Southern Turkey Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

Southern Turkey Salad

Southern turkey salad should be chunky and scoopable, not a smooth spread. This Southern-inspired version starts with cooked, cooled turkey and crisp celery, coated in a thick mayonnaise dressing brightened with Greek yogurt and lemon. Dried cranberries add a chewy contrast; toasted pecans, chives, and black pepper finish the bowl.

Cut the turkey into bite-size pieces and fold gently so it holds its shape. Chill the dressed salad briefly, then add the pecans just before serving to keep them crunchy. The recipe makes about 4 lunch servings.

Ingredients for Southern Turkey Salad

• 3 cups cooked turkey, fully cooled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 420g)
• 3/4 cup finely diced celery (about 75g)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (about 75g)
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (about 60g)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped if large (about 45g)
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans (about 55g)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives, divided

Cooked breast meat, dark meat, or a mixture works. Dry the celery well after washing so it does not thin the dressing. For a richer dressing, replace the Greek yogurt with an equal amount of mayonnaise and add lemon juice to taste.

How to Make Southern Turkey Salad

1. Prepare the ingredients: Cut the cooled turkey into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Dice the celery, chop any large cranberries, and reserve about 1 tablespoon of the chives for finishing.
2. Toast the pecans if needed: Spread the chopped pecans in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir often and start checking after 3 minutes. After 3 to 5 minutes, when they smell nutty and have deepened slightly in color, transfer them to a plate to cool completely.
3. Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, celery salt, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Fold the salad together: Add the turkey, celery, cranberries, and chives that were not reserved. Fold gently just until coated, keeping the turkey pieces intact. The dressing should cling without pooling at the bottom of the bowl. If the salad looks dry, fold in 1 to 2 teaspoons more mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.
5. Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Keep the pecans separate.
6. Finish and serve: Fold most of the cooled pecans into the chilled salad. Spoon it loosely into a serving bowl, then scatter the remaining pecans, reserved chives, and another grind of black pepper over the top.

How to Keep Turkey Salad Chunky, Not Watery

Fully cooled turkey helps the dressing stay thick. Keep the pieces close to 1/2 inch rather than finely shredding them, and stop folding as soon as everything is coated. If liquid collects after chilling, give the salad one gentle fold instead of stirring hard enough to break up the turkey.

Pecans soften in the moist dressing, so add them only when you are ready to serve. Keep any extra toasted pecans separate for leftovers.

Serving Southern Turkey Salad

Serve it from the bowl with crackers, pile it onto croissants or soft sandwich bread with leaf lettuce, or spoon it into lettuce cups. For a lunch pairing, serve it alongside this one-pot lemon chicken soup.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Refrigerate promptly in an airtight container and use within 2 days. You can make the dressed salad several hours ahead; keep the pecans and final chive garnish separate until serving. Serve it cold rather than reheating it. Freezing is not recommended because the creamy dressing can separate and the celery and nuts can lose their texture.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 4 lunch servings: 440 calories, 33g protein, 28g fat, and 14g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 220 calories, 17g protein, 14g fat, and 7g carbohydrates. Values vary with the turkey and brands used.