Description
Cranberry pecan chicken salad with poppy seed dressing delivers a delightful dance of sweet and savory flavors. Fresh ingredients and zesty dressing create a perfect harmony that delights palates and satisfies hunger for a refreshing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 cups (473 ml) cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie chicken works great)
Fruits and Nuts:
- ⅓ cup (53 g) dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup (40 g) chopped pecans, toasted
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- ½ cup (75 g) celery, finely chopped
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (or 2 tablespoons (16 g) red onion)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Poppy Seed Dressing:
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) poppy seeds
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Craft a luscious poppy seed dressing by whisking tangy Greek yogurt, creamy mayonnaise, golden honey, zesty vinegar, and delicate poppy seeds until smooth, seasoning with salt and pepper to elevate the flavor profile.
- Shred or dice cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, ensuring uniform texture for optimal mixing.
- Toast pecans in a dry skillet until fragrant and golden brown, releasing their rich, nutty essence.
- Finely chop crisp celery and fresh green onions to provide a refreshing crunch and aromatic undertone to the salad.
- Gently fold dried cranberries into the chicken mixture, creating bursts of sweet-tart complexity.
- Drizzle the prepared poppy seed dressing over the chicken and mix thoroughly, ensuring each ingredient is luxuriously coated.
- Refrigerate the salad for a minimum of 30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and intensify, creating a harmonious culinary experience.
- Serve chilled atop crisp lettuce leaves, nestled in soft sandwich bread, or as a vibrant standalone dish, garnishing with additional toasted pecans if desired.
Notes
- Toast pecans carefully to enhance their nutty flavor without burning, watching them closely in a dry skillet or oven.
- Use rotisserie chicken for a quick time-saving option that adds extra tenderness and flavor to the salad.
- Swap Greek yogurt with dairy-free alternatives like coconut yogurt to make the recipe suitable for lactose-intolerant or vegan diets.
- Prepare the salad a day ahead to allow flavors to develop more intensely, making it perfect for meal prep or gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg