Chicken Pecan Apple Salad (Printable)

A fresh mix of chicken, toasted pecans, apples, and celery tossed in a creamy dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (approximately 10.5 oz)

→ Nuts

02 - 3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted and roughly chopped

→ Fruits & Vegetables

03 - 1 large apple, cored and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

→ Dressing

06 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
07 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
08 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Mixed salad greens, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool, then chop roughly.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, toasted pecans, diced apple, sliced celery, and red onion.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed to enhance flavor.
06 - Serve chilled or at room temperature on a bed of mixed salad greens, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes flat, and most of that is just letting things cool and chop.
  • The pecans stay crunchy and the apple keeps everything bright instead of heavy.
  • Works great for meal prep—it actually tastes better the next day once the flavors settle.
02 -
  • Dice your apple right before mixing—it browns quickly, and nobody wants a sad brown salad.
  • Don't skip toasting the pecans unless you actually like the taste of disappointment; raw pecans are mealy and forgettable, but toasted ones are the whole point.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store—it tastes better than homemade boiled chicken and saves you 20 minutes of cooking time.
  • A small pinch of smoked paprika in the dressing adds a whisper of depth that nobody can identify but everyone notices.

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