Chicken Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Walnuts Recipe
This refreshing Chicken Salad with Apples combines tender shredded chicken, crisp apples, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy nuts, all bound together by a tangy mayo and Dijon mustard dressing. A simple, quick-to-make dish perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or served over greens.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Salad Mix
- 3 cups (about 12 oz.) cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie works great)
- 1 medium crisp apple (like Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and diced small
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined, creating a flavorful base for the salad.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add shredded chicken, diced apple, dried cranberries, finely diced celery, chopped red onion, toasted and chopped nuts, and fresh parsley into the bowl with the dressing. Gently fold all ingredients together to ensure everything is evenly coated without crushing the apple pieces.
- Adjust and Chill: Taste the salad mixture and adjust seasoning by adding extra apple cider vinegar for brightness or salt and pepper as needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and serve chilled.
Notes
- Using rotisserie chicken saves time and adds flavor, but freshly cooked shredded chicken works just as well.
- To toast nuts, heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Chilling the salad enhances the flavor blend and keeps the apples crisp.
- This salad can be served on its own, in sandwiches, wraps, or over a bed of mixed greens.
- For a lighter version, substitute half the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
