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Apple Pecan Chicken Salad – Cozy Dinner Recipe

Apple pecan chicken salad combines chilled chicken, crisp apple, celery, and toasted pecans in a creamy lemon-Dijon dressing. Serve it over spring mix for a quick, cool dinner with a satisfying crunch.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Refrigeration 20 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chicken salad
  • 0.5 cup pecans chopped
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.125 tsp black pepper
  • 3 cup chicken cooked, chilled, chopped
  • 1 apple medium (about 1 cup), cored and diced
  • 0.5 cup celery finely diced
For serving
  • 5 oz spring mix

Method
 

Make the chicken salad
  1. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
  2. Transfer the pecans to a plate to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
  4. Add the chicken, apple, celery, and cooled pecans, then fold until everything is evenly coated.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Serve
  1. Divide the spring mix among four plates and top with the chicken salad.

Notes

Toast the pecans until fragrant for the best crunch. Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended. For a lighter option, replace part of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.