Sonoma Chicken Salad

I’ve never been a huge fan of chicken salad. However, when I was searching for easy and nutritious lunch recipes a couple of weeks ago, I came across a recipe for Sonoma Chicken Salad. It sounded absolutely delicious, so I gave it a try. I’m so glad I did! You’ll want to try this, too.

Ingredients

(Adapted slightly from this recipe on Cooking Classy.)

• 3 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (about 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts)
• 1 1/2 cups diced celery
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup minced onion (optional)
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the shredded chicken, celery, pecans, dried cranberries, onion and Parmesan cheese. In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients. Once the dressing is blended well, pour it over the chicken mixture and toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve on bread or crackers. Yield: 6-7 servings.

Notes

This chicken salad is like a spring soiree for your taste buds! It’s a little savory and a little sweet with an occasional burst of tartness from the cranberries. The chicken salad was just a little dry for my preferences, so next time I’ll make a little more of the dressing. Aside from this, it was perfect!  If you don’t like cranberries or don’t have them on hand, you could substitute something like grapes or apple. Likewise, you could substitute almonds or walnuts for the pecans.

What’s your favorite way to prepare chicken salad?

Shared at the following:

Modest Monday, Tuesdays with a Twist, Whisk It Wednesday, Weekend Potluck, and Tutorials and Tips Link Party.