Harvest Chicken Salad With Cranberries

Nothing says fall quite like crisp apples, tart cranberries, and roasted pecans (YUM). Whether you’re hosting friends or just wanna jazz up your high protein lunches for the week, this harvest chicken salad is fresh, flavorful, and a total crowd-pleaser.

This is one of those recipes that tastes just as good (honestly better) on day three as it does fresh. It’s quick to make, packed with protein, and an absolute favorite of ours for a reason. Here’s everything you’ll need and how to make it!

What You’ll Need

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl: This huge wooden one is my favorite.
• Cutting board
• Cutting knives

Ingredients

• Chicken: Any pre-cooked chicken, or rotisserie chicken.
• Honeycrisp apple: Or apple of choice.
• Dried cranberries: I use the 50% less sugar ones.
• Roasted pecans
• Celery
• Red onion
• Fresh thyme: Can sub 1 tsp dried or 1/4 tsp ground if needed.
• Light mayo
• Non-fat plain greek yogurt
• Apple cider vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Maple syrup
• Salt & pepper

How To Make It

1. Prep: Chop or shred the cooked chicken. Finely chop the apple, celery, red onion, and roughly chop the roasted pecans. For the thyme, hold the stem at the top and gently run your fingers down to pull off the leaves.
2. Make the dressing: Whisk together the mayo, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or glass measuring cup.
3. Mix: In a large mixing bowl, add everything together and stir until combined. Season with any more salt and pepper to taste.

Tips

• Texture: I love very finely chopped celery and apple to get a little in every bite.
• Chill: This salad is best cold, after it’s sat in the fridge for a couple of hours.

FAQs

• Can I make my own roasted pecans?: Yes! Add raw pecans to a parchment lined baking sheet, toss with a small drizzle of olive oil, big pinch of sea salt and bake at 350 F for 9-12 min (until toasted and smelling delicious). You could also roast on the stovetop for 3-5 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.
• How can I make this dairy free?: Just swap the greek yogurt for coconut yogurt or dairy free alternative (I’ve heard good things about the Kite Hill brand).
• Can I make this salad ahead of time?: Yes, and it’s even better if you do! This salad is also great for meal prep.
• What do I serve it with?: This salad is delicious on croissants, sandwiches, wraps, or even as a snack with some crackers or lettuce cups.

To Store

Store extra harvest chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.

Similar Recipes

• Apple pecan chicken salad
• Herby green goddess chicken salad
• Dill pickle chicken salad
• Quick and healthy tuna salad
• Egg salad with bacon and cottage cheese

As always, be sure to leave a comment and review if you make this harvest chicken salad! And don’t forget to tag me on IG – always love to hear from you all and see what you’re making. ♡ Enjoy!

Harvest Chicken Salad With Cranberries

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Whether you're hosting friends or just wanna jazz up your high protein lunches for the week, this harvest chicken salad is fresh, flavorful, and a total crowd-pleaser.

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Prep Time:30 minutes mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Calories: 254kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb cooked chicken breast (16 oz) chopped or shredded
• 1 medium honey crisp apple (182 g) finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (80 g) I use the 50% less sugar ones
• 1/3 cup roasted pecans (40 g) roughly chopped
• 1 cup celery (100 g) finely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion (100 g) finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme

Sauce

• 1/4 cup light mayo (60 g)
• 1/4 cup non fat plain greek yogurt (57 g)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard (15 g)
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup (7 g)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

• Add all ingredients from chicken to thyme to a large mixing bowl.
• Stir all sauce ingredients together until smooth. Pour in with the rest and mix until combined. Season with any more salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

• Depending on what chicken you use and how sauce-y you like your salad, you may want to use 1/3 cup mayo and yogurt.
• If time allows, let salad chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving.
• To make your own roasted pecans, add raw pecans to a parchment lined baking sheet, toss with a small drizzle of olive oil, pinch of sea salt and bake at 350 F for 9-12 min until toasted and fragrant. You can also roast on the stovetop for about 3-5 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 183g | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.4g | Protein: 24.8g | Fat: 9.8g | Fiber: 5.3g

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