This Chicken Salad is better than all the other chicken salads!
This easy chicken salad is loaded with tender chicken, crisp apples, tart craisins, nutty pecans, and simple seasoning, all tossed in a creamy dressing. It’s one of those recipes I come back to over and over again because it’s creamy, crunchy, cold, and comes together in just 10 minutes.
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1½ tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp coarse salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken breast (about 1¼ lbs, homemade seasoned and baked, or rotisserie)
- ¾ cup small diced Granny Smith apple
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, yogurt, mustard, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Make sure your chicken is completely cool. Chop it up small and add it to the bowl.
- Gently fold in the apple, cranberries, and pecans.
- Eat as is or place on dinner rolls, sliced croissants, or on top of sliced tomato and lettuce or micro greens.
5-STAR REVIEW
Even though this particular chicken salad combination has been floating around for ages, I was only introduced to it a few years ago by a friend. I still remember watching her mix together dried cranberries, apples, pecans, and chicken, thinking it sounded slightly strange but also completely delicious. One bite later, I understood the obsession. Since then, I’ve made this version more times than I can count and slowly adjusted the texture and ingredient balance until it became exactly the kind of classic chicken salad I love most: creamy, crunchy, cold, and packed with flavor in every bite.
For me, what makes this chicken salad stand out is the contrast of textures and the balance between sweet, savory, creamy, and crisp. The tart dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, juicy apples, and tender chicken all work together instead of competing with each other. I almost always use rotisserie chicken or my baked chicken breast because both stay juicy and flavorful after chilling, which makes a huge difference in cold salads like this. I also prefer chopping the chicken into smaller bite-sized pieces rather than leaving large chunks because the creamy dressing coats the chicken much more evenly that way. And don’t skip chilling the salad before serving. As it rests in the refrigerator, the dressing thickens slightly, the flavors deepen, and everything becomes extra cold and creamy, which is exactly what you want from a really good deli-style chicken salad.
Helpful Tips
- If the chicken salad seems watery. Fresh apples and chicken can release extra moisture as the salad sits in the refrigerator. If the mixture looks a little loose, let it chill longer before serving. The dressing will thicken slightly as it rests and becomes much creamier once fully chilled.
- Don’t skip the chill time. Even just 30 minutes in the refrigerator makes a huge difference in both flavor and texture. As the chicken salad chills, the dressing thickens slightly and clings better to the chicken. The flavors meld together, the apple stays crisp, and the entire salad tastes colder, creamier, and more balanced.
- Chop everything small. I highly recommend chopping the chicken into small bite-sized pieces instead of large chunks. Smaller pieces hold onto the dressing much better and make the mixture easier to eat. The same goes for the apple. Finely diced mix-ins distribute crunch and flavor evenly throughout the salad instead of overpowering individual bites.
- Start with less mayo. Chicken salad should feel creamy and well-coated, not heavy or drenched in dressing. Different types of chicken absorb mayonnaise differently, especially if you’re using leftover grilled or baked chicken breast. I like starting with slightly less mayo, then adding another spoonful after chilling if the salad needs it. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away once the salad becomes too wet.
