This Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad combines tender chicken, sweet cranberries, and toasted pecans in a creamy dressing. Ready in just 15 minutes, it's perfect for lunch, light dinners, or elegant parties!
If you love this recipe, check out my broccoli crunch salad with cranberries next!
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This is my favorite chicken salad recipe. Made with simple ingredients, it makes an easy lunch or dinner and is the perfect way to use leftover chicken or Thanksgiving turkey.
And the toasted pecans? They add a nice crunch. One bite of this salad and you will be adding this to your favorite new recipes list.
Why I love this cranberry pecan chicken salad recipe
- Perfect for parties: Easy to double for crowds and stays fresh for hours (served in a bowl over ice).
- Make ahead friendly: Perfect for meal prep - flavors get even better overnight!
- No cooking required: Mix and serve (assuming you're using leftover cooked chicken).
- Endlessly versatile: Serve on croissants, crackers, sandwiches, wraps, or over fresh greens.
Recipe ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the picture below, and special notes are made in the bulleted list below to assist you.
- Chicken. I used leftover smoked boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can use any chicken, such as rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken breast, air fryer chicken breast, or Instant Pot chicken breast. You can also use leftover turkey or any dark meat.
- Cranberries. Use soft, plump, dried cranberries. If they're quite dry, soak in hot water for 5 minutes.
- Pecans. Toasting makes a huge difference in flavor. Don't skip this step!
- Greek Yogurt. It makes the dressing creamy but lighter than using all mayo. Use full-fat for best results.
- Apple cider vinegar. You can also use lemon juice.
- Honey. It adds just the right amount of sweetness.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make cranberry chicken pecan salad
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and setting the rack to the middle position. Spread 1 cup of pecans on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Toast for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring once halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool completely, then roughly chop. Note: Keep a close eye on the pecans as they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt quickly.
- While the pecans toast, prep your ingredients. Finely dice ½ cup red onion (about 1 small onion), slice 3 celery stalks into ¼-inch pieces (about 1 cup), and finely chop 2 tablespoons fresh parsley. Add 3 cups diced chicken, the toasted and chopped pecans, 1 cup dried cranberries, the diced celery, diced red onion, and chopped parsley to a large mixing bowl. Note: If your cranberries are very dry, you can soak them in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine ¾ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon dried thyme. Whisk until completely smooth and well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and chicken. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir everything together until evenly coated with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving. Note: The salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Top Tips
Toast those nuts. Toasting pecans adds incredible flavor. Don't skip this step - it makes a huge difference!
Prep ahead. Mix the dressing separately and prep ingredients up to 2 days ahead. Combine just before serving for the best texture.
Variations
- Make it lighter: Use all Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
- Switch up the nuts: Try toasted walnuts, sliced almonds, or candied pecans.
- Add fresh fruit: Mix in diced apples or halved grapes.
- Change the protein: Use leftover turkey, rotisserie chicken, or canned chicken in a pinch.
- Make it Mediterranean: Add diced cucumber, feta cheese, and swap thyme for dill.
- Dairy-free: Skip the Greek yogurt and use dairy-free mayo instead.
- Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just serve on lettuce wraps or gluten-free bread.
Serving suggestions
Serve this creamy chicken salad on 3-Ingredient Flatbread, a crisp lettuce wrap, or alongside Greek Cucumber Salad for a light lunch!
Storage instructions
Store chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The nuts may soften slightly over time, but the flavor stays delicious!
Recipe FAQs
There are 517 calories in this recipe.
To fix dry chicken for your salad, warm it with a splash of broth and let cool before mixing. You can also add extra mayo or Greek yogurt to your dressing, or let the finished salad rest in the fridge where it will naturally rehydrate.
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Printable Recipe
Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 cup pecans toasted and roughly chopped
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast diced
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
- 3 large celery stalks finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 cup dried cranberries
For the Dressing:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt plain
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and set rack to middle position. Spread 1 cup pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring once. Let cool completely, then roughly chop.
- While the pecans toast in the oven, prep the ingredients. Dice 3 cups of chicken into ½-inch pieces. Finely dice ½ cup red onion and 3 celery stalks. Chop 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley. Place in a large bowl with 1 cup of dried cranberries.
- In a large bowl, whisk together ¾ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon each Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon dried thyme until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken and prepared ingredients, then gently stir everything together until evenly coated in the dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- When ready to serve, garnish with additional fresh parsley. Serve on croissants, crackers, sandwiches, wraps, or over fresh greens. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut.
- Toast pecans ahead and store them in an airtight container.
- For the best flavor, let it chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Keeps fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make it lighter by using all Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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