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Cranberry chicken salad with pecans, celery, and red onion, in a creamy dressing served in a wooden bowl.
Recipe

Cranberry Chicken Salad

Servings: 4
Author: Jaclyn
Prep: 10 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
This easy and delicious chicken salad recipe combines chicken or turkey with cranberries, pecans, and celery for the perfect mix of flavors. Enjoy over lettuce, in a sandwich, or with crackers!

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or chopped, or turkey
  • ½ cup dried cranberries such as craisins
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons sour cream or greek yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • chopped fresh parsley optional garnish

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir to combine the shredded chicken or turkey, dried cranberries, chopped celery, red onion, and nuts.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk well to combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss until well-coated.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until serving.
  • Before serving, garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve the chicken cranberry salad on a bed of lettuce, in a sandwich, or with crackers.

Notes

  • You can use leftover cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or even leftover thanksgiving turkey. Make sure the chicken/turkey is shredded or chopped into bite-sized pieces.
  • The combination of mayonnaise and sour cream (or Greek yogurt) gives the dressing a nice balance of creaminess. You can use 100% mayo though, if desired.
  • Allowing the salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes is essential. This gives the flavors time to meld together and enhances the overall taste of the salad.
  • Customize the salad with additional ingredients like sliced grapes, diced apples, or chunks of avocado.
  • Store any leftover chicken cranberry salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for 2-3 days. If you are preparing it in advance, consider adding the nuts just before serving to maintain their crunch.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
Cranberry chicken salad with pecans, celery, and red onion, in a creamy dressing served in a wooden bowl.

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