This Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad recipe is filled with toasted sliced almonds, chewy dried cranberries and fresh celery for a little crunch. Dressed with a creamy poppy seed dressing and seasoned to perfection. It's one of those tummy filling dishes that you'll love to make.
Easy Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad Recipe
The prepared poppy seed dressing adds a nice edge, too. You can serve this chicken salad on warm buttered croissants, your favorite slider roll or scoop it onto a fresh lettuce leaf. Today, I was fortunate to find fresh Maui Onion Rolls at my local market, and I must say, they were over the top filled with this delightful chicken salad and dressed simply with lettuce for a little extra crunch.
How to Make the Best Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad Recipe
Chicken salads recipes are as plentiful as there are cooks to create them. We all have our own little something we bring to the table personalized to our own taste. Made in advance, this chicken salad can be chilling in the fridge and ready for sandwiches and snacking on busy days. There are so many variations of chicken salad and I think I enjoy each and every one equally. I particularly love this fruit and nut laced version for the added texture of the chewy dried cranberries, and the nutty flavor from the toasted almonds.
- Ingredients you'll need to make homemade Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad: Toasted almonds, chopped rotisserie chicken, diced celery and dried cranberries.
- For the homemade dressing you'll need: Mayonnaise, prepared poppy seed dressing, fresh chives, onion, powder, salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
- Kitchen gadgets you'll need: A large mixing bowl, a sheet pan to toast the almonds, a whisk, measuring cups and spoons, a sharp knife and chopping board.
- You can use poached chicken, roasted chicken or grilled chicken in this recipe.
- It's well worth the small amount of effort that it takes to toast the almonds for the depth of flavor it lends to the nuts and the chicken salad overall.
- You can make this chicken salad one day in advance and chill in the refrigerator until serving.
- You can serve this salad on rolls, on a bed of lettuce, stuffed into mini croissants as an appetizer or turn it into a wrap.
- Store leftover Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Southern Style Chicken Salad Recipes to Make
- For game day or appetizer options we enjoy Hot Chicken Salad with chips or crackers for dipping.
- Southern Style Chicken Salad on a bed of lettuce or stuffed into a Kaiser roll makes for a light meal or between meal snacking.
- Waldorf Chicken Salad is a fusion of two classics.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Layer Salad is dressed with homemade Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing. (Better than Chick fil A!)
- Add some spice to the menu with this Curried Chicken Salad.
- You may also love a lighter take on chicken salad with this Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad with Grapes from a Dish of Daily Life.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 469kcal
Ingredients
- Dressing:
- 1 cup real mayonnaise
- ⅔ cup prepared poppyseed salad dressing
- 2 tablespoon chopped chives
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salad:
- 4-5 cups chopped roasted chicken
- ⅔ cup celery finely diced
- ⅓ cup toasted almond slices
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- To serve:
- 8 fresh onion rolls croissants, slider rolls
- green leaf or bibb lettuce leaves separated
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until combined.
- Stir in the chopped chicken, celery, toasted almond slices and dried cranberries. Mix gently until combined. Adjust amount of dressing, if desired.
- Chill for 4 hours.
- Serve on onion rolls, croissants or slider rolls dressed with green leaf or bibb lettuce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 1017mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!
My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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Boo
Wow, this was so-o-o yummy and filling. I just started making my own color flavored tortillas, going to taste so good on a tomato or spinach, garlic tortilla. thanks so much for sharing. Great as a crunchy, cranberry, almond, chicken salad, just the right amount of tangy sweetness, keeper,
Melissa
Thank you!
Lillian
Would Greek yogurt be ok to substitute for the mayo? Or can it just be done with the dressing I'm nit a fan of mayo
Melissa
I think you could likely adapt this using sour cream or Greek yogurt, if that's your preference. It's not the same but would still be tasty.
Janice
Delicious!!! I’ll definitely be making this again!!!!
Melissa
Thank you!
Juli
I made your recipe yesterday with homemade mayo and homemade poppy seed dressing. I had to alter a few things since I have dietary restrictions and my husband is doing chemo. He LOVES this!!
Your recipe is close to a copy cat recipe that I have wanted! Paris Baguette has a cranberry almond chicken sandwich on a cranberry mixed grain bread that is delish!!
Melissa
Hi Juli, that makes me so happy. I hope you continue to enjoy it for a long time. Send my very best wishes to your husband.
Sharon A Reeves
MY family loves it i give it a 10
Melissa
Thank you so much!
Marianna B. Stacy
Sounds wonderful! Would love the nutritional info for this recipe.
Melissa
Please use one of the 1000's of free online nutrition calculators like this one on My Fitness Pal.
Brandie Izatt
A question please. What substitute can I use for poppyseed. For the chicken salad. I cant do poppyseed.
Melissa
You can use the same dressing, just omit the poppy seeds. If you'd like to make your own, see my recipe for homemade poppy seed dressing here. Otherwise, a similar slightly sweet citrus dressing would be good.
Shannon
I made this exactly as you explain (except I was out of fresh parsley so I used dried), and it is the best chicken salad I’ve ever had! Thank you!
Melissa
Thanks so much!
Shannon
Oh my... I just realized my comment must have been confusing... I had used a different person's recipe for poaching (which included parsley). Regardless of the poaching, your recipe for chicken salad is my all time favorite. It is SO delicious!
Melissa
No problem at all, poached chicken works like a dream in this recipe as well.
Lynne
Made this recipe for my lunches for the week! I love it. Just the right amount of additions to chicken.
Melissa
Thanks so much, Lynne!
Susie
This was delicious! I thought since it made a lot for just my husband and I, that we would have it for lunches for a few days! Wrong! We couldn't stay out of it. We made it on Friday and it was gone by lunch on Saturday!! We will be making this again soon! Thank you for this delish cranberry chicken salad!!
Melissa
Hi Susie, how wonderful, thank you so much!
Linen
So delicious! My family and I could t get enough of this chicken salad. It will be bookmarked and made often!
Melissa
I'm so happy you all enjoyed this, thank you!
KIM
Made with Lite Mayo and Lite Poppyseed dressing and it was fantastic!
Melissa
Thanks so much!
Cole
There are a million ways to make chicken salad. This is a really good one to try. Liked it very much.
Melissa
You're so right, I'm delighted you liked this one.
Pattie
What would you spice up the Greek yogurt with?
Melissa
Hi Pattie, there's no yogurt in this recipe. If you mean in place of the mayo you could adjust the seasonings called for in the recipe to your taste.
Connie
I make this with half mayo and half cream cheese with craisins. Sometimes I add a little ranch dry dressing mix. Wonderful flavor
Michael Soileau
I like a good chicken salad & this sounds like one.
Melissa
Thanks Michael!
Melissa
I'm a huge fan of Greek yogurt, works for me! ☺
D. Carson
I do not use mayo or any forms in anything I make; this would be excellent with plain Greek Yogurt. 🙂
Carole
By substituting turkey for the chicken this is a wonderful way to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Melissa
I also enjoy the chicken salad with grapes. Thanks for stopping by ~ Melissa
Anonymous
This sounds great! A good already cooked chicken is the Savory Rotisserie chicken at Kroger. Adding sliced red grapes is good too. Can't wait to try this dressing. Thanks!