It’s perfect for busy weekdays, packed lunches, or even your holiday table. And the best part? It takes just 10 minutes to throw together!
Why You’ll Love Chicken Cranberry Salad
- High in protein: Approximately 28g per serving, thanks to lean chicken breast and Greek yogurt.
- Sweet and savory: Dried cranberries add a delicious pop of sweetness that balances the tangy dressing.
- Perfect for meal prep: Make it ahead and enjoy it throughout the week.
- Easy to customize: Swap ingredients or add your favorite fruits, nuts, and veggies.
- No cooking required: Use store-bought grilled chicken or leftover chicken for a quick meal.
How to Serve Chicken Cranberry Salad
This salad is incredibly versatile, making it perfect for lunch, meal prep, or a quick snack.
- In a sandwich: Serve between slices of whole-grain bread with fresh lettuce.
- In a wrap: Roll it into a whole-wheat tortilla with spinach or shredded carrots.
- In lettuce cups: Spoon into crisp romaine or butter lettuce leaves for a fresh, lighter option.
- Over greens: Add a generous scoop to a bowl of mixed greens for an easy protein-packed lunch.
- With crackers: Serve with whole-grain crackers, cucumber slices, or bell pepper strips for a quick snack or lunchbox option.
- On a holiday platter: Serve in a bowl surrounded by crackers and fresh vegetables for an easy festive appetizer.
FAQs
Absolutely! Replace the light mayonnaise with additional Greek yogurt. The dressing will be slightly tangier but still creamy and delicious.
Definitely. In fact, I recommend chilling it for at least 20–30 minutes before serving. It’s also a great make-ahead lunch for busy days.
This is one of my favorite kinds of recipes to prepare ahead of a busy week. It takes just 10 minutes to put together, and the flavors get even better after chilling.
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, provided the cooked chicken is still within its safe storage window.
Keep it cold: Since this salad contains chicken and dairy, refrigerate promptly and keep it chilled when traveling.
Pack separately: If making sandwiches or wraps ahead of time, store the filling separately to prevent soggy bread.
Add crunch later: For the best texture, add nuts right before serving.
Avoid freezing: The creamy yogurt-based dressing can separate after thawing.
Light Chicken Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast shredded or finely diced (I used store-bought grilled chicken)
- 1/4 small red onion finely diced
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- Optional: 2 tbsp chopped pecans for extra crunch
For the light creamy dressing:
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Easy Swaps:
- Chicken: Use leftover roasted chicken, rotisserie chicken. Leftover turkey is another delicious option, especially after Thanksgiving!
- Dried cranberries: Try dried cherries, raisins, diced fresh apples, or halved red grapes for natural sweetness.
- Red onion: Swap for finely diced celery if you prefer a milder flavor and extra crunch. You can also use both!
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, red onion or celery, dried cranberries, and green onions. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, honey, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and salt until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken salad and toss to coat evenly. Add the chopped pecans if using.
- Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
- Spoon into sandwiches, wraps, lettuce cups, or over your favorite greens.
Notes
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, provided the cooked chicken is still within its safe storage window.
Keep it cold: Since this salad contains chicken and dairy, refrigerate promptly and keep it chilled when traveling.
Pack separately: If making sandwiches or wraps ahead of time, store the filling separately to prevent soggy bread.
Add crunch later: For the best texture, add nuts right before serving.
Avoid freezing: The creamy yogurt-based dressing can separate after thawing.