This quick and easy recipe for Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Pecans is a unique and delicious twist on the classic homemade chicken salad that we all know and love, with its creamy mayonnaise-based dressing and crunchy bits of celery.
1rotisserie chicken,white and dark meat, three to four cups total
2stalkscelery,diced
½cupmayonnaise,I like Duke's
1tablespoonlemon juice,freshly squeezed
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
½cupdried cranberries
½cupchopped 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.
Notes
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.With only a half cup of mayonnaise, this chicken salad is on the dry side. If you prefer more dressing, feel free to add a quarter cup more mayonnaise, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt.When adding the salt and pepper, remember that purchased rotisserie chickens vary in saltiness depending on what flavor you buy and where they are purchased. I usually buy lemon pepper, but almost any flavor even BBQ will work because you will be removing the skin.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 use.