Harvest Chicken Salad
A flavorful fall salad packed with crispy chicken, crunchy apples, pecans, and cranberries, perfect for gatherings or cozy meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 4 cups mixed greens (baby spinach, arugula, romaine)
- 2 medium apples, diced (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
- 1 cup toasted pecans
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the chicken by preheating your oven or grill to medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts and cook until no longer pink (about 7-8 minutes per side). Let it rest and then shred.
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
- Make the vinaigrette by whisking olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Prepare the mixed greens in a large salad bowl.
- Add the shredded chicken, diced apples, toasted pecans, and cranberries to the greens and gently toss.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad just before serving and toss gently.
- Plate the salad in bowls or on a platter, garnishing with whole pecans and cranberries as desired.
Notes
This salad can be made ahead of time; just add the dressing right before serving to keep the greens crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: chicken salad, autumn recipes, fall salads, healthy salads, comfort food