Chicken Pecan Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken, crunchy pecans, and crisp celery come together with a creamy dressing for a fresh lunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Nuts

02 - 1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and roughly chopped

→ Vegetables & Fruit

03 - 1 cup celery, finely diced
04 - 1/2 cup red grapes, halved
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

→ Dressing

06 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
07 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (or additional mayonnaise)
08 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, mix the cooked chicken, toasted pecans, diced celery, halved grapes, and chopped red onion until evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
03 - Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and gently toss to ensure all ingredients are well coated.
04 - Taste the salad and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
05 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top before serving chilled as a main dish or alongside lettuce leaves, croissants, or preferred bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes and tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • The pecans stay crunchy, the dressing stays creamy, and everything somehow gets better the next day if you have leftovers.
  • This is the kind of dish that works just as well at a casual lunch as it does when you're trying to seem thoughtful.
02 -
  • If you make this ahead, keep the parsley separate and add it just before serving, or it'll turn dark and sad.
  • Toast your own pecans if you can—the difference between raw and toasted is the difference between a good salad and one people actually remember.
03 -
  • Buy the best mayonnaise and yogurt you can find—they're the main players here, and quality actually matters.
  • If your dressing ever breaks or looks thin, whisk in another tablespoon of mayo and it'll come right back to silky life.

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