Apple Pecan Chicken Salad with Tarragon
User Reviews
4.9
42 reviews
Excellent
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad with Tarragon
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Classic Apple Pecan Chicken salad will become one of your favorite go-to chicken salad recipes. Loaded with must-have crunchies like apples, buttery pecans, shallots, and celery; then lightly dressed in a bright lemon, tarragon mayonnaise dressing.
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Ingredients
Butter Pecans
- 1 tablespoon butter replace with plant based butter for dairy free, or simply toast in pan dry until fragrant
- 3/4 cup pecans chopped (also try almonds, pistachios, cashews or sunflower seeds)
Chicken Salad
- 1 cup mayonnaise | make sure gluten and dairy free if that is important
- 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon chopped (1 tablespoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed, may be replaced with bottled juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups Cooked Chicken Breast chopped or shredded (use rotisserie chicken, baked or grilled chicken)
- 1 medium-large apple cored, seeded and chopped | I used Honeycrisps, but use Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Pink Lady or your favorite sweet crisp apple.
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons shallot minced | may use red onion in place, see notes for how to take the bite out
Instructions
- Start by melting butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add chopped pecans and stir around until toasted and fragrant, don't walk away they can burn fast. Will take 4-5 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool while assembling the rest of the chicken salad.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, tarragon until smooth.
- Toss in chopped apples and chopped celery. Add chopped or shredded chicken (if just baked, cool for 10-15 minutes until just warm to touch), and 1/2 cup of the pecans (reserving the balance for serving).
- Stir in shallots with chicken mixing all ingredients until combined.
- Cover and chill a few hours before serving -- though I have certainly rushed this and eaten it straight out of the bowl! The flavors have time to marry when you let it chill together. Toss remaining pecans on top of salad for serving.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Serving suggestions:
- Serve on top of a bed of lettuce, on a croissant, crackers or between slices of bread. See post for more 9 unique ways to serve as an appetizer, meal, lunch or meal prep.
- Take the Bite out of red onions, shallots or raw onions, by soaking in ice water for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and enjoy.
- GLUTEN FREE & DAIRY FREE CHICKEN SALADReplace butter with favorite plant based butter or toast dry in pan.
- Make sure your rotisserie chicken, pre-baked chicken and mayo are all gluten and dairy free.
- Substitute for celery in chicken salad?
- I get it, it took me years to like celery. You can omit if you don't like it at all, or if you want to replace that crunch try these below.
- more chopped apples, or try pears too
- chopped carrots, radishes, zucchini or cucumbers
- Finely dice bell peppers, tomatoes
- Try dried fruit, like dates, craisins, apricots chopped
- Finally, add more nuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
526kcal
(26%)
Carbohydrates
5g
(2%)
Protein
31g
(62%)
Fat
42g
(65%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
20g
Monounsaturated Fat
13g
Trans Fat
0.1g
Cholesterol
100mg
(33%)
Sodium
19186mg
(799%)
Potassium
433mg
(12%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
257IU
(5%)
Vitamin C
4mg
(4%)
Calcium
81mg
(8%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 526 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 526kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 31g | 62% |
| Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 20g | 118% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 100mg | 33% |
| Sodium | 19186mg | 799% |
| Potassium | 433mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 257IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 81mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
42 reviews
Excellent
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