Cranberry Chicken Salad

This cranberry chicken salad with creamy yogurt-mustard dressing is a quick weekday lunch that’s packed with protein. There’s an explosion of flavor with bites of pecans, cranberries and celery in every bite! Perfect as is, on bread or wrapped in a lettuce cup or wrap.

Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe

This easy cranberry chicken salad is an effortless lunch you’ll be making on repeat all summer.

• Meal-prep. Make it in advance for the week and just enjoy it straight out of the fridge.
• Refreshing. Crunchy green onions, lemon juice, and celery keep things light and refreshing.
• Quick. It’s ready in only 15 minutes!
• Great for leftovers. Use leftover apples, yogurt, and cranberries to reduce food waste.

What You’ll Need

Apples and dried cranberries add bits of natural sweetness to this savory salad with creamy dressing. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.

• Boneless skinless chicken breast – Feel free to use shredded rotisserie chicken.
• Plain yogurt – Make sure it’s unsweetened. It can be regular or Greek yogurt.
• Dijon mustard – Stone-ground mustard works too. Avoid American yellow mustard.
• Garlic – You need fresh garlic for this.
• Dried sage – It can be swapped for fresh parsley.
• Dried thyme – Fresh thyme works too.
• Smoked paprika – Sweet paprika is a good swap.
• Fresh lemon juice – Lime juice works too but reduce the amount by half.
• Celery – This is a great way to use up celery that’s not quite as crunchy anymore.
• Pecans – Feel free to use walnuts or almonds.
• Green onion – They add crunch, but chives can be used instead.
• Dried cranberries – Fresh cranberries don’t work for the recipe because they’re too tart.
• Apples – Use your favorite kind.

How to Make Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

You can stir the dressing separately, but why would you when you can make it a one-bowl salad? Scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe card.

• Mix the dressing. Stir the yogurt, mustard, garlic, sage, thyme, smoked paprika, and lemon juice in a large bowl until smooth.
• Add the chicken. Mix in the chicken, cranberries, celery, pecans, and green onion.
• Toss it. Toss the ingredients until well combined.
• Serve. Add 2 tablespoons of chicken salad over each apple slice. Enjoy!

Tips & Variations

Make it a pasta salad or use hummus instead of yogurt depending on what you’re craving!

• Add more veggies. Stir 1 cup canned (and drained) peas, carrots, or sweet corn to add more flavor and texture to each bite.
• Make it a pasta salad. Boil 1-3 cups of penne or fusilli pasta according to package instructions. Strain it and mix it in for an easy pasta-salad variation.
• Prep ahead. Whisk the dressing in advance so all you have to do is toss the salad when you’re ready for lunch. The dressing can be made up to 4 days in advance.
• Go savory. Remove the cranberries and serve the salad with corn chips instead of sliced apples for an all-savory variation.
• Swap the yogurt. While it adds wonderful creaminess, homemade vinaigrette, Hummus, pesto, and mashed avocados can be used instead.

Ways to Serve Cranberry Chicken Salad

This creamy cranberry salad is a quick lunch option. Serve it on top of sliced apples or lettuce wedges. If you don’t mind, toasty sliced baguettes or corn chips work too. Side dish ideas include Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries or Air Fryer Zucchini Fries. My Avocado Fries and Baked Green Bean Fries are great as well.

Proper Storage

Enjoy it straight out of the fridge!

• Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

More Easy Salad Recipes

• 10 Minute Easy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe (Dairy Free)
• Easy Greek Chicken Mason Jar Salad
• Asian Chicken Mason Jar Salads
• Simple Arugula Salad

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