Seasonal flavors are the star of this Apple Pecan Chicken Salad. Chewy cranberries, toasted nuts, and crisp apples give this salad lots of texture. Keep these baked thin-sliced chicken breasts on hand to pull this salad together quickly.
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This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated.
Chicken salad is one of my favorite weekday lunches. It's filled with so many flavors and textures, and I love its versatility. Some varieties can be served hot, like this Hot Chicken Salad casserole, or cold, like these classic Chicken Salad Croissant sandwiches.
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Why This Recipe Works
- This salad is filled with delicious fall flavors. A hint of maple syrup in the dressing enhances the seasonal vibe. No matter the season, this chicken salad is delicious all year long.
- Perfect for using up leftover chicken or meal-prepping for the week. Chicken salad is the ideal use for leftover chicken or turkey. It's also a great dish to make ahead and use for fuss-free lunches during the week.
- This salad is very versatile. Many of the ingredients can be substituted, so it's easy for you to customize this salad to fit your tastes or use what you have on hand.
- Be sure to check out all of my fun serving ideas below!
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked chicken - Use leftover chicken breast or rotisserie chicken for ease and convenience. Leftover turkey can also be used.
- Choose an apple with a crisp texture, such as Gala, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, or Golden Delicious. My favorite is Honey Crisp. I love the sweetness, texture, and fall vibe that apples provide.
- Toasted pecans add great flavor and texture. Feel free to swap in walnuts, almonds, or pistachios.
- Dried cranberries are great for adding a chewy texture along with seasonal flavor. You can substitute dried cherries or raisins if preferred.
- Maple syrup adds a sweet, slightly smoky, seasonal flavor to the dressing. You can substitute honey or agave if you wish.
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
How to Make Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
Step 1: Combine mayo, mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the chicken, apples, celery, nuts, and cranberries to the bowl.
Step 3: Toss to coat the ingredients with the dressing.
Step 4: Serve the salad as a sandwich or get inspired with the serving ideas listed below.
Expert Tips
- Toast the nuts to bring out their natural oils, which enhances their flavor. This only takes a few minutes, so I recommend not skipping this step.
- Dice the ingredients into small, uniform pieces, about ¼ - ½-inch.
- For larger batches, you can roast 1-2 pounds of thin-sliced chicken breasts. This can be done several days in advance. Store the chicken in the fridge for up to 3-4 days until ready to use.
Serving Ideas for Chicken Salad
- Traditional - Serve on bread, rolls, croissants, tortilla wraps, or bagels.
- Bread bowl - Hollow out the center of a large roll and fill it with the chicken salad for a fun, unique presentation.
- Low-carb - Add a large scoop of chicken salad to a bed of lettuce.
- Bridal or baby showers - Serve on mini croissants for petite bites.
- Mother's Day - Include this salad as part of a special occasion brunch. Serve with a variety of bread or rolls for make-your-own sandwiches.
- Snack - Serve with crackers or crostini.
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad FAQs
The apple cider vinegar in the dressing adds enough acid to prevent the apples from browning. Cut the apples right before tossing them with the dressing.
If you love fuss-free lunches or light dinners, chicken salad is ideal. Serve it with berry salad, pasta salad, broccoli cauliflower salad, house salad, or potato chips. Serve on a bed of lettuce with cheese and onion scones.
Enjoy chicken salad on your favorite bread, croissants, or crackers.
A chicken salad that contains ingredients with high water content, such as apples, celery, or grapes, does not freeze well. The texture and consistency will be compromised when defrosted.
Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Have you tried this recipe? I'd love to hear it! Please leave a comment and rating below. You can also follow along on Facebook and Pinterest or sign up for my Newsletter for more recipe inspiration.
📖 Recipe Card
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
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Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Chicken salad
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken breasts
- 1 medium honey crisp apple (or similar variety, diced)
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup pecans (toasted and chopped, see notes)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Add the chicken, apple, celery, pecans, and cranberries. Gently fold until the dressing evenly coats all of the ingredients.2 cups diced cooked chicken breasts, 1 medium honey crisp apple, ¾ cup chopped celery, ¼ cup pecans, ¼ cup dried cranberries
- To serve in a bread bowl, scoop out the center of a large roll. Fill with chicken salad and serve. Alternatively, serve in sandwich form on bread, croissants, or rolls.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Notes
- To toast the nuts, add the pecans to a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until the nuts are fragrant.
- Dice the ingredients into uniform pieces, about ¼ - ½-inch. This will help the salad hold together better, especially on smaller sandwiches.
- Dice the apple right before adding it to the salad. The vinegar in the dressing keeps the apple from turning brown.
- For larger batches, you can roast 1-2 pounds of thin-sliced chicken breasts several days in advance. Store the chicken in the fridge for 3-4 days until ready to use.
- Avoid freezing chicken salad containing ingredients such as celery, apples, or grapes. These items are high in water content and freezing and thawing will compromise the texture and consistency.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
b says
Loved this easy salad. The dressing really makes it.
May try with grapes sometime.
Abbey says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it!