During the summer, we are always looking for meals that aren’t too heavy and have a refreshing taste to them. We hit the jackpot when we stumbled upon taking a classic chicken salad to a new level by adding in some extra goodies! Let us introduce you to Pecan Cranberry Chicken Salad.
Lots of times we love a classic, plain chicken salad sandwich. However, there are sometimes when we want a bit more flavor and some added texture thrown in. Or maybe we are entertaining and want to kick up the presentation a notch! This Pecan Cranberry Chicken Salad recipe is the perfect fit for all!
Textures and Flavors
The first ingredient to add in some texture is celery. This doesn’t really change the taste of the chicken salad, but it adds to the dynamic through crunch.
Dried cranberries pack a powerful punch. They add texture, flavor, and color! The chewiness is quite different than the celery and other crunchy aspects. The flavor brings a sweetness that none of the other ingredients achieve. And the deep redish/purple coloring kick up your presentation for sure.
Who can forget the pecans? These bring a unique flavor to the recipe. The nuttiness, along with the crunch, creates a well-rounded experience for your mouth!
Bun Options
Building your Pecan Cranberry Chicken Salad sandwich is just as important as the ingredients themselves. We chose a hefty Brioche bun for ours. However, we really like a nice croissant! Another option is a pretzel bun slider with its dense chewiness. And you always have the classic no-bun option!
All in all, you can’t go wrong! Just remember, your choice will change up the texture and taste of the chicken salad.
Entertaining
Pecan Cranberry Chicken Salad is a great recipe for entertaining. Whether you’re having a few friends over to catch up or hosting a baby shower, this recipe is so great for all occasions.
During bridal and baby showers, it is always nice to have non-messy finger foods. Not a problem; use slider buns or mini croissants for more of a finger food vibe!
This is a great traveling recipe, as well. Put the chicken salad in an insulated carrier and then build your sandwiches when you arrive.
Pecan Cranberry Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breasts cooked, pulled into pieces
- 1/2 small white onion
- 2 celery stalks cut down the middle and then sliced
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 cup pickles chopped
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the cooked and pulled chicken, cranberries, onion, celery, pickles, salt, pepper, and mayo.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour (we prefer at least four hours though so that it is good and cold).
- Fold the nuts in right before serving. Enjoy!
We hope you give this recipe a try and let us know what you think! What ingredients do you think would compliment well?
Thank you Life Made Simple Bakes for the inspiration of this recipe!
Recipe ideas:
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