Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
This cold chicken salad combines tender chicken with sweet-tart dried cranberries, crisp celery, finely diced red onion, and pecans. A thick mayonnaise-and-Greek-yogurt dressing holds the pieces together without turning them into a smooth spread, so a heaping scoop stays on a sturdy cracker.
Cooked, cooled rotisserie or leftover chicken keeps preparation quick. Serve the salad right after mixing, or chill it briefly before adding it to crackers, sandwiches, wraps, or greens.
Ingredients for Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Makes 4 lunch servings or about 8 cracker-snack servings. Prep time: 15 minutes, plus optional pecan toasting and 30 to 60 minutes of chilling.
- 3 cups cooked, cooled chicken, shredded or chopped into small pieces (about 425g)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise (about 75g)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (about 60g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about 3/4 cup or 75g)
- 1/4 cup very finely diced red onion (about 35g)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (about 60g)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 55g)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
For a milder onion flavor, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and pat it dry so it does not thin the dressing. For an all-mayonnaise dressing, replace the yogurt with another 1/4 cup mayonnaise.
How to Make Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
- Toast the pecans, if desired: Stir them in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Start checking after 2 minutes; transfer them to a plate when fragrant and lightly darkened. Let them cool completely. Untoasted pecans can be used without this step.
- Prepare the chicken and vegetables: Shred or chop the cooled chicken into small, irregular pieces. Finely dice the celery and red onion so they distribute evenly through the salad.
- Whisk the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until thick and smooth.
- Fold together: Put the chicken, celery, onion, cranberries, and pecans in a large bowl, reserving a spoonful of pecans for topping if desired. Add most of the dressing and fold gently. Add the rest only as needed to coat the ingredients. The salad should mound on a cracker without dressing pooling in the bowl. If it seems dry, add mayonnaise a spoonful at a time.
- Serve or chill: Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. Sprinkle with any reserved pecans just before serving.
How to Keep the Salad Scoopable
Use cooled chicken and fold gently to keep the strands and small pieces distinct. Shredded chicken makes a cohesive cracker scoop; small-chopped chicken gives sandwiches a chunkier bite. Add the dressing gradually, since rotisserie and leftover chicken can differ in moisture.
Serving and Storing Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Serve cold with sturdy seeded, whole-grain, or butter crackers, or use the salad in sandwiches, wraps, or over leafy greens. If cooking chicken from scratch, this Greek chicken marinade for juicy grilled chicken is one option; cool the cooked chicken completely before adding it to the salad.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, and return it to the refrigerator promptly after serving. The salad can be made several hours ahead or the day before, but pecans soften as they sit in the dressing. Add any reserved pecans just before serving for more crunch. Serve cold rather than reheating; freezing is not recommended because the dressing and crisp ingredients are likely to lose their texture.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per lunch serving, based on 4 servings and excluding crackers: 470 calories, 34g protein, 30g fat, and 18g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 235 calories, 17g protein, 15g fat, and 9g carbohydrates. Values vary with the chicken, mayonnaise, and yogurt used.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Dry skillet
Ingredients
For the Chicken Salad
- 3 cups cooked, cooled chicken, shredded or chopped into small pieces (about 425 g)
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about 3/4 cup or 75 g)
- 1/4 cup very finely diced red onion (about 35 g)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (about 60 g)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 55 g), optional toasted
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise (about 75 g)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (about 60 g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Toast the pecans, if desired, in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a plate and cool completely.
- Shred or chop the cooled chicken into small pieces. Finely dice the celery and red onion.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until thick and smooth.
- Combine the chicken, celery, red onion, dried cranberries, and pecans in a large bowl. Reserve a spoonful of pecans for topping, if desired.
- Add most of the dressing and fold gently to coat the ingredients. Add the remaining dressing only as needed; the salad should hold together without pooling dressing.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
- Top with reserved pecans just before serving, if using.
Tips
- Use cooled chicken so the dressing stays thick and the salad remains scoopable.
- Add the dressing gradually because different cooked chicken can vary in moisture.
- Soak diced red onion in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes for a milder flavor, then drain and pat dry.
- Use shredded chicken for a cohesive cracker scoop or chopped chicken for a chunkier sandwich filling.
- Add reserved pecans just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Variations
- All-Mayonnaise Dressing: Replace the Greek yogurt with an additional 1/4 cup mayonnaise.
