Cranberry Chicken Salad with Pecans | Easy Holiday Recipe
This easy Cranberry Chicken Salad combines tender shredded chicken, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, crisp celery, fresh parsley, and a bright lemon-mayo dressing. Perfect for sandwiches, holiday brunches, casual entertaining, or an easy make-ahead lunch.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula or large spoon
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Airtight storage container
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer, optional for shredding chicken
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook and shred the chicken: If you haven't already cooked your chicken, cook the chicken breasts using your preferred method and allow them to cool slightly. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can do this by hand with two forks, but a stand mixer or hand or stand mixer is a particularly handy shortcut when you're shredding several chicken breasts. For a stand mixer, place the cooked chicken in the mixing bowl and use the paddle attachment on low speed for a few seconds at a time. Stop as soon as the chicken reaches the texture you want. For a hand mixer, place the chicken in a large, deep bowl and mix on low speed, moving the beaters around the bowl until the chicken is shredded. Be careful not to overmix. If you're using leftover or rotisserie chicken that is already cold, you can shred it directly from the refrigerator.
- Step 2: Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth.
- Step 3: Add the chicken and vegetables: Add the shredded chicken, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, diced celery, and fresh parsley to the bowl. Gently fold everything together until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Step 4: Taste and adjust: This is the point where the recipe should be adjusted to your taste. If it tastes too rich, add another small squeeze of lemon juice. If the chicken seems dry, add a spoonful of mayonnaise. If the flavors seem muted, it probably needs another pinch of salt. Give the salad a few minutes to sit before making your final seasoning decision. The cranberries, chicken, and dressing will start to mingle as it rests.
- Step 5: Chill and serve: For the best flavor, refrigerate the chicken salad for about 30 minutes before serving, although you can eat it immediately if needed. Serve chilled on sandwich bread, buttery croissant, a lettuce wrap, in tortilla wraps, pita bread, crackers, or on a bed of salad greens.
Notes
Storage Instructions
Store Cranberry Chicken Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best quality, use it within 3 to 4 days. If you're making it ahead for lunches, keep the chicken salad refrigerated until you're ready to eat it. Don't leave mayonnaise-based chicken salad sitting at room temperature for extended periods. The pecans will gradually soften as they sit in the dressing. If maximum crunch is important, you can reserve some chopped pecans and sprinkle them over individual servings just before eating. I don't recommend freezing this chicken salad. Mayonnaise-based salads can separate and develop an unpleasant texture after freezing and thawing.Tips for Success
- Use chicken that isn't overcooked. Dry chicken requires more mayonnaise to compensate, which can make the finished salad heavy. Moist, tender chicken gives you a much better starting point.
- Use a mixer when you're shredding a large batch of chicken. A stand mixer or hand mixer can turn several cooked chicken breasts into evenly shredded chicken in a fraction of the time it takes to pull them apart by hand. Use low speed and stop as soon as the chicken is shredded.
- Don't over-shred the chicken. You want distinct pieces of chicken throughout the salad. Running a stand or hand mixer too long can make the chicken very fine and pasty.
- Don't drown the chicken in dressing. Chicken salad should be well-combined and creamy, not swimming in mayonnaise. Start with the recommended amount and add more only if needed.
- Cut the celery fairly small. Large chunks of celery can overwhelm the other ingredients. A small dice gives you the crunch without taking over every bite.
- Toast the pecans for extra flavor. This is optional, but a few minutes in a dry skillet brings out the natural oils in the pecans and gives them a deeper, nuttier flavor. Cool them completely before mixing them into the salad.
- Use fresh lemon juice. The acidity is doing more work than you might think. It keeps the mayonnaise from tasting heavy and brings the other flavors into focus.
- Taste after mixing. Chicken varies in how much seasoning it needs, and mayonnaise varies in saltiness. Always taste the finished salad before serving and adjust accordingly.
- Don't add warm chicken to the mayonnaise. Let cooked chicken cool before mixing the salad. Warm chicken can soften the celery and pecans and make the dressing feel oily.
Nutrition
Calories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 24gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 470mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7g
Nutrition Facts
Cranberry Chicken Salad with Pecans | Easy Holiday Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
386
% Daily Value*
Fat
28
g
43
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Cholesterol
77
mg
26
%
Sodium
470
mg
20
%
Carbohydrates
10
g
3
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
7
g
8
%
Protein
24
g
48
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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