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Chicken is paired with crisp celery, tangy dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, and sweet grapes in this easy and delicious cranberry chicken salad. Serve it over greens, in a wrap, on a croissant, or with crackers for a satisfying lunch.
About once a year, my family heads down to Florida for a few weeks of vacation.
One of the surprising things that I look forward to most during these trips is heading to the local Publix (a store we don’t have in Ohio) and grabbing the cranberry chicken salad from the deli.
Every year, I text Stephie that we need to remake it for the blog because I cannot get enough of it. This year, we finally made it happen.
Because the beauty of making things at home is that you can tweak them to exactly your liking, I made a couple of changes to the version I get at Publix. But I’m every bit as obsessed with this version – and even better, I don’t have to wait a whole year until our next Florida trip to enjoy it!
Cranberry chicken salad with pecans and grapes
If you’re in my generation, you probably remember the chicken salad of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Finely shredded chicken, way too much mayonnaise, and some celery – and that’s about it.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that version of chicken salad, especially if it feels nostalgic for you. But personally, it’s not really my vibe these days.
This cranberry chicken salad takes the classic recipe beyond its “ladies who lunch” stereotype and levels it up with more flavor and texture in every bite.
For my version, we combine shredded rotisserie chicken with celery, grapes, dried cranberries, pecans, and just enough mayonnaise to bring it together. We also add a bit of seasoning to make all of the flavors really pop.
You get some crunch from the celery and pecans, crisp sweetness from the grapes, and tart flavor and a more chewy texture from the dried cranberries. It’s a dream when paired with the juicy chicken and creamy mayo.
Just like my Italian pasta salad or bacon ranch pasta salad, this is the kind of recipe you can mix up on a Sunday evening and eat for lunch all week long and never get tired of it.
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Pin ItHow to make my cranberry chicken salad
This is such an easy recipe. If you can cut grapes in half and stir stuff in a bowl, then you can make this cranberry chicken salad.
As for the ingredients, you’ll need:
- 1 pound cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt (OR salt and pepper to taste)
- ¾ cup diced celery
- 1 cup halved crisp red grapes
- 2 tablespoons finely diced scallions
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
I really recommend using a good mayonnaise here. Homemade mayonnaise would be awesome, but I typically use Duke’s.
If you want to really take things up another notch, try toasting the pecans before adding them to the salad. I have a post that walks you through how to toast nuts in the oven, on the stove, or in the microwave.
Once all of your ingredients are prepped, simply toss everything (except for the pecans) in a big bowl and mix until well combined. Cover the salad and let it chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
To keep the pecans as crunchy as possible, wait until just before serving to mix them in. You can definitely add them with the rest of the ingredients, just keep in mind that they might not stay as crunchy.
This cranberry chicken salad will stay good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Serving suggestions
There are so many ways to enjoy this cranberry chicken salad.
Try toasting up a couple of slices of bread, such as honey oatmeal bread, or a big croissant and turning it into a sandwich. Add some crisp lettuce for additional texture and crunch.
It is also great as the filling for a wrap or pita, or simply scooped up with your favorite crackers.
You can even serve it on top of your favorite greens for a more traditional salad if you like.
Recipe variations
As I mentioned above, the beauty of making recipes like this at home is that you can adjust them to your exact liking.
I really like making this recipe with rotisserie chicken, but it is also delicious with the Boar’s Head Everroast Chicken. If you go that route, ask your deli counter for thick slices so you can cut it into ½-inch cubes.
If celery isn’t your thing, try swapping it out for ¾ cup of diced apple. A crisp, slightly tart apple is delicious in this cranberry chicken salad!
The pecans, while delicious, are also definitely optional. Feel free to leave them out if you don’t like nuts or have an allergy.
No matter how you choose to enjoy this cranberry chicken salad, it’s an easy, filling lunch that will keep you fueled up for the afternoon ahead.
Cranberry Chicken Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked and shredded chicken I prefer rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt OR salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup diced celery
- 1 cup crisp red grapes halved
- 2 tablespoons finely diced scallions optional
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, mayonnaise, seasoning, celery, grapes and optional scallions and dried cranberries . Mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours. If desired, add pecans just before serving.
- Serve on croissants with crisp lettuce, stuffed in pita bread or rolled in a wrap.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It was delicious
So glad you enjoyed, Renee! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Diana. Happy baking!
A small deli where I live makes this but adds curry flavor. It is so good! I use romaine lettuce instead of bread.
A bit of curry powder would be delicious! Happy baking!