Description
This Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is a refreshing and flavorful dish perfect for a light lunch or picnic. It combines tender cooked chicken with sweet dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, crisp celery, and fresh green onions all tossed in a tangy honey-lemon mayonnaise dressing. Easy to prepare and packed with texture, this salad is delicious served on its own or in sandwiches.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Salad
- 2 ½ cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (about 2 chicken breasts or 14 ounces cooked chicken)
- ½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
- â…“ cup pecans, chopped
- â…“ cup celery, diced (1 stalk)
- ¼ cup green onion, chopped (2 pieces)
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- â…› teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Chop the cooked chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the dried cranberries and pecans. Dice the celery stalk and chop the green onions finely.
- Combine Chicken Mixture: In a large bowl, add the chopped chicken, pecans, cranberries, celery, and green onions. Mix them well to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Make Dressing: In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper until the dressing is smooth and well blended.
- Combine Salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the chicken mixture. Use a spoon to thoroughly mix until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve: Scoop the chicken salad into serving dishes or use it as a filling for croissants, rolls, or sandwiches. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate to chill before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute pecans with walnuts or almonds if preferred.
- For a lighter version, use low-fat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt instead.
- The salad keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, especially salt and pepper.
- Serve on toasted bread or lettuce wraps for a gluten-free option.
