Cranberry Chicken Salad

Name: Cranberry Chicken Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 hearts of romaine lettuce (thinly cut or shredded (you should have about 6 to 8 cups total)); 1½ pounds cooked chicken tenders or boneless and skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes); 4 slices thick-cut bacon (cooked to a crisp and crumbled); 1 cup slivered almonds; 1½ cups dried cranberries; 1 cup non-fat plain yogurt ((I use Dannon)); 2 tablespoons dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese; 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary; 1 clove garlic (minced); 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 tablespoon water ((add 1 more tablespoon for a thinner consistency)); salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

by Katerina

4.50 from 2 votes

Aug 07, 2024

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My favorite cranberry chicken salad is packed with sweet cranberries, crunchy almonds, and smoky bacon tossed in a lightened-up, tangy yogurt dressing. It’s easy to make and filling enough to fuel my whole day. You’re going to love it!

Overhead view of cranberry chicken salad in a glass bowl with two wooden salad servers.

This cranberry chicken salad is one of my favorite easy chicken salad variations. Mostly because it’s just that good, but also because it’s the easiest salad to make for any occasion, any time of the year. It’s festive and potluck-y, too, so I took it to a party once during the holidays and it was gone within the first 20 minutes. This is THE salad I crack out whenever a friend or acquaintance hits me with that, “but salads are BORING” line. Creamy, crunchy, sweet, and savory– this cranberry chicken salad is the exact opposite of boring!

Why I Love This Chicken Salad Recipe

First, I adore anything and all things salad. Whether it’s a classic chef salad, a fruity watermelon salad, or a leafy Mediterranean salad. The other day, my daughter asked me why my favorite color isn’t green because I eat so many salads. Enough said?
Secondly, I gravitate towards the flavors and textures. This cranberry chicken salad satisfies my love for all things sweet, salty, and crunchy. There are tart cranberries, juicy chicken pieces, crunchy almonds, and crispy, salty bacon. Don’t even get me started on the creamy Dijon dressing. It’s all sorts of deliciousness in one bowl.
Thirdly, it’s just so darn easy. This chicken salad doesn’t require any fancy ingredients or a ton of prepping, especially when I make it with leftover chicken! I add everything to a bowl, whisk up the dressing, then toss and enjoy. It’s ready for the holidays, or my next BBQ.

Salad Ingredients

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to love this cranberry chicken salad, including the ingredient list! I’ve jotted down some notes here and you’ll find a printable list with amounts in the recipe card after the post.

Greens – I chop up romaine hearts because I like the crunch. You can use any salad greens your heart desires, whether that’s iceberg lettuce, mixed greens, or something with a bit more flavor, like peppery arugula. Massaged kale also works great, here.
Chicken – Dice up any cooked chicken you have on hand. I usually use leftover chicken tenders or chicken breasts.
Bacon – Cook the bacon using your preferred method (for me, that’s the air fryer). Other good options are diced pancetta or chorizo.
Almonds – Or another nut, like pecans or walnuts, like I use for a walnut chicken salad.
Cranberries – I recommend dried cranberries since they’re less tart.

For the Dressing

Yogurt – I use non-fat plain yogurt from Dannon. Feel free to use your favorite or plain Greek yogurt.
Dijon Mustard – I love the milder creaminess of Dijon, but you can use yellow mustard if that’s what you have.
Parmesan – Freshly grated is best.
Herbs – I use finely chopped fresh rosemary and minced garlic. You can use another herb, fresh or dried, like thyme leaves or basil. If you don’t have fresh garlic, replace the clove with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Lemon Juice – To brighten up the flavors. You can also use red or white wine vinegar.

A hand pouring dressing from a jar over a bowl of cranberry chicken salad.

How to Make a Cranberry Chicken Salad

Salads should be easy, and this one definitely makes the cut. It’s ready in 20 minutes or less in two simple steps:

Assemble the salad. First, add your lettuce, chicken, bacon, chopped nuts, and cranberries to a big salad bowl.
Add the dressing. Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the quick yogurt dressing. Pour that over your chicken salad, give it a good toss, and enjoy!

Make-Ahead Tip

While green salads aren’t the best for making ahead of time, my favorite way to “meal prep” this cranberry chicken salad is to leave out the romaine lettuce and toss the other salad ingredients together with the dressing. You end up with a creamy chicken salad that stores great in the fridge for 4-5 days. When you’re ready to serve, simply scoop the dressed chicken over your lettuce leaves, toss, and dig in.

Cranberry chicken salad in a glass bowl with two wooden salad servers.

Easy Variations

Swap out the chicken. If you’d prefer another protein, turn this chicken salad into a steak salad topped with juicy New York strip steak slices, or top it with salmon or garlicky shrimp instead.
More add-ins. You know what goes great in this salad? Roasted Brussels sprouts! Just about any roasted veggie can be chopped up and added in, like asparagus or butternut squash.
Thicken or thin out the dressing. If my yogurt salad dressing comes out a bit thick for pouring, I’ll usually just add an extra splash of water to thin it out. On the other hand, it’s fine to add more yogurt or mustard to thicken dressing that’s too thin.
Different dressing. If creamy salad dressings aren’t your thing, this cranberry chicken salad goes great with the light Dijon vinaigrette from my copycat La Scala chopped salad. Or, you can try another of my homemade salad dressings.

Serving Suggestions

Any time of the year, this cranberry chicken salad goes great with a side of cool, crisp Chardonnay and fluffy focaccia slices dunked in garlic butter. Serve it with a starter of stuffed peppers or a main like grilled salmon and you have one heck of a meal.

I also love this salad as a holiday side to roast pork or roast turkey at Christmas (cranberries = Christmas, right?) right up there with my favorite stuffing and creamy green bean casserole. Obviously with a yuletide daisy cocktail in hand!

How to Store

Once the dressing is added, this cranberry chicken salad is best enjoyed within a couple of hours. Unfortunately, as with most salads, the leftovers tend to go soggy after a day or two in the fridge. See the section above for an easy make-ahead hack!

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