Cocktail

Cranberry Hen Salad – Princess Pinky Woman

March 9, 2026
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I like whipping up this cranberry hen salad each time I would like a fast lunch or a simple aspect dish. It’s filled with crunchy pecans, crisp celery, and sweet-tart cranberries, so each chew has nice texture and taste. It’s budget-friendly, retains me full and fueled for the day, and is ideal for these busy weeknights once I simply need one thing simple and scrumptious.

Cranberry chicken salad fills golden buns, topped with fresh parsley on wood.

After making this dozens of instances, I’ve realized that the true trick is mixing mayonnaise with Greek yogurt and giving the salad time to relaxation within the fridge. The yogurt lightens up the mayo simply sufficient, including a refined tang whereas nonetheless retaining that basic creamy texture. Giving it a 30-minute chill time is essential as a result of it softens the cranberries simply sufficient and lets the hen take in all that creamy goodness.

When you love simple, creamy aspect dishes, you’ll wish to attempt my basic macaroni salad or my all-time favourite loaded potato salad!

Cranberry Chicken Salad Ingredients.

Key Substances and Why They Work

These are a number of the key substances you’ll must make this recipe. Yow will discover a full checklist and the entire actual measurements within the recipe card under.

Rotisserie hen: I like utilizing rotisserie hen as a result of it’s already cooked and saves a lot time. Plus, it provides the salad a richer, extra seasoned style with none additional work.

Dried cranberries: These add simply the correct quantity of chewiness together with a sweet-tart pop. That trace of sweetness balances the creamy dressing and pairs completely with the savory hen.

Mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt: Utilizing a mixture of each provides you that basic creamy hen salad texture, however the yogurt retains it lighter and fewer heavy. You continue to get richness, simply with out the greasiness.

Toasted pecans: I all the time add chopped pecans as a result of they convey a tremendous crunch to the tender hen. Toasting them first makes an enormous distinction as a result of it deepens their nutty taste and makes the dish style unimaginable.

Recent lemon juice: A bit splash of lemon brightens all the things up. It cuts by means of the creamy dressing, provides a recent zing, and helps all of the flavors mix superbly.

Close-up shows chicken salad mixed with cranberries and celery in soft buns.

Easy methods to Make Cranberry Hen Salad

Step 1: Combine the creamy dressing
In a small bowl, whisk collectively the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper till the combination is totally easy. Set it apart for now.
mix the creamy dressing in a bowl.

Step 2: Mix the salad base
In a big mixing bowl, add the shredded hen, dried cranberries, celery, shallot, and toasted pecans. Give all the things a very good toss so the substances are evenly distributed.
mix the salad in a bowl.

Step 3: Coat the hen
Pour the creamy dressing over the hen combination and stir gently till all the things is nicely coated. Fold within the recent parsley, then style and modify with somewhat additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if wanted.
mix the dressing and the salad in the bowl.

Step 4: Chill and serve
Cowl the bowl and place it within the fridge for no less than half-hour so the flavors can come collectively. Serve the salad scooped onto croissants or crackers, or piled right into a sandwich or lettuce wrap.

Frequent Errors to Keep away from

Utilizing heat hen: When you use freshly cooked or leftover hen, ensure it’s utterly cooled earlier than you combine all the things collectively. Heat hen will soften the mayonnaise and rapidly flip the dressing watery and greasy.

Skipping the fridge time: I do know it’s tempting to eat it straight away, however the substances is not going to be absolutely settled. That 30-minute chill provides the cranberries time to melt and helps all of the substances come collectively for a significantly better taste and texture.

Over-shredding the hen: Keep away from shredding the hen too finely, or it could make the salad mushy. Holding some bite-sized items provides the salad a heartier texture.

Cranberry chicken salad in a white bowl, with a golden spoon scooping some onto a cracker.

Substitutions & Variations

Swap out the meat: I’m an enormous fan of rotisserie hen, however you’ll be able to simply chop up leftover grilled hen or poach a number of recent hen breasts if that’s what you’ve got available.

Add fruit for additional taste: If you need a contact of sweetness, toss in diced apples, halved seedless grapes, or swap the cranberries for dried cherries.

Change the nuts: When you don’t have pecans, chopped walnuts or almonds work simply as nicely. You can even go away the nuts out utterly for a smoother texture or a nut-free choice.

Make it lighter: For a lighter, extra protein-packed model, I typically swap the quantities of Greek yogurt and mayo (utilizing 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup mayo). It should have a tangier style however continues to be extremely scrumptious!

Storage Suggestions

  • Storing leftovers: Hold any leftover cranberry hen salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. I don’t suggest freezing it, because the mayo and yogurt can separate and get watery.
  • Serving leftovers: This salad is ideal for meal-prep because it holds up nicely within the fridge. Over time, the hen soaks up the dressing and will dry out barely, so stirring in somewhat additional mayo or Greek yogurt brings again that recent creamy texture.
Bowl of cranberry chicken salad with apples, pecans, and parsley garnish next to crackers on a wooden board.

Extra Aspect Dishes Recipes You Could Get pleasure from

When you’ve tried this or another recipe on my web site, please go away a star score and let me know the way it turned out within the feedback under.


  • Whisk collectively the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl till it’s easy. Put aside for now.

    ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon recent lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  • Add the hen, cranberries, celery, shallot, and pecans into a big mixing bowl and toss collectively till all the things is evenly blended collectively.

    3 cups rotisserie hen, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup diced celery, ½ cup toasted pecans, 1 shallot

  • Pour the sauce over the hen combination and blend till all the things is coated within the creamy mayo.

  • Add the parsley and gently combine in. Style check the salad and add extra salt, pepper or lemon juice as wanted.

    ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped recent parsley, 1 tablespoon recent lemon juice

  • Cowl the bowl and refrigerate for no less than half-hour to permit the flavors to develop. Function sandwiches or with crackers with some additional chopped parsley.

Storage Suggestions:

  • Storage: Hold your leftover cranberry hen salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. I don’t suggest freezing this, because the mayonnaise and yogurt will separate and get extremely watery when it thaws out.
    Serving leftovers: As a result of this can be a chilly salad, you undoubtedly don’t wish to reheat it!
  • Because it sits within the fridge, the hen will naturally take in a number of the dressing and dry out barely. I all the time stir in an additional spoonful of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt proper earlier than serving to carry again that excellent, recent creaminess.

Energy: 681kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 52g | Fats: 45g | Saturated Fats: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 15g | Monounsaturated Fats: 10g | Trans Fats: 0.1g | Ldl cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 1102mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

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