Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

This Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is creamy, slightly sweet, and full of crunch. It’s perfect for sandwiches, wraps, croissants, lettuce cups, or served over a bed of greens.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes (optional)
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie chicken works great)
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (or additional mayonnaise)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Optional Add-Ins

½ cup halved red grapes
1 crisp apple, diced (such as Honeycrisp or Gala)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon poppy seeds

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Add the chicken, dried cranberries, pecans, celery, and green onions.
Gently stir until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.
Serve chilled.

Serving Ideas

On buttery croissants
In whole-grain bread or toasted sourdough
Wrapped in tortillas or pita bread
Spooned into lettuce cups for a low-carb option
Over mixed greens
Stuffed into avocado halves

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
Freezing: Not recommended, as the mayonnaise-based dressing may separate after thawing.

Tips

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes to enhance their flavor.
Rotisserie chicken makes this recipe especially quick and flavorful.
For a lighter version, replace all of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
If adding apples, toss them with a little lemon juice first to help prevent browning.

Approximate Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340
Protein: 28 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Fat: 21 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 8 g