Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Pecans
This cranberry pecan chicken salad is one of my favorite easy lunches when I want something filling but still fresh and flavorful. Made with chicken, apples, dried cranberries, pecans, and a creamy tahini dressing instead of mayo, it has the perfect balance of sweet, crunchy, and savory. It comes together quickly with pre-cooked chicken and is great for sandwiches, wraps, lettuce cups, crackers, or simple meal prep lunches throughout the week.
I make recipes like this because I’m always looking for easy ways to turn leftover or prepped protein into something I actually want to eat again. Chicken salad is one of my go-to lunches because it’s quick to throw together, keeps well for days, and doesn’t require much energy to make. Since I don’t love mayo-based salads, I started using creamy tahini dressings instead, and this version quickly became one of my favorites. It’s simple, high protein, and one of those recipes that makes lunch feel easy instead of like another thing to figure out.
If you’re into easy lunches like this, you might also love my dill tuna salad, green goddess chickpea bowls, or buffalo tuna salad. Same low-effort energy, just different flavors to keep lunch interesting.
Ingredient spotlight
This is not a full list of the ingredients, but a quick spotlight on some of the most important ingredients. Please see the recipe card for the full ingredient list.
- Cooked Chicken – You can use chopped or shredded chicken for this recipe, including chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or rotisserie chicken. If using rotisserie chicken, just remove the skin before chopping.
- Celery, Apple & Red Onion – Dice everything fairly small so you get a little crunch and flavor in every bite. I like sweeter apples like Fuji or Pink Lady, but Granny Smith works great if you want a slightly less sweet flavor.
- Pecans – Pecans add crunch and pair really well with the cranberries and apples. You can swap them for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds if preferred.
- Tahini – Tahini replaces the mayo in this recipe and gives the dressing a creamy texture. It’s made from ground sesame seeds and is usually found near the nut butters at the grocery store.
How to make cranberry pecan chicken salad
Start by making the dressing. In a bowl combine the tahini, apple cider vinegar, salt, garlic powder and dried thyme. Finely chop the celery, red onion and apple (you can leave the skin on the apple). Add it to a bowl with chopped chicken and dried cranberries. Pour the tahini dressing on top and stir well. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tips for success
- This is a great way to use leftover turkey – Have leftover turkey from the holidays? It works perfectly in this recipe.
- Soak the dried cranberries for softer texture – If your dried cranberries are very dry, soak them in hot water for a few minutes to help plump them up before adding to the salad.
- Perfect for meal prep or parties – This recipe is easy to double for lunches throughout the week or to serve at gatherings.
No Mayo Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken, chopped or shredded
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- ½ medium apple (Fuji, Pink Lady or Granny Smith), chopped
- 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4.5 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In the bottom of the bowl or in a separate container, combine all the ingredients for the dressing.3 tablespoons tahini, 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 4.5 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon dried sage, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Chop or shred the chicken, add it to a large bowl for mixing the salad.2 cups chicken, chopped or shredded
- Chop the celery and apple into a small dice, finely chop the red onion. Add to the bowl with the chicken.2 stalks celery, chopped, ½ medium apple (Fuji, Pink Lady or Granny Smith), chopped, 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
- You can finely chop the pecans for smaller pieces in the salad or roughly chop them for larger more prominent pieces of pecans. Add the pecans to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.3 tablespoons pecans, chopped
- Add the dried cranberries to the salad (soak them ahead if you want them to be plump in the salad).1/4 cup dried cranberries
- Add the dressing if it's not already in the bottom of the bowl and stir well to ensure all the salad ingredients are well coated in the dressing.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge for 30 minutes – 2 hours to allow all the ingredients to get really cold and the flavors to combine more.
- Serve cold or at room temperature. See ideas for serving below.
Recipe Notes
- Use any cooked chicken you have on hand – Shredded or chopped chicken both work well here. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut, just remove the skin before using.
- Let the salad rest before serving if possible – For the best flavor, let the chicken salad sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours so the flavors have time to come together.
- Swap the onion if needed – If you don’t love red onion, green onion works great instead.
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Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you’re using leftover chicken, be sure to factor in how long the chicken has already been stored before making the salad.
Nutrition Information
How to serve
- As a sandwich: serve with bread, rolls or even croissants
- As a wrap: Serve with tortillas or homemade flatbread or lettuce wraps
- Crackers: Serve with your favorite crackers, I love almond flax crackers or pumpkin sunflower seed crackers.
How to make chicken for chicken salad
This recipe is great with any cooked chicken you have on hand, including rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken from meal prep.
If you want to quickly make chicken specifically for chicken salad, my favorite is instant pot shredded chicken thighs, but you can also make shredded chicken in the crockpot.
For a simple stovetop method, cover chicken breasts with water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and easy to shred.
