Description
This is a super easy recipe for cranberry chicken salad. It's creamy and crunchy and loaded with bits of celery, toasted pecans, and sweet tart dried cranberries. Lemon juice and zest add a pop of brightness to the dish.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of cooked and cubed chicken
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup toasted and chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the chicken, celery, pecans, dried cranberries, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley.
- Stir to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
- Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days.
Notes
frequently asked questions
what is the best way to cook tender chicken?
Poaching chicken in gently simmering water makes the most tender chicken. Place boneless and skinless chicken breasts to a pot. Add water to cover the chicken by about an inch. Place over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Turn the heat down so the water is just simmering. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breast. Use a digital thermometer to check when the chicken is perfectly cooked to 165 degrees F.
can you make cranberry chicken salad in advance?
Definitely! And it tastes even better after chilling in the refrigerator for a couple hours. The flavors deepen and blend together.
how do you make bland chicken salad taste better?
This chicken salad is anything but bland and boring. The dried cranberries, toasted pecans and lemon zest and juice punch up the flavor of the salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: entrée
- Method: no cooking required
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 436
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 672 mg
- Fat: 30.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.1 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 29.8 g
- Cholesterol: 84 mg