My cranberry chicken salad is perfect for when you want something both fresh and filling! With succulent chicken, sweet cranberries, and crisp celery, this salad is bursting with flavor. And it's so easy to make you'll be whipping it up in no time!
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I don't know about you, but I am always looking for ways to mix up my salad game. It's easy to get bored of the same old lettuce and tomatoes, right? But when you add something like my chicken salad with cranberries to the mix, you've got a whole new level of deliciousness!
This salad is perfect for any time of the day as a quick lunch, snack, or light dinner. My chicken cranberry salad is the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors, and the addition of almonds and celery gives a fantastic crunch.
And there's no need to spend a bunch of time in the kitchen; just throw all of the ingredients into a bowl, mix it up, and you've got the most effortless meal prep ever!
Why You'll Love Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad
- Ideal for using up leftover chicken. Whether you picked up a rotisserie chicken from the store or made a batch of grilled chicken thighs, this salad is the perfect way to use it!
- Make ahead friendly. Who doesn't love having a delicious and healthy meal waiting in the fridge? My cranberry chicken salad can easily be made ahead of time, which makes it great for meal prep and picnics.
- Super satisfying! With protein-packed chicken, filling almonds, and plenty of goodness from the celery, this salad will keep you full and satisfied until your next meal.
Ingredients For Chicken Salad With Cranberries
- Chicken
- Celery
- Almonds
- Dried cranberries
- Mayonnaise
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
Instructions For Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad
- Roughly chop the chicken and dice the celery.
- Toss with the almonds and cranberries.
- Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Stir well to combine.
- Serve on croissants, toasted bread, or in lettuce cups.
You really can let your imagination run wild when serving this chicken salad with cranberries! For example, here are just some of the many ways you can serve this dish:
-Serve it on a bed of greens
-Stuff it into a pita pocket
-In a croissant, sub, or sandwich
-On top of crackers
-As a dip for chips and dip
-On toasted homemade bread
-In lettuce cups
-On its own!
However you enjoy it, I guarantee you'll be coming back for more!
Once you have made my cranberry chicken salad, it'll be good for around 3-4 days in the fridge. And be sure to store this salad in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
While I love the flavor and crunch that the almonds add, you can absolutely leave them out if you have a nut allergy or simply don't like them.
Some great alternatives to almonds in this salad are pecans, walnuts (a nod to the classic Waldorf salad!), and cashew nuts. But essentially, any nut you have left over from another recipe or that you simply enjoy will work well here!
No, I don't recommend freezing the recipe. The reason for this is because of the mayo. Once thawed, mayonnaise often breaks down and can cause the salad to be watery.
Yes, this salad can absolutely be made vegan friendly if you want! To do so, simply swap out the chicken for your favorite plant-based protein. Some great options are tofu, tempeh, or a store-bought meat substitute. Or you could simply omit the protein altogether if you would prefer!
Additionally, you'll need to use a vegan mayonnaise in place of regular mayo, and then you'll have a delicious serving of vegan chicken salad with cranberries.
Of course! This salad is very versatile, and I encourage you to get creative with it. If you have some veggies or fruit that need to be used up, this is the perfect recipe to add them into.
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Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Chef's Knife + Pairing Knife
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken (cooked, chopped)
- ¼ cup celery (diced)
- ¼ cup almonds (sliced)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Roughly chop the chicken and dice the celery.
- Toss with the almonds and cranberries.
- Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Stir well to combine.
- Serve on croissants, toasted bread, or in lettuce cups.
Alli
I love this salad!