Creamy Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

🥗 Creamy Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• ½ cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped

• ½ small red onion, finely diced (optional)

• ½ cup red grapes, halved (optional for extra sweetness)

• 2–3 cups mixed greens (spinach, arugula, or spring mix)

For the Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing:

• ½ cup mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt for a lighter option)

• 2 tbsp sour cream (optional for extra creaminess)

• 2 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

• Salt & black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken:

   • If not using leftover chicken, poach or bake chicken breasts until cooked through, then shred or dice.

2. Toast the Pecans:

   • In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast pecans for 3–4 minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool, then chop.

3. Make the Dressing:

   • In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, vinegar, and poppy seeds.

   • Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust sweetness or tang as desired.

4. Assemble the Salad:

   • In a large bowl, combine chicken, cranberries, pecans, celery, onion, and grapes.

   • Pour the creamy poppy seed dressing over the mixture and toss until evenly coated.

5. Serve:

   • Serve chilled over a bed of mixed greens, as a sandwich filling, or with crackers.

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🌟 Tips & Variations

• Swap pecans with walnuts or almonds.

• Add diced apples for crunch and freshness.

• For a lighter version, use plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo.

• This salad tastes even better after 1–2 hours in the fridge, once flavors meld together.