Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Pecans Recipe
A delightful chicken salad featuring tender cooked chicken breast tossed with crunchy pecans, sweet dried cranberries, and a creamy dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, and poppy seeds. This refreshing and easy-to-make salad is perfect for gatherings, sandwiches, or light meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Salt, to taste
Salad
- 4 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped (about 2 chicken breasts)
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, poppy seeds, and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste to create a balanced, tangy dressing.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped cooked chicken breasts, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and chopped red onion, ensuring all ingredients are evenly mixed.
- Add dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the chicken mixture. Gently stir until all ingredients are evenly coated, taking care not to mash the components.
- Chill the salad: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld and the salad to chill.
- Serve: Serve the chicken salad over a bed of fresh greens, as a filling for sandwiches, or alongside crackers for a satisfying meal or snack.
Notes
- This salad can be made a day in advance for better flavor infusion.
- Use leftover or rotisserie chicken to save preparation time.
- For a lighter option, substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
- Chop pecans coarsely to maintain a nice crunch.
- Serve chilled for best taste.
