Harvest Chicken Salad
A vibrant and hearty Harvest Chicken Salad that captures the essence of fall with fresh greens, apples, pecans, and cranberries.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 4 cups mixed greens (baby spinach, arugula, romaine)
- 2 medium apples, cored and sliced
- 1 cup toasted pecans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup olive oil (for vinaigrette)
- 2 tablespoons vinegar (for vinaigrette)
- 1 tablespoon honey (for vinaigrette)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (for vinaigrette)
Instructions
- Prep your chicken: If using raw chicken, season with salt, pepper, and olive oil; bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25-30 minutes.
- Wash the greens: Rinse mixed greens, spin dry, and ensure they are not soggy.
- Chop the apples: Core and slice apples into wedges; toss with lemon juice.
- Toast the pecans: Heat a skillet and toast pecans for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.
- Combine it all: In a large bowl, mix greens, chicken, apples, cranberries, and toasted pecans.
- Whisk up the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, and mustard; drizzle over salad and toss to coat.
Notes
Keep the dressing separate until ready to serve to avoid soggy greens. Experiment with other greens or add quinoa for extra texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: chicken salad, healthy salad, fall recipes, meal prep