This Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad has the perfect amount of flavour and crunch and is completely mayo-free! Serve it up on a lettuce wrap, whole-grain crackers, a sandwich or wrap for a filling and satisfying lunch or snack! {paleo & gluten-free}
I’ll never forget the time when I went to a local coffee shop one day during my lunch break and got the most delicious cranberry apple chicken salad sandwich EVER.
Like seriously.
Who ever came up with this flavour combo is genius.
It had such an impact on me that I still think about this sandwich to this day.
I always had high hopes of reinventing this cranberry apple chicken salad at home and it FINALLY happened a few months ago.
And it totally brought me back to that glorious day of demolishing that chicken salad sandwich in that cute cafe.
Now here’s the thing.
Most creamy salads are made with mayo and we aren’t mayo lovers in our house. So my big challenge was coming up with a mayo-free alternative that still had that same creamy texture and lots of flavour.
Enter this amazing cashew cream sauce (AKA a tasty replacement for mayo)!
How to Make the Mayo-free Cashew Cream Sauce
The trick to getting cashews to blend up into a creamy sauce is to soak them in water for at least 2 hours. Simply pour the cashews in a bowl and cover with water. That’s it.
Next, toss the cashews, garlic, water and salt into a blender. I like to use our ninja blender to make these types of sauces since it makes it really smooth and creamy without any chunks.
So this is the secret to creating a creamy sauce for the salad with no mayo required!
How to Cook the Chicken
My favourite method to produce nice and juicy chicken breasts is to cook them in the slow-cooker. Simply take about one pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts and distribute them evenly in the bottom of your slow cooker.
Season with salt and pepper. You don’t need to add any liquid as long as the chicken breasts are cooked in a single layer.
Generally, cooking the chicken for three hours on low is a good amount of time to reach the proper internal temperature of 165 degrees F. This time may vary slightly depending on the brand of slow cooker that you use.
If you prefer another method, you can also bake the chicken at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. Simply, place them on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and bake until no longer pink.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for the easiest method, you could use a pre-made rotisserie chicken chopped up.
What ever method you choose, you’ll need two cups of diced chicken for this salad.
What you’ll need for this cranberry Apple Chicken Salad
So we chatted about the cashew cream sauce and chicken, but there are a few other crucial ingredients to really make the flavours of this salad POP!
For the base of this salad, you’ll need:
- Diced chicken breast
- Dried cranberries
- Fresh diced apple
- Chopped pecans
- Diced green onion
It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Optimizing the Flavours in this Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad
This chicken salad tastes so much better when it’s had a chance to sit in the fridge for a little while. I recommend letting it sit for at least a half an hour in the fridge to absorb the flavours and moisture from the cashew cream sauce.
Because no one wants to eat dry tasteless chicken!
That being said, you’ll probably want to eat it within three days of being in the fridge as it generally tastes best when freshly prepared.
How to Serve this Cranberry Chicken Salad
The beauty of this salad is that it can be served up in so many different ways. It can be eaten warm or cold which makes it even more versatile!
Better yet, the ingredients taste great with so many different options.
Can you really go wrong with chicken salad with cranberries, apples and pecans?!
Definitely NOT!
You can serve it on:
- Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves
- Whole-grain bread as a sandwich
- Whole-grain tortilla as a wrap
- On a bed of lettuce or spinach
- Topped on crackers
Can I freeze this cranberry apple chicken salad?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this recipe as it might result in a funny texture once thawed.
Although some chicken salads might be appropriate to freeze, this one is generally best when eaten fresh.
How would you enjoy this delicious chicken salad?
More protein-packed salad recipes to love:
- Avocado Egg Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea salad
- Asian Quinoa & Edamame Salad
- Mayo-free tuna salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Paleo Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely diced chicken breast
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 small apple diced finely
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the creamy sauce:
- 1/2 cup unsalted roasted cashews
- 3/4 cup water or more for a thinner consistency
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Allow cashews to soak in water for at least 2 hours. Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a powerful blender.
- Mix together the chicken, dried cranberries, apple, pecans, and green onion in a medium bowl.
- Add the creamy sauce and toss mixture until everything is coated in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place in the fridge for later or serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Made this and ate it on organic back to nature pepper crackers. <3
Ooh that sounds deliciious! This salad would taste so good paired with some crunchy crackers! Thanks for the idea! :)