- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (if cooking chicken)
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Cook the chicken if needed. Allow it to cool completely before shredding or cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2
Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Let them cool.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until smooth.
Step 4
Add the cooked chicken, dried cranberries, celery, green onions, toasted pecans, and parsley to the bowl.
Step 5
Gently fold all ingredients together until evenly coated with the dressing.
Step 6
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Step 7
Serve chilled on croissants, sandwich bread, wraps, crackers, or fresh lettuce leaves.
Tips for Success
- Use rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut.
- Toasting the pecans enhances their flavor and crunch.
- Chill the salad before serving for the best taste.
- Add diced apples or halved grapes for extra sweetness.
- For a lighter version, replace more of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken salad pairs wonderfully with fresh fruit, vegetable soup, pasta salad, green salad, kettle chips, or buttery crackers. It also makes an excellent filling for meal-prep lunches or elegant tea sandwiches.
Estimated Nutrition (Per Serving)
- Calories: 395
- Protein: 29 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 82 mg
- Sodium: 430 mg
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Calcium: 45 mg
- Iron: 1.5 mg
- Potassium: 420 mg