Description
This Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad is a delicious and refreshing twist on traditional chicken salad, combining tender rotisserie chicken with crunchy toasted walnuts, sweet dried cranberries, and a creamy dressing made from mayonnaise and sour cream or Greek yogurt. Perfect for a light lunch or sandwich filling, it offers a delightful balance of flavors and textures with minimal prep time.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (light sour cream or lowfat yogurt preferred)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
Salad
- 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken (white meat from a rotisserie chicken recommended)
- ½ cup finely chopped celery or finely chopped apple
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped toasted walnuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, fresh lemon juice, minced parsley, and dried dill until smooth and well combined.
- Add the chicken and mix-ins: Stir in the chopped or shredded cooked chicken, finely chopped celery or apple, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts into the dressing mixture until everything is evenly coated.
- Season to taste: Add salt and freshly ground black pepper according to your preference. Mix well to combine.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the chicken salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled on bread as a sandwich filling or over lettuce as a light salad.
Notes
- To toast walnuts: Place walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted. Be careful not to burn them. Let cool before adding to the chicken salad.
- You can substitute celery with finely chopped apple for a sweeter, crisper texture.
- This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
