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Cranberry Chicken Salad is my favorite way to turn leftover chicken into a sweet, savory, 15 minute lunch the whole family loves. I make a big bowl after every holiday so Maddie and Lizzie can build croissant sandwiches all week on busy afternoons. If you love an easy no cook meal, you will want this next to our best classic chicken salad in your lunch rotation.
Tender chicken gets tossed with dried cranberries, crunchy walnuts, and crisp celery in a tangy homemade dressing for a salad that is creamy, sweet, and savory all at once.
Cranberry Chicken Salad Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 346kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy, savory, sweet tart with crunchy walnuts
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our classic chicken salad
Quick Answer
Combine cooked shredded chicken with celery, scallion, dried cranberries, walnuts, and parsley. Whisk mayonnaise with garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, mustard, Worcestershire, sugar, salt, and pepper, then toss about half the dressing into the chicken, adding more until creamy. Serve on croissants, bread, or greens.
Jump to:
- Cranberry Chicken Salad Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Cranberry Chicken Salad
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Cranberry Chicken Salad FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Lunch Recipes
- Cranberry Chicken Salad
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Leftover chicken makes it effortless. Using cooked rotisserie or leftover chicken means this comes together in 15 minutes with no cooking required.
- Cranberries and walnuts add sweet crunch. Dried cranberries bring a sweet tart pop and chopped walnuts add buttery crunch in every bite.
- A scratch dressing beats plain mayo. Whisking the mayo with mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, and a little sugar gives the salad a tangy, savory, perfectly balanced flavor.
- Celery and scallion for fresh bite. Diced celery and sliced scallion keep the salad crisp and fresh instead of heavy.
- Dressing it gradually. Adding the dressing a little at a time lets you control the creaminess so the salad is coated but never gloopy.
- It is endlessly versatile. Pile it on a croissant, scoop it onto greens, or stuff it into an avocado for a different meal every time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It takes just 15 minutes and no cooking, perfect for using up leftover chicken or a rotisserie bird.
- The mix of creamy dressing, sweet cranberries, and crunchy walnuts makes it feel special enough for a lunch with friends.
- It is endlessly versatile, just like our best classic chicken salad, and works on croissants, bread, or greens.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes this cranberry chicken salad so good. See the recipe card below for the exact amounts.
- Cooked chicken: Shredded or diced rotisserie, leftover, or poached chicken all work. It is the easy, protein packed base.
- Dried cranberries and walnuts: The sweet tart and crunchy combo that makes this chicken salad special.
- Mayonnaise: The creamy base of the dressing. Use a good quality mayo for the best flavor.
- Whole grain mustard and Worcestershire: These add tang and savory depth, the same flavor boosters in our egg salad sandwich.
- Celery, scallion, and parsley: Fresh, crisp add ins that keep every bite bright and crunchy.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few easy ways to make this cranberry chicken salad your own.
- Swap the cranberries for halved grapes for a classic version like our chicken salad with grapes.
- Use pecans or sliced almonds in place of the walnuts, or leave the nuts out entirely.
- Add a chopped apple for extra crunch and sweetness, or a handful of crumbled feta.
- Make it a sandwich on a flaky croissant, or lighten it up over greens like our avocado tuna salad.
How to Make Cranberry Chicken Salad
- Place the shredded or diced cooked chicken in a large bowl with the celery, scallion, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, and parsley.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, whole grain mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Pour about half the dressing over the chicken mixture and toss to coat, adding more a little at a time until it is as creamy as you like.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, then chill or serve right away on croissants, bread, or a bed of greens.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use cold, cooked chicken so the salad stays food safe and the dressing clings better.
- Add the dressing gradually. Start with half and add more until it is as creamy as you like.
- Chill before serving for 30 minutes if you have time, so the flavors meld together.
- Chop everything to a similar size so you get a little of each ingredient in every bite.
- Toast the walnuts for a few minutes for even deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Serve it on a croissant or alongside our creamy macaroni salad for an easy lunch spread.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This cranberry chicken salad is a lunch hero. Pile it high on a buttery croissant, tuck it between slices of bread, wrap it in a tortilla, or scoop it onto a bed of crisp greens. It travels well too, making it a packable favorite for work lunches, road trips, and picnics in the park.
It is perfect for showers, picnics, and holiday leftovers. Serve it with our creamy macaroni salad and a plate of cheddar bacon ranch stuffed celery for an easy spread.
It is a great way to use up leftover roast or rotisserie chicken, the same way we repurpose holiday meat into our cast iron ham and Swiss sliders.
Cranberry Chicken Salad FAQs
Any cooked chicken works for cranberry chicken salad. Rotisserie chicken is the easiest, but leftover roast chicken or poached, shredded chicken breast are all great. To poach your own, simmer boneless breasts in salted water for about 15 minutes until cooked through, then cool and shred. Just remove the skin and chill the chicken before mixing so the salad stays cold and creamy.
Store cranberry chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Because it is mayo based, keep it cold and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours.
Yes. It is a great make ahead dish. The flavor actually improves after a few hours in the fridge, so it is perfect for prepping a day before a party or lunch.
Freezing is not recommended because the mayonnaise based dressing separates and the celery turns watery when thawed. It is best made fresh and kept in the fridge.
Serve it on croissants, sandwich bread, crackers, or a bed of greens. It pairs well with soup, a simple side salad, fresh fruit, or chips for an easy lunch. For a party platter, set out mini croissants and lettuce cups so guests can build their own, and add a bowl of pasta or macaroni salad on the side to round out the spread.
Swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt to cut calories while keeping it creamy. You can also reduce the nuts and serve it over greens instead of bread.
Looking for more easy lunches? Try our egg salad sandwich next, then come back and tell us how your cranberry chicken salad turned out.
For a fresh, lighter lunch, try our waldorf chicken salad with apples, grapes, and a Greek yogurt dressing.
Add our chicken bacon ranch wrap to your lunch rotation for an easy, filling meal.
Cranberry Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded or diced leftover chicken skins removed
- 1/4 cup celery medium dice
- 1 scallion thinly sliced
- 1/8 cup dried cranberries
- 1/8 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
For the dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- 5 cracks fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken, celery, scallion, cranberries, walnuts, and parsley in a large bowl, set aside.2 cups shredded or diced leftover chicken, 1/4 cup celery, 1 scallion, 1/8 cup dried cranberries, 1/8 cup chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, garlic, vinegar, oregano, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper.1 cup mayonnaise, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, pinch kosher salt, 5 cracks fresh black pepper
- Add the dressing to the chicken mixture, only add about half and toss to coat. Add more if needed.
Notes
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh celery and scallions enhance the flavor and crunch.
- Adjust to Taste: Feel free to tweak the amounts of black pepper or kosher salt based on your personal preference.
- Chill Before Serving: Let the salad sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Serve Creatively: Enjoy it in a lettuce wrap, on a green salad, or with apple slices for a low carb option.
- Double the Dressing: The extra makes a great salad dressing for other dishes.
- Leftover Turkey Works Too: This is a great way to use leftover turkey after the holidays.
Nutrition
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Karen Doan