HARVEST CHICKEN SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES AND PECANS

5 from 1 vote

Filled with diced apple, spiced pecans, and dried cranberries, this is a fall twist on classic chicken salad.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Autumn recipes, Chicken Salad, Fall recipes, High protein lunch, Roasted pecans

Servings:

1 cup raw pecans
2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
3 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
½ cup mayonnaise (I used Primal Kitchen Avocado Mayo)
1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
5 cups cooked chicken, diced (see notes for an easy baked chicken breast recipe)
¾ cup apples, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
½ cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup red onion, small diced
Salt and pepper to season

Preheat your oven to 400°F.
In a medium-sized bowl, toss the pecans with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, fresh rosemary, coconut sugar, and about ½ teaspoon of salt.
Add the pecans to a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes, toss, then roast for another 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t burn!
In the meantime, stir together the mayo, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and fresh thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once the pecans have cooled, toss them along with the diced chicken into the maple and thyme mayo mixture. Add in the remainder of your ingredients (chopped apple, chopped celery, dried cranberries, and diced red onion), stirring gently to combine.
Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Eat immediately or store in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Enjoy!

Here’s my super simple baked chicken recipe:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Drizzle 3 to 4 chicken breasts with about 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Add the chicken breasts to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25 to 27 minutes. Use an internal thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked at 165°F. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing.