Crunchy Apple Chicken Salad with Creamy Honey-Dijon Dressing
A sweet and savory chicken salad featuring crisp apples, toasted almonds, and tart cranberries, dressed in a tangy honey-Dijon vinaigrette. Made with rotisserie chicken for convenience, this no-alcohol, pork-free recipe is perfect for bowls, wraps, or sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10
- Yield: 4 servings (approx. 3 cups each) 1x
- Category: quick
- Method: Tossing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
2 cups diced cooked chicken (rotisserie preferred)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries or dried tart cherries
1 cup finely diced apples (Honeycrisp preferred)
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (optional)
1/3 cup mayo
3 tablespoons sour cream (light preferred)
1–1/2 tablespoons honey
1–1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1–1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Make the dressing: Whisk mayo, sour cream, honey, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Adjust sweetness or acidity to taste.
Prepare the salad: In a large bowl, combine chicken, almonds, dried fruit, apples, and green onions. Pour dressing over and toss gently.
Rest and serve: Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to meld flavors. Serve chilled in bowls, wraps, or on bread.
Notes
For a nut-free option: Substitute almonds with toasted pepitas, crushed pistachios, or sunflower seeds.
Swap ingredients: Use pears instead of apples for a milder flavor, or apricots instead of cherries.
Enhance crunch: Add 2 tablespoons crushed celery or water chestnuts.
Avoid over-tossing: Gentle mixing preserves apple chunks and almond slices.
Lighten it up: Replace half the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 cups
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg