This easy recipe for Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is a unique and delicious twist on classic homemade chicken salad with a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing and crunchy bits of celery.
Like my popular Wild Rice Chicken Salad with Cranberries, the addition of sweet-tart dried cranberries and buttery roasted pecans brings extra flavor, beautiful color, and amazing texture to the party.
Add in the convenience and time saved by using a purchased rotisserie chicken, and you have the best and easiest chicken salad you have ever tasted.
Always a popular choice at baby and bridal showers or ladies’ luncheons, cranberry pecan chicken salad can be served on lettuce cups or piled high on a croissant. It’s also good on crusty sourdough bread for finger sandwiches or on Hawaiian rolls to make sliders.
Another option is to wrap it up in a tortilla to make tasty wraps or simply spoon it on crackers for a quick high-protein snack.
Finally, if you are looking for a light dinner entree, add a few scoops of chicken salad with cranberries and pecans to a bowl of chopped lettuce, shredded carrots, chopped tomatoes, and sliced cucumbers for a flavorful main dish salad.
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Ingredient notes:
(Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.)
- Chicken – To save time, I use a purchased rotisserie chicken. You can also roast, your own or use leftovers from making my grilled half chicken, or grilled spatchcock chicken. Cut it into small bite-size cubes or shred it; it’s up to you.
- Mayonnaise – adds creaminess and its rich signature tanginess. It’s important not to scrimp and to use good quality mayonnaise in this recipe. I like and use Duke’s.
- Celery – is an essential component in classic chicken salad recipes; it provides great flavor, a pleasing crunch, and a nice pop of color. I like to use celery hearts because they are more tender, but you can use regular celery too.
- Lemon juice – adds a nice citrusy element and a bright, fresh, clean taste.
- Dried cranberries – with their rich jewel-like color and intense sweet-tart flavor combine with the roasted pecans to transform an ordinary chicken salad into something extraordinary!
- Roasted pecans – with their rich buttery taste and delightful nutty crunch combined with the cranberries produce an incredibly delicious chicken salad that will make you wonder why you haven’t been adding them all along.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper – season the dish and enhance all of the flavors of the ingredients.
How to make Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad:
- Remove the skin and bones from your rotisserie chicken and either chop the meat into small bite-size cubes or shred it.
- Add the chicken, celery, cranberries, and pecans to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Top with the mayonnaise, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper, and combine.
- While you can serve it immediately, for the best flavor, cranberry pecan chicken salad should be chilled for at least an hour before serving.
Recipe variations:
This is a versatile recipe, and you can change it up in any number of ways. Here are a few ideas:
- Swap toasted slivered almonds or walnuts for the pecans. Or, substitute stovetop candied pecans for roasted pecans.
- Change the dressing up a bit by replacing some of the mayonnaise with sour cream or plain greek yogurt, or add a teaspoon of dijon mustard. Season the dressing with a quarter of a teaspoon of curry powder or add half a teaspoon of poppy seeds.
- Add fresh herbs such as parsley, tarragon, or dill.
- Substitute fresh red or green grapes halves or quarters for the dried cranberries, or add chopped apple or pineapple. Add chopped onion, hard-boiled eggs, or relish.
- Use leftover fried chicken, roast chicken, broiled chicken thighs, baked chicken, or even leftover turkey instead of a rotisserie chicken.
Frequently asked questions:
This cranberry pecan chicken salad is a make-ahead wonder and can be served in a number of different ways. It is as perfect for feeding a crowd as it is for just a few folks.
-Lunch ideas include: piling it on a croissant, slider buns, or slices of bread to make a tasty sandwich. Serve a scoop of it on butter lettuce or romaine lettuce to make lettuce cups or lettuce wraps. Add a scoop to a tortilla to make a chicken salad wrap. Or, top your favorite tossed salad with a scoop.
-Finely chop all of the ingredients and use the chicken salad as a filling for finger sandwiches or tea sandwiches for bridal or baby showers or a ladies’ luncheon or tea.
-Serve it as a snack or appetizer by adding a small scoop to crackers.
-Make a main dish salad for a light and nutritious dinner by adding a few scoops to a bowl full of chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado, shredded carrots, and sliced cucumbers.
Leftovers should be stored covered in your refrigerator and will last up to five days, depending on the freshness of the individual ingredients. I don’t recommend freezing it.
If I am making a chicken salad sandwich, I like to add Deviled Eggs or a scoop of my Southern Potato Salad or Southern Broccoli Salad as a side dish.
If I am serving it as a main dish salad, I like to include a slice of my Cheesy Texas Toast Garlic Bread, Old-Fashioned Cornbread, a few Hoe Cakes, or a piece of my Sausage Cheese Bread.
Sharon’s tips:
- With only a half cup of mayonnaise, this chicken salad recipe is on the dry side, which is how I like it. If you prefer more dressing, feel free to add a quarter cup more mayonnaise, sour cream, or plain greek yogurt.
- When you are adding the salt and pepper, keep in mind that purchased rotisserie chickens vary in saltiness depending on what flavor you buy and where they are purchased.
- Save the skin and bones from your rotisserie chicken and celery scraps to make homemade chicken stock.
- You can make the roasted pecans in the oven or because it’s a small amount, use your microwave. To microwave chopped pecans, place them in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate and microwave at one-minute intervals for six to seven minutes. The amount of time varies depending on the wattage of your microwave and the size of the nuts. Start tasting them to see if they are done at about the five-minute mark.
- Dried cherries can be substituted for dried cranberries. I usually use Craisins, but there are several other different brands available.
- While you can find some recipes that say you can use canned chicken, I don’t recommend it. It will have a different taste and texture.
- Whole rotisserie chickens have a combination of both dark and white meat. I use both in this recipe. However, if you prefer white meat only, you can use just the breasts and save the thighs and drumsticks for another meal.
More low-carb chicken recipes:
If you are trying to watch your carbs, you might also want to check out these low-carb chicken recipes on my blog:
If you need more recipes or menu ideas, you can find all of my chicken recipes here.
★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, white and dark meat, three to four cups total
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- ½ cup mayonnaise, I like Duke’s
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped roasted pecans
Instructions
- Remove the skin and bones from the rotisserie chicken and either chop the meat into small bite-size cubes or shred it.
- Add the chicken, celery, cranberries, and pecans to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper, and combine.
- While you can serve it immediately, for the best flavor, you should chill this dish for at least 30 minutes before serving it.
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