Looking for a meal prep friendly lunch that takes no time to put together? You've got to make this cranberry chicken salad. We've got it all in this salad: the crunch of celery, nuttiness from the walnuts, and sweetness from dried cranberries. You won't be able to resist.
The best part? It's made with simple ingredients you probably have on hand, but don't be fooled, the flavor is anything but basic. Scoop it onto a sandwich, wrap it in lettuce, or eat it as is. Versatility at its finest.
I've always been a huge fan of cold salads like tuna salads or sandwiches that require minimal effort, and this chicken salad hits that vibe every single time I make it.
It's uncomplicated, easy to assemble and have in the fridge for days where lunches get chaotic, or for those nights where you don't wanna do the heavy cooking.
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Morgan's Recipe Rundown
- Prep Time: This really depends on if you are using store-bough rotisserie chicken/grilled chicken, or if you are making the chicken yourself. If you are choosing the latter, it'll take you about 40 minutes. Otherwise, this recipe shouldn't take longer than 15-20 minutes TOPS.
- Prep Level: Making chicken salad is as easy as it comes, from shredding the chicken, to pouring in the ingredients and mixing together. This recipe is perfect for those who are still getting acclimated to the kitchen and for those who just want a really delicious chicken salad recipe.
- Taste: Cranberry chicken salad tastes just as it sounds: sweet, tart, crunchy, creamy, and savory. All the wonderful flavors of chicken combined with walnuts, mayo, craisins, and celery.
- Best Served With: Ditch the croissant and scoop a cup of this chicken salad over a bed of spring mix greens .You could also serve these on a lunch board spread with my chicken caprese panini, my infamous BLT with avocado, or my pesto pizza pinwheels.
Tried and True Tips and Tricks
- Buy Rotisserie Chicken - Instead of spending more time roasting the chicken, boiling, or even grilling it, but a rotisserie chicken from your local grocer. It yields a ton of freshly roasted chicken, and even more chicken for other recipes for the week. Double win in my book.
- Season, Season, Season - You can always add in a sprinkle of garlic powder, onion salt, but definitely use a pinch of salt and a crack of fresh black pepper. It amplifies the recipe.
- Let it Rest - After you make the chicken salad, you can let it sit overnight so that it can build more flavor.
The Main Ingredients
- Shredded Chicken - I like to have rotisserie chicken on hand for this type of recipe as it's easier than roasting it myself. Plus, a whole rotisserie chicken yields a ton of leftovers for other recipes.
- Dried Cranberries - Craisins as commonly referred to, add a tart and tangy flavor to this chicken salad. I love cranberry flavor in general, but this just really lifts the flavor of the entire recipe.
- Walnuts - Nutty, creamy, and flavorful using walnuts is a favorite thing to do for chicken salad.
- Celery - You don't need a ton of celery for this, two stalks is plenty, especially if we are mincing it into very small pieces.
- Mayonnaise - You can't have chicken salad without mayo. I typically choose standard Hellmann's Mayonnaise, but you could use whatever brand you're comfortable with.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Step by Step Process Photos
Step 1: Using your fingers or two forks, shred one large chicken breast into smaller pieces, then add the chicken to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Once the chicken has been shredded, add the dried cranberry, walnuts, celery to the same bowl.
Step 3: Last, add the mayonnaise on top and fold in with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper, then continue to mix together. Add more mayonnaise as you see fit.
Simple Swaps and Substitutions
- If you want to make this more higher protein, use a whole milk, plain greek yogurt instead of the mayonnaise.
- Throw in more flavors and textures such as apples or grapes.
- Swap out the walnuts for pecans, almonds, or cashews.
- Instead of using dried cranberry (craisins), you can use regular raisins or goldenberries, or even golden raisins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can prep this a few days in advance (up to 4 days) and store in an airtight container.
I would recommend sticking to walnuts as they have a creamier taste and chop really well, but you can use almonds, cashews, or pecans if you prefer.
No, you do not need to use croissants like I did (although the buttery croissant goes so well!). You can opt for sourdough bread, brioche, challah bread, or something more traditional like a wrap, regular packaged bread or rolls.
You can swap out the mayonnaise and use sour cream or plain greek yogurt.
Hungry for More?
Check out these other yummy sandwich recipes!
Did you love this recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you!
Cranberry Chicken Salad
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups Chicken roasted or boiled; shredded
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- â…“ cup Dried Cranberries
- ½ cup Walnuts chopped
- 2 stalks Celery minced
Instructions
- Using your fingers or two forks, shred one large chicken breast into smaller pieces, then add the chicken to a large mixing bowl.
- Once the chicken has been shredded, add the craisins, walnuts, celery to the same bowl.
- Last, add the mayonnaise on top and fold in with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper, then continue to mix together. Add more mayonnaise as you see fit.
Gemma says
This was like a Waldorf salad in a buttery croissant and it was delicious. I loved it, and it made so much chicken salad! I made it yesterday for my bbq for Father’s Day and now have lunch all week!