Cranberry and Pecan Chicken Salad

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is an easy high protein lunch! We use crisp celery, cranberries and pecans for the best mix of sweet and salty.

I'm always brainstorming new variations of my popular 5 ingredient shredded chicken salad because it's such a staple in my meal prep routine. Now that the weather is getting colder, I'm starting to lean into those seasonal winter flavors and have been loving this cranberry pecan chicken salad.

Just like my honey mustard chicken salad, this recipe uses dried cranberries for some sweetness, plus some chopped pecans for a well-needed salty crunch. We also add finely diced red onion and celery for some more crunch and freshness. So good!!!

I love making this cranberry pecan chicken salad for lunch because you can add it to a salad, wrap, sandwich, or enjoy it with crackers as a dip. You really can't go wrong.

Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved

1. Great source of protein. One serving of this cranberry pecan chicken salad has 21g of protein, which is important for keeping you full and satisfied.
2. Meal prep. Chicken salads are among my favorite meal prep recipes because they are super easy to batch prep and add to meals throughout the week.
3. Versatile. I do my best to meal prep recipes that I can enjoy in multiple variations throughout the week. You can have chicken salad in sandwiches, wraps, and salads, so it's hard to get sick of.

Ingredients

Chicken. I like using boneless, skinless chicken breast when making chicken salad. However chicken thighs or rotisserie chicken are also great options.

Celery. For freshness and crunch. This is a classic chicken salad ingredient that in my opinion is non-negotiable! 

Red onion. This helps provide a mild spice to this chicken salad. Even though I am not normally a huge fan of red onion, I find it is the perfect compliment to the sweetness of the cranberries in this recipe. My tip is dicing it up nice and small so the flavour isn't too overpowering.

Dried cranberries. For a light hit of sweetness! Using dried cranberries in this recipe creates a sweet flavour that really pairs well with the creaminess of the mayonnaise and spice of the red onion. Other options include dried cherries or even raisins.

Pecans. For crunch! My number one thing I always need in any type of salad is texture. If something is one consistent texture, it tastes almost mushy to me and isn't as satisfying! Adding chopped pecans helps add additional healthy fats and a necessary crunchy.

Greek yogurt. My secret ingredient in ALL my chicken salads! Substituting some of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt helps increase the protein while keeping the same creamy texture. I recommend 2% Greke yogurt for the perfect balance of creamy texture and minimal added fat.

Mayonnaise. Although we replace most of the mayonnaise with yogurt, there is nothing that quite replaces the taste of classic mayonnaise. A little bit goes a long way.

Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice helps bring freshness and flavor to this chicken salad.

The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below. 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper and place in a shallow baking dish. Cook for about 15-18 minutes, until chicken is completely cooked (until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F).

3. Shred the chicken using a stand mixer, two forks or a hand mixer. (details below).

4. To a large mixing bowl, add shredded chicken, yogurt, mayonnaise, celery, red onion, cranberries, pecans and drizzle with lemon juice.

5. Mix well and enjoy!

Substitutions and Variations

Pecans can be substituted with walnuts, or even chopped almonds. Dried cranberries can be swapped for dried cherries, raisins or even chopped dried dates.

In all my chicken salad recipes, I always use a combination of mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt for a creamy texture that's a bit higher in protein. You can experiment with the ratio, as long as you have ¾ cup total.

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Vegetable chopper (optional for dicing red onions and celery)

Storage

This cranberry pecan chicken salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Meal Prep Recipes

Here are more fun takes on a classic chicken salad:

• Honey Mustard Chicken Salad without Mayo
• Greek Chicken Tzatziki Salad
• Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad
• Spicy Tuna Salad

📖 Recipe

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4.92 from 12 votes

Cranberry and Pecan Chicken Salad

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is an easy high protein lunch! We use crisp celery, cranberries and pecans for the best mix of sweet and salty.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: high protein, meal prep, Protein, salads

Servings: 5

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• ½ cup plain 0% Greek yogurt 2% also works great
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¾ cup celery diced
• ½ cup red onion diced * see note below
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup pecans chopped
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice about ½ a large lemon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Season chicken breast with salt and pepper and place in a shallow baking dish. Cook for about 15-18 minutes, until chicken is completely cooked (until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F).
• Shred the chicken using a stand mixer, two forks or a hand mixer. (details below).
• To a large mixing bowl, add shredded chicken, yogurt, mayonnaise, celery, red onion, cranberries, pecans and drizzle with lemon juice. Mix well.

Notes

*If you aren't a fan of a strong red onion flavour, dice up your onions then place them in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes, before draining and adding to your chicken salad! This helps create a more mild flavour.

To easily shred your chicken once cooker, add the chicken breasts to the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and turn your mixer to the 'high' setting. This is my best tip for quickly shredding chicken, but you can always pull it together with two forks if you don't have a stand mixer.

Greek yogurt/ mayonnaise can be interchanged in this recipe. If you would like to just use greek yogurt or just use mayonnaise you absolutely can just ensure you have ¾ cup TOTAL.

 

If you aren't a red onion fan dice them up and place themin a bowl of cold water for baout 10 minutes before draining- this create a more mild flavour!

*I have included an estimation of the nutrition information for this recipe below. However, always remember a recipe is so much more than just nutritional content and these numbers do not need to dictate your food choices. Please don't forget that both your body and soul need nourishment! The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

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