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Close up shot of a fork holding a full serving of cranberry pecan chicken salad.
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Cranberry Chicken Salad

Tender shredded chicken mixed with sweet dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, and crisp celery in a creamy lemon mustard dressing. This gluten-free cranberry chicken salad is ready in 15 minutes and tastes even better after chilling for 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Chilling time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Metric - US Customary

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (420 g) cooked chicken - shredded (approximately 2 chicken breasts, cooked)
  • ½ cup (60 g) pecans - roughly chopped
  • ½ cup (60 g) dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup (25 g) celery - diced
  • ¼ cup (15 g) green onion - sliced (13g)
  • ½ cup (130 g) mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons (10 g) dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

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Instructions

  • Add shredded 3 cups (420 g) cooked chicken, ½ cup (60 g) pecans, ½ cup (60 g) dried cranberries, ¼ cup (25 g) celery, and ¼ cup (15 g) green onion to a large mixing bowl.
    Cooked chicken celery, dried cranberries, celery, green onion and pecans in a mixing bowl before they are mixed together.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup (130 g) mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon (15 g) lemon juice, 2 teaspoons (10 g) dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper until smooth.
    Mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper being whisked together in a large mixing bowl.
  • Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture.
    Mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt and pepper mixture being poured over cooked chicken, green onions, celery, dried cranberries and pecans in a large mixing bowl.
  • Mix together with a rubber spatula or large spoon until well combined. Add additional mayonnaise if needed to get the correct consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
    Cranberry pecan chicken salad being mixed in a large mixing bowl on a brick countertop
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together before serving.
    Serving bowl of cranberry pecan chicken sala.d

Notes

  • Use leftover chicken: You can use leftover chicken breast or rotisserie chicken to make this recipe easy for weeknight dinners. 
  • How to poach chicken: To poach chicken breasts, place 2 chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs) in a large saucepan with 4 cups cold water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. The water should cover the chicken by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then flip the chicken, cover with a lid, and remove from heat. Let sit for 20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F.
  • Gluten-free: If you have celiac disease, like me, or are on a gluten-free diet for any reason, be sure to use ingredients that are gluten-free. If you are using rotisserie chicken in this recipe, make sure it’s gluten-free.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 388mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 108IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
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