieces

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Other salad ingredients

  • 1 pound cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded*
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
  • 3 stalks celery, diced

Instructions

  1. First, toast the pecans: Toast the pecan pieces in a dry, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir until they’re fragrant. This will only take about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Then, pour pecan pieces on a plate and wait for them to cool to room temperature.  
  2. Meanwhile, make the dressing: Add all the dressing ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until a creamy dressing forms.
  3. Make the cranberry chicken salad: Add the cooked chicken, cranberries, diced celery, and toasted pecans to the bowl of dressing. Stir to combine and coat all the ingredients.

Notes

What kind of chicken to use: The chicken to use in this cranberry chicken salad is very versatile. You can use shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken breast for a quick and easy salad. If you want to make it using freshly cooked chicken breast, you can poach, bake, slow cook, or grill chicken. You can also use canned chicken.

How to store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-5 days. 

Variations: 

  • Use other nuts: This salad is good with chopped walnuts or sliced almonds. Toast them the same way you would pecans.
  • Make it dairy-free: I love the tanginess that using half-sour cream adds to this salad. If you’re avoiding dairy, you can use more mayo instead of the sour cream.
  • Make turkey cranberry salad: Looking for a way to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey? The cranberries and pecans in this salad also go well with leftover turkey! Make this cranberry pecan salad with turkey instead of chicken!

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mandiofthemountains.com/pecan-and-cranberry-chicken-salad/