Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Nuts: Your New Favorite Lunch
PUBLISHED ON: 04.22.2025
If you are looking for a healthy chicken salad recipe that hits every note. Savory, crunchy and creamy, this chicken salad with cranberries and nuts is about to be your new lunchtime BFF.
Seriously, it’s like your classic chicken salad went to a fancy picnic and came back with a glow-up.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Salad:
First of all, let’s talk texture: you’ve got tender, juicy cooked chicken (rotisserie works), crisp celery, crunchy nuts (pick your fave: pecans, walnuts, or almonds), and chewy bursts of sweet-tart cranberries. There is the dressing creamy but balanced, thanks to the tang of sour cream (or Greek yogurt if you’re going that route), a hint of honey sweetness, and a little Dijon sass.
It’s fresh. It’s satisfying. It’s not mayo overload. And thanks to that handful of fresh dill, it feels bright and garden-fresh.
Chicken Salad with Cranberry and Nuts
Serves 10-12
Ingredients:
2-1/2 lbs. cooked chicken breast or meat pulled from a rotisserie chicken, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup chopped nuts (Pick your favorite: pecans, walnuts, almonds)
1 cup dried cranberries
A handful of fresh dill, chopped
For the Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream (full fat Greek Yogurt works too)
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise , sour cream (or Greek yogurt), honey, Dijon mustard, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as needed.
In a large bowl, toss together your chicken, celery, nuts, cranberries, and dill.
Pour the dressing over the top and stir it all together until everything’s coated.
Chill for 30 minutes (if you can wait that long).
How to Serve It
This chicken salad with cranberries and nuts is incredibly versatile. Pile it onto croissants or crusty bread for a next-level sandwich, serve it over a bed of greens for a lighter option, or spoon it into lettuce cups for a cute, low-carb vibe.
Planning a brunch or picnic? This is your secret weapon. It holds up well in the fridge, tastes even better the next day, and makes enough to feed a hungry crew.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re meal-prepping for the week or whipping up something easy for a casual get-together, this chicken salad delivers. It’s hearty, healthy-ish, and just feels a little fancy without any extra work. Plus, it’s one of those rare recipes that people actually ask you for.
So go ahead make a batch. Cheers to your new favorite lunch.
Jena
Love Chicken Salad! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
David Scott Allen
This looks wonderful, Velva—fruit and nuts with chicken are a natural! It will be a perfect summer meal for us!
David @ Spiced
I love the use of fresh dill here, Velva! I’ve actually been thinking about chicken salad for a week or two now, and then this recipe pops up…it’s like the universe is confirming that I do indeed need to make a batch of chicken salad. I can’t wait to try this version!
Mimi Rippee
Sounds wonderful! I also use half mayo and half sour cream. I love that combo.
Pam Lamb
Thanks Velva, I’m making it this week. We love a good chicken salad.
Jeff the Chef
l love chicken salad! It’s one of the common things I bring to work in my lunch, I do love your ingredients – I’ve never used sour cream, and I think it sounds delicious.
angiesrecipes
That looks so delicious! Do you still have anything left for me to make a sandwich?
Lea Ann
Love everything about this recipe.
Ann Coleman
That sounds so much better than traditional chicken salad!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Chicken, dried fruit, and nuts – that’s indeed a perfect kind of salad we enjoy often. I may skip the celery part, though 🙂
Freda
I think I’m going to really love the dressing on this salad.
YUMMO!!!
sherry
this sounds great. I like to add cranberries to my chicken salad too!
cheers
sherry
Marcelle
This really does look like my new favorite lunch 😉 I’ve got bread baking in my bread maker right now so I’ll have an excellent sandwich soon, I’m totally make this over the weekend. Thanks, Velva!
hena
Oh yum.. that looks great.
Raymund
This chicken salad is the ultimate lunch upgrade, sweet cranberries, crunchy nuts, and that tangy-sweet dressing? Chef’s kiss. Love how rotisserie chicken makes it a breeze (and that dill adds such a fresh punch). Now I’m torn between stuffing it in a croissant or eating it straight from the bowl.
Yeah, Another Blogger
I’m ready to eat this between two slices of rustic bread. Great recipe!
Neil S.