Description
This Fall Chicken Salad Recipe is a flavorful, crunchy, and creamy dish perfect for a light lunch or a hearty snack. Featuring shredded chicken mixed with crisp apples, pecans, celery, dried cranberries, and red onion, all tossed in a tangy Greek yogurt and mayonnaise dressing spiced with Dijon mustard and herbs. It serves 16, making it ideal for gatherings or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Produce
- 3 medium cooked chicken breasts, shredded or finely diced
- 2 cups finely diced apples (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji)
- 2 cups diced celery
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Dressing
- 1 cup plain 5% Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Shred the chicken: Shred the cooked chicken breasts using a food processor or by hand to create bite-sized pieces suitable for a salad.
- Combine the main ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, diced apples, chopped pecans, diced celery, dried cranberries, and diced red onion until evenly distributed.
- Prepare the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, ground sage, and garlic powder until smooth and well combined.
- Mix salad with dressing: Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and stir thoroughly to coat all the ingredients evenly. Serve chilled on bread, with chips, inside a wrap, or on a bed of fresh lettuce as desired.
Notes
- Use crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji for the best texture and flavor contrast.
- Adjust the salt and pepper to taste based on your preference.
- For a lighter version, substitute mayonnaise with more Greek yogurt.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days for flavors to meld.
- Add fresh herbs like parsley or dill for extra freshness, if desired.
