Description
Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is a fresh, flavorful, and slightly sweet salad featuring tender chicken, crisp greens, crunchy pecans, and dried cranberries, all tossed in a tangy-sweet homemade dressing. It’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped
- 4 cups mixed salad greens or baby spinach
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans (toasted, if desired)
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)
- 1/2 apple, thinly sliced or 1/2 cup halved grapes (optional)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper until well combined. Adjust sweetness or tang to taste.
- In a large salad bowl, combine greens, chicken, cranberries, pecans, red onion, cheese, and optional fruit.
- Drizzle with dressing just before serving and toss gently to coat. Garnish with extra pecans and cranberries if desired.
Notes
- Add quinoa or farro for a more filling grain salad.
- Swap pecans for almonds or walnuts for variety.
- Use strawberries or mandarin oranges for a fruity twist.
- For a creamy version, mix Greek yogurt into the dressing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 360mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
