Make the best Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe with juicy chicken, sweet-tart cranberries, crunchy add-ins, and a creamy dressing!

There’s something instantly craveable about a Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe—that perfect balance of juicy chicken, tart pops of cranberry, creamy dressing, and little bursts of crunch in every single bite.

Ingredients For Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe

For The Chicken

• You have two great options here. Use whichever fits your life today.
• Cooked chicken breast or thighs, shredded or diced – 3 cups (about 1–1.25 lb cooked)
• Rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken, or freshly poached chicken all work beautifully.

For The Dressing

• Mayonnaise – ½ cup
• Plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%) – ⅓ cup
• Dijon mustard – 2 tsp
• Fresh lemon juice – 2 tbsp
• Honey or maple syrup – 1–1½ tbsp (for balance, not dessert level)
• Apple cider vinegar – 1 tsp
• Fine sea salt – ¾–1 tsp, to taste
• Black pepper – ½ tsp, freshly ground
• Garlic powder – ¼ tsp
• Onion powder – ¼ tsp

For The Mix-Ins

• Dried cranberries – ½–⅔ cup, roughly chopped
• Celery – 2 ribs, finely diced (about ½ cup)
• Red onion or green onions – 2–3 tbsp, finely minced
• Apple (crisp variety like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala) – 1 small, diced small
• Toasted pecans or walnuts – ½ cup, chopped
• Fresh parsley – 2 tbsp, finely chopped

Optional extra freshness: 1 tbsp fresh dill or tarragon, finely chopped

For Serving

• Choose your own adventure; this salad works hard for all of them:
• Butter lettuce leaves or romaine hearts
• Croissants, toasted sourdough, or whole-grain bread
• Tortillas for wraps
• Crackers for snacking platters

How To Prep The Juiciest Chicken

If you already have leftover or rotisserie chicken, skip straight to chopping in the next section. If not, this is how you cook chicken that actually tastes like something.

Poached Chicken Method (My Go-To For Salad)

• Place 1–1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs in a medium pot in a single layer.
• Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
• Add a smashed garlic clove, a few onion slices, and a bay leaf if you have them. Flavor layers never hurt.
• Pour in enough cold water or chicken broth to cover the chicken by about 1 inch. Starting from cold helps the chicken heat gently and stay tender.
• Set the pot over medium heat.
• Watch the surface: once tiny bubbles start moving up from the bottom and a few break the surface (a bare simmer, not a rolling boil), lower the heat.
• Keep it at this gentle, quiet simmer.
• Cook for 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness.
• Check the thickest piece: slice it open; the center should look opaque and juicy, no pink at all. If you use a thermometer, aim for 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
• Turn off the heat. Leave the chicken in the hot liquid for 5–10 minutes. This rest keeps it juicy and lets the temperature even out.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate. Let it cool to room temperature, then chill slightly in the fridge if you want very clean slices or cubes.
• For a more rustic, tender texture, shred with two forks into bite-sized pieces.
• For a cleaner, deli-style look, cut into small cubes, roughly ½-inch pieces.

Whichever route you pick, aim for small enough to scoop, big enough to still feel like chicken, not paste.

Now you have a base that tastes like something more than “protein.”

How To Build The Creamy, Tangy Dressing

This dressing carries the entire bowl, so it deserves a full moment.

1. Start With The Creamy Base

In a medium mixing bowl, add:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
• Whisk until they form a smooth, unified mixture. No lumps, no streaks.

2. Add The Sharp And Sweet Notes

Whisk in:

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1–1½ tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Taste a tiny bit. You want bright, tangy, and lightly sweet, not sugary. The cranberries still have a job to do.

3. Season Like You Mean It

Add:

• ¾ tsp salt to start
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• Whisk again until the dressing looks creamy and slightly thick.

4. Adjust Consistency

• The dressing should cling to a spoon and fall in a thick ribbon.
• If it feels too thick for your taste, whisk in 1–2 tsp water or milk until it loosens slightly.
• This salad tastes best when everything looks lightly, evenly coated, not swimming in liquid.
• Set the dressing aside for a second. It keeps its mood while you chop everything else.

How To Turn Ingredients Into The Dreamy Cranberry Chicken Salad

Now you move from separate little bowls to one big, glorious one.

1. Chop Everything To The Right Size

Chicken

• If you haven’t already, cut or shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• Aim for ½-inch pieces, give or take. Consistent size gives you even texture in every bite.

Celery

• Slice each rib lengthwise into 2–3 thin strips, then crosswise into tiny dice.
• Tiny cubes give crunch without overwhelming the salad.
• Red Onion Or Green Onion
• Mince 2–3 tbsp finely.
• If you use red onion and worry about sharpness, soak the minced onion in cold water for 5–10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. That softens the bite.

Apple

• Core the apple, then dice into small pieces similar in size to the chicken, but slightly smaller.
• Leave the skin on for color and texture, unless that bothers you.

Dried Cranberries

• Roughly chop them so they distribute throughout instead of hiding in clusters.

Pecans Or Walnuts

• Toast them lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, then cool and chop. Warm nuts release more flavor, and you’ll taste that effort later.

Herbs

• Finely chop parsley and any extra herbs (dill or tarragon).
• Tiny bits of herb scatter through the salad and give flavor in every forkful.

2. Combine Chicken And Dressing First

• In a large mixing bowl, place your 3 cups chopped or shredded chicken.
• Pour about ¾ of the dressing over the chicken.
• Toss gently with a spatula or large spoon until every piece of chicken looks lightly coated.
• Coating the chicken first gives you flavor in the meat itself, not just on the outside of the whole salad.

3. Fold In The Crunch And Sweetness

Add to the bowl:

• Celery
• Red onion / green onions
• Diced apple
• Chopped dried cranberries
• Toasted nuts
• Chopped parsley and other herbs
• Use a spatula to fold everything together gently. Scoop from the bottom and turn over the top rather than stirring aggressively. That keeps the chicken pieces intact.

Look at the mixture:

• If it looks dry or underdressed, add more of the remaining dressing a spoonful at a time.
• You want a glossy salad where every piece looks coated but not drowned.
• Taste for seasoning.
• Add a pinch more salt, a crack of black pepper, or a squeeze more lemon juice if it needs more brightness.
• You’re building something you eat straight from the bowl while “just tasting.” That is the goal.

4. Chill So The Flavors Settle In

• I know you want to dive in right away. Give it just a bit of time.
• Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.
• Chill in the fridge for at least 30–60 minutes.
• This resting time lets the cranberries plump slightly, the flavors blend, and the dressing cling better to everything.
• Right before serving, give the salad a quick stir and one last tiny taste check.

How To Serve Your Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe Like A Pro

This is where you turn “just chicken salad” into something that looks intentional.

• Lettuce Cups: Spoon the salad into butter lettuce or romaine leaves. This works beautifully for lighter lunches or party platters.
• Croissant Sandwiches: Slice croissants horizontally, tuck in a big scoop of salad, and add a leaf of lettuce for structure. This turns lunch into something that feels like a treat.
• Toasted Bread Open-Face: Toast slices of sourdough or whole-grain bread until crisp, then pile the salad high. A few extra cranberries or nuts sprinkled on top look gorgeous.
• Wraps: Spread the salad onto a tortilla, add some sliced cucumber or greens, roll tightly, and slice in half. This version packs well for work days.
• Snack-Board Style: Scoop the salad into a bowl and surround it with crackers, toasted baguette slices, and sliced veggies. Suddenly chicken salad turns into a very persuasive snack board.

Shelf Life

Here’s the honest breakdown from how this behaves in a real kitchen:

• Day 1: The texture is at its peak: crunchy, creamy, bright. Perfect for guests, sandwiches, or photos if you run a food page (which you do).
• Day 2–3: Still excellent. The flavors settle even more, and the cranberries soften slightly. Keep an eye on the apple; a little lemon juice already protects it from browning, but smaller dice always help.
• Day 4: Still safe if stored cold the whole time, but the celery loses some crunch and the dressing thickens. At this point, I treat it as “lunch for myself,” not something I serve to guests.

After Day 4: I don’t push it. At that point, food safety wins over frugality.

Freezing isn’t a good idea here. The creamy dressing and fresh vegetables lose their texture once thawed, so I stick to refrigerating only and prefer to make a fresh batch instead of freezing.

When you scoop this Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe onto a toasted slice of bread or spoon it into lettuce cups and take that first bite, you’ll taste every little decision you just made: the juicy chicken, the balanced dressing, the sharp onion, the sweet cranberries, the crunch of nuts.

Save this one, tweak it to your own rhythm over time, and let it become one of those recipes your people recognize instantly. Future you, standing in front of the fridge, grateful for a ready bowl of this Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe, will be very happy with present you.