Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad – Easy chicken salad filled with tender chicken, dried cranberries, walnuts, apples, celery, dill, and parsley. For a healthier option, you can use Greek yogurt in the dressing and serve the chicken salad on lettuce instead of bread. VIDEO BELOW!
As the weather heats up in Arizona, I start craving easy no-cook meals. Every weekend I do our grocery shopping for the upcoming week, and I always pick up a rotisserie chicken. Between soup, chili, sandwiches, or salads, I always find a way to use the chicken during the week. Lately we have been using rotisserie chicken for this this easy Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad.
Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
This is my personal favorite version of chicken salad. It includes dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, chopped apple or celery, and just a touch of dill and parsley. The dressing is made from mayo, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and a splash of fresh lemon juice.
This recipe can easily be made lighter/healthier by using Greek yogurt and by serving the chicken salad in lettuce cups or over mixed greens. It’s a fairly low carb recipe (except for the dried cranberries), so for people who try to watch their carb intake, this is a great high protein meal. Note: Full nutrition facts below.
Tips for making Cranberry Chicken Salad
- Take a shortcut with a rotisserie chicken.
- Prefer to cook the chicken yourself? I love this recipe.
- Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste (I like extra dill and black pepper in mine).
- Use toasted nuts (so much flavor!). This recipe calls for walnuts, but pecans or pistachios would be a great substitute.
- Don’t have dried cranberries? I have also used dried cherries and raisins with success.
- If you’re out of sour cream you can try one of these Sour Cream Substitutes.
How do you like to eat your chicken salad? On bread? With crackers? In lettuce cups? Sometimes I just steal bites from the fridge right off a fork. Since this is a high protein, fairly low-carb meal, I can eat it guilt free.
However you decide to eat it I know that you will love it! Extra points if you get to enjoy it while sitting outside on a beautiful, warm day.
You might also like: HEALTHY LUNCH IDEAS – CHICKEN RICE SOUP – TORTELLINI SALAD
Recipe
Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, I prefer light sour cream or lowfat yogurt
- 1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken, I use white meat from a rotisserie chicken
- ½ cup finely chopped celery or finely chopped apple
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped toasted walnuts, see note
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, and dill. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve chilled on bread or lettuce.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Cindy says
Super easy and delicious recipe!
Allison says
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Mj says
absolutely 💯 % yummy! 😻
Maddy says
Saved this years ago and it is still one of my meal prep staples for my family to this day <3
Allison says
Yay! I’m so glad. 🙂
Kevin James Wright says
Add mayonnaise — to preference! I think the recipe calls for more mayonnaise than I usually like. I made my own chicken breast in the oven with salt and cayenne pepper seasoning. I also added red onion, it adds a really good depth of flavor. Thanks for the recipe!
Alex says
Love this! The first time, I tried using canned chicken and served on flatbread. It was okay but not the best. Tried again with chicken I cooked in the slow cooker and served on toasted sourdough bread and it was amazing!! I had to fend my husband off so he didn’t eat my whole sandwich haha. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!
Allison says
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
KATHLEEN JENKINS says
I really love this recipe…..easy to make, easy to follow, and delicious 😋
Allison Mattina says
That’s great to hear! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Linda Hutchinson says
Great recipe and so simple. Thank you. Both apples and celery are really good in this recipe (which my husband loves). Since we really like toasted pecans, I used them instead of walnuts. Crush the walnuts into smaller pieces and place on parchment paper on a rack in the convection oven (air fryer). Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with crazy salt. Toast them maybe 10 minutes, stirring a couple times to brown evenly. We don’t mix the walnuts into the chicken salad but sprinkle them on each serving so they stay crisp. Suggestion: Toast a large batch of walnuts and keep them in a container on the counter because they are so good on so many things…especially this recipe.
Allison Mattina says
Thanks for sharing! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂