Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
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Apple pecan chicken salad is an easy meal that packs a big, satisfying flavor. Use leftover or canned chicken to mix up a delicious sandwich filling or cracker topping that’s full of delicious texture and flavor from pecans, granny smith apples, and the right blend of seasoning.
As a stay-at-home mom, I’m always looking for a satisfying quick lunch I can toss together while my son eats or plays. I go for simple things like Italian pinwheels, a BLT hot dog, and this apple pecan chicken salad.
It’s one of my favorite go-to meals. I can throw it together in minutes, and it lasts several days in the fridge, so I know my meal prep is done. The combination of crisp, tart apple, buttery pecans, and creamy seasoned mayonnaise is delicious and can be enjoyed on your favorite sandwich bread or a crisp cracker!
Recipe Features
- It can be made with canned, drained chicken or by shredding up leftover or rotisserie chicken. (Or Thanksgiving turkey!)
- 10 minutes is all you need to prep, mix, and start enjoying your salad.
- Shelf life is 3-5 days, making this recipe the perfect Sunday meal prep choice.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The ingredients for this recipe are easy to find and may likely be in your pantry already. There are also many ways to change it up with what you have on hand!
- Chicken – Drained canned or shredded chicken breast works well here. Shredded turkey is a good alternative.
- Mayo – Any mayonnaise works, or you can swap in up to half unflavored Greek yogurt. If you use all yogurt, the flavor will be too tart.
- Apples – Use a crisp apple. I prefer the tartness of granny smith, but any will work.
- Pecans – I prefer pecan. Any nut, such as almonds or walnuts, is also a good choice.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Sugar – Plain white granulated sugar adds a needed touch of sugar.
- Lemon Zest & Juice – The tang of the juice and lemony zest add the perfect brightness. If needed, skip the zest and use bottled juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar.
Step by Step Instructions
Making chicken salad is about as simple as it gets. In a big bowl combine everything…then eat! In less than 20 minutes you can prep, mix, and eat a very tasty apple pecan chicken sandwich!
Step 1 – Assemble Ingredients
If needed, shred your chicken. Or, drain your canned chicken and separate any large chunks. Chop the apples and pecans and add them to the chicken. I prefer to keep them bite-sized so it’s easier to eat in sandwich form.
Zest and juice the lemon, then both with the seasonings and mayonnaise.
Step 2 – Mix and serve
Use a spoon or spatula to gently mix the salad until everything is evenly distributed. Pop a generous scoop of salad onto a slice of white wheat bread or honey wheat bread, or scoop it up with a crisp cracker. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, though I find it best within 3 days.
Pro Tips
- If you’re using canned chicken – It tends to be moist, and in large chunks. Break them as you mix so you don’t have large chunks of undressed chicken.
- If you’re using shredded chicken breasts – It tends to ‘drink’ up the mayo, mix gently so it doesn’t get mushy and be willing to add a bit more mayo if needed.
FAQ’s
I’m not a health food expert. This salad does contain mayonnaise and a negligible amount of sugar, but as I said, you are welcome to replace up to half the mayo with nonfat plain Greek yogurt. You’ll need to evaluate your diet and the ingredients to see if it is healthy for you.
No! I’ve never had any browned apples thanks to the mixture of mayonnaise and lemon juice.
I recommend up to 3 days in advance for best quality, but 5 days is the maximum.
I hope you enjoy the creamy and crunchy texture and the light, vibrant flavor of this apple pecan chicken salad. It regularly appears on my lunch ‘menu’ alongside other favorites like summer kale berry salad, chipotle shrimp bowls, and ground chicken parmesan patties. Make lunch easy, and enjoy every bite!
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5 star rating in the recipe card below, or a comment to share your experience with fellow home cooks. I hope you enjoy and as always, Happy Eating!
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 20 ounces shredded chicken canned or fresh*
- 1 medium granny smith apple, diced
- 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2-3/4* cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
Instructions
- If using canned chicken, drain well. Add chicken to a bowl.
- Chop pecans, and finely dice apples. Add to chicken.
- Top with remaining ingredients and stir until well coated.
- Serve on sliced bread, crackers, or just eat it!
Notes
Nutrition
If you made this, please tag me on Instagram or Facebook and share the foodie love with fellow home cooks. Thanks for visiting!
Nutrition information and cooking times are provided as a best estimate. Values may vary based upon ingredients and equipment.
This chicken salad is amazing! The apples and pecans gave it such a nice crunch. Highly recommend serving on croissants. So good!
Amanda, what a great idea, a soft buttery croissant with this salad piled high sounds wonderful. I’m off to buy some now!
Such a tasty salad, we loved the apples and pecans, a delicious combo. Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome Sarah, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am so happy to know you enjoyed it and will make it again!
The chicken salad sandwiches were a huge hit. We had a luncheon yesterday and I made the apple pecan chicken salad for the ladies. They all loved the apple and pecans in the salad. They all wanted the recipe and I gave them your link.
I always love to hear that my recipes were well received! Thanks for sharing it with all your friends. 🙂
This chicken salad is so good. I sometimes eat it on a sandwich or I put it on a salad and eat it like that… either way it’s delicious!
It’s definitely great for a salad topping too! Thanks for giving it a try 🙂
I make this for lunch whenever we have leftover chicken and it’s so delicious! Thanks this great recipe!
I’m glad you enjoy it! Thanks for reviewing!
So delicious! The added apples are so tasty and I love the savory flavors of the thyme and garlic powder! Loved every bite!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorite lunches!
This chicken salad must taste super delicious. I can see how the apples will blend in. I love chicken salads. Definitely adding this to my collection. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
Gosh I love a good chicken sandwich! This looks so good with the green apple and pecans I feel like it should be my dinner tonight!
I hope you end up making it! Enjoy!
This looks like the absolute BEST way to make chicken salad! I cannot wait to try it out!
Thank you! I hope you like it Jessica!
All these flavors sound so amazing together! Can’t wait to try this!
I hope you get a chance to! It’s so easy to make and try out
Love everything with Apple and pecan. Beautiful recipe, will forward it to my sister.
Awesome! I hope your sister enjoys it!
This is the best! I usually like grapes in my chicken salad, but I also love apples for a little extra sweetness and crunch. The best lunch!
Grapes are an excellent choice as well! Glad you liked it 🙂