Cranberry Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

Cranberry Apple Walnut Chicken Salad is creamy, crunchy and slightly sweet. Plus, there’s a secret ingredient that makes it perfect for fall!

This post was sponsored by Tradewinds Slow-Brewed Iced Tea as part of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of my favorite things to make from leftover chicken is chicken salad. I either plan ahead and cook extra chicken to set aside, or I just go out and buy a rotisserie chicken. Usually, I make Lemon Chicken Apple Salad , which is always a hit with the family. Even the kids like this one! My daughter actually requested this for dinner the other night, but since it’s almost fall, I thought I would put a seasonal spin on our usual chicken salad recipe.

I started out with some baked chicken tenders that I had saved from the previous night’s dinner. I should say that I don’t always plan ahead, but let me tell you, it’s a huge timesaver! In fact, I need to make a mental note to do this more often!

Anyway, this salad is super easy to make. I just added some dried cranberries, green apples and chopped walnuts to the cubes of chicken. Then, I mixed in some spices, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and sour cream.

This dressing is a little lighter than the usual plain mayo, but it’s not as light as our favorite homemade ranch. It’s somewhere in between the two, and it’s got a bit of a tang, which is perfect. My little guy loves mustard, so I add it to many of the creamy salads we have.

I know it’s almost fall, but the weather is still warm here, so this salad is perfect for a light dinner. And to go with it, I poured myself a big old glass of Tradewinds Slow Brewed Iced Tea. I’ve been sipping on this tea all summer long, and there’s no reason to stop now. Actually, here in Phoenix, we pretty much drink tea year round.

Tradewinds Tea is made from real tea leaves, and it’s slow brewed for extra flavor. You can find it comes in a variety of flavors, but the Unsweet is definitely my favorite. It tastes great straight from the container, but I like to add a fresh lemon slice or two. It reminds me of sun tea, but you can enjoy it long after summer is over!

Plus, iced tea is the perfect complement to chicken salad, especially this one. It’s crunchy, creamy, tangy and just slightly sweet. Oh, and remember the secret ingredient I mentioned? It’s cinnamon! Actually, it’s not really meant to be kept a secret, but the Hubs really, really does not like cinnamon. Really.

Why, I don’t know, but let me tell you, apples and cinnamon go so well together. And it totally works in this salad. So, it’ll be our secret — K?

How to Make Cranberry Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

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5 from 1 vote

Cranberry Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

By: Dee

Chicken salad with dried cranberries, apples and walnuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients  

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• ▢ 3 cups cooked chicken cubed
• ▢ 2 cups diced apples about 2 medium
• ▢ 1 cup dried cranberries
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ cup sour cream
• ▢ ½ cup mayonnaise

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Instructions 

• Add the chicken and apples to a large bowl, and drizzle with lemon juice
• Add the dried cranberries, cinnamon, salt, pepper and walnuts
• Stir in the mustard, sour cream and mayo, and mix until well combined
• Refrigerate until ready to serve

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 292mg, Potassium: 146mg, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Vitamin C: 0.8mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 0.8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Even with the extra ingredient, my family just loved this cranberry apple walnut chicken salad. I served it with some fresh spinach leaves on little slider buns, and it was a wonderful quick and easy dinner — my favorite kind!  

And for the perfect beverage to serve along with the salad, here’s where you can find Tradewinds Slow Brewed Iced Tea.

Have a delicious day, friends!