This quick and easy Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is filled with tender chicken, sweet-tart dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, fresh celery and onions, and creamy mayonnaise. Perfect for sandwiches or on its own, it's a great way to use leftover chicken!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's an easy way to turn leftover chicken into a quick, new and delicious meal. It'll be ready in 15 minutes or less.
- All of the flavor and texture bases are covered: creamy, crunchy, sweet, tart, and savory.
- It takes basic chicken salad to the next level. It's even fancy enough for entertaining or for a special occasion like a baby or wedding shower.
- You can enjoy it for lunch, supper or as a snack.
- It's perfect for meal prep (it'll last in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days).
Chicken salad is one of my all-time favorite lunches or light suppers. Although I love a good classic chicken salad and never really get tired of it, I do like to change things up from time to time.
And this chicken salad with pecans and cranberries is one of my favorite ways to do that. By adding just 2 simple ingredients, you've got a whole new chicken salad to enjoy and keep things interesting!
Ingredients & Notes
Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cooked chicken breast - shredded or chopped
- Dried cranberries - I use the sweetened kind; you can use unsweetened if you prefer
- Pecans - chopped
- Celery - diced
- Onion - finely diced; you can use yellow, white or red onions
- Mayonnaise - helps hold everything together and adds richness
- Lemon juice - adds a bright, fresh flavor; freshly-squeezed is best, but bottled juice is also fine
- Salt and pepper
Substitutions & Variations
- Cooked chicken thighs can be used if you prefer dark meat.
- The cranberries can be replaced with raisins, currants or dried cherries.
- For a cranberry walnut chicken salad, use chopped walnuts instead of pecans. Almonds are another nut option.
- You can substitute Greek yogurt or sour cream for the mayonnaise for a mayo-free chicken salad (or you can do a combination).
- Try adding in some chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon or dill.
- For a delicious basic chicken salad, omit the cranberries and pecans and reduce the mayonnaise to ½ cup.
- Leftover turkey can be used instead of chicken, making it a great way to use some of those holiday dinner leftovers.
How to Make Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Note: This is just a brief overview of the steps. The full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Mix until well combined and everything is evenly coated with mayonnaise.
Recipe Tips
- When using leftover chicken, I recommend using chicken that has been simply seasoned so that there are no strong, competing flavors in your chicken salad.
- If you don't have leftover cooked chicken, use your favorite method of pre-cooking chicken (mine is cooking chicken breasts in the Instant Pot). One pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts will give you the 2 cups of chicken needed for the recipe.
- No leftovers and don't feel like cooking chicken? Pick up a fully-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Easy-peasy!
- Shred or chop the chicken, whichever you prefer. I like shredding it because the salad seems to stay together a little better.
- If you want to tame the flavor of the diced onions, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes and then drain before adding them to the salad.
- The amount of salt needed will depend on how well your chicken has been seasoned; adjust accordingly.
- You can enjoy this salad immediately after making it, or you can let it sit in the fridge for an hour or more before serving. I think doing this actually improves the flavor!
Storage
Store your chicken salad covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Give it a quick stir before serving. If needed, add a little more mayonnaise to freshen up that creaminess.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve this chicken salad is by making a sandwich. I especially love it on a buttery croissant, but my homemade half whole wheat bread, regular or toasted, is a close second. Use whatever bread you like!
You can also turn it into a wrap by rolling it up inside a large flour tortilla. For a lower-carb option, make a lettuce wrap instead.
Of course, it's absolutely delicious all on its own. For a nice presentation, serve up a nice big scoop on a bed of lettuce or other fresh greens.
It's also delicious on crackers, especially if you're just looking for a quick and easy snack.
I hope you try this Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
More Sandwich Salad Recipes to Try
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know howw it went. Please leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast, or chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup finely diced onions
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly-squeezed is best, but bottled juice can be used instead
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (I use kosher salt)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix until well combined and everything is evenly coated with mayonnaise. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.I think the flavor improves if you let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour or two before serving.
Notes
- This chicken salad can be used to make sandwiches or wraps, it can be eaten on its own, or you can put it on crackers.
- To make this recipe super quick and easy, use leftover cooked chicken or pick up a fully-cooked rotisserie chicken from the store. Otherwise, pre-cook some chicken using your favorite method. 1 pound of uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts will give you the 2 cups of cooked chicken you need.
- Preparation time shown does not include cooking the chicken because you may already have some on hand and not need to do that. Or, if you do need to cook some, the time can vary depending on the method used.
- The amount of salt needed will depend on how well your chicken has been seasoned, so adjust accordingly.
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