Chicken Pecan Salad with Dressing (Printable Version)
Tender chicken, toasted pecans, mixed greens, and homemade creamy dressing combine for a satisfying lunch or light dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad Components
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, arugula, baby spinach)
03 - 1 cup pecan halves, toasted
04 - 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
05 - 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese, optional
→ Dressing
08 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
09 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or sour cream
10 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 tablespoon honey
12 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add pecan halves. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, cooked chicken, halved grapes, sliced celery, sliced red onion, and cooled pecans. Add crumbled cheese if desired.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
04 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving to enhance flavor development.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between the warm toasted pecans and the cool crisp greens creates this magical texture that supermarket salads never quite achieve.
- Its endlessly adaptable to whatever is hiding in your produce drawer, making it perfect for those nights when you think you have nothing to make for dinner.
02 -
- Adding the dressing too far in advance will make your beautiful greens wilt sadly, a mistake I made when prepping for a dinner party that taught me to always dress at the last minute.
- Tasting and seasoning the dressing on its own before adding it to the salad completely transformed the final result, giving me perfect control over the flavor balance.
03 -
- Massage a tiny bit of olive oil and salt into your hands and rub the kale if youre using it in your greens mix, transforming it from tough to tender before adding other ingredients.
- Warm your serving plates in the microwave for 15 seconds before plating cold salad, which prevents the dressing from congealing and enhances the aromatic elements.