One of the most popularly ordered lunch dishes in restaurants is chicken salad, whether it is served on a bed of greens or tucked in a croissant or a flour tortilla. Make this popular dish at home with my Pecan Chicken Salad recipe.

Chicken salad is so popular now that it is even showing up on fast food menu’s for people on the go looking for healthy options. It’s popularity was not lost on me when my staff and I were making hundreds of pounds a week when I was Garde Manger Chef or when I would snack on it at the Tavern on our house made chips. The popularity doesn’t stop at restaurants though. It’s also very popular at social gatherings and backyard parties. So lets get to making this Pecan Chicken Salad for your next party or lunch.

The Ingredients

• 1 pound grilled chicken breast, diced
• 1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
• 1/4 cup red onion, small diced
• 2 ribs celery, small diced
• 1 Fuji apple, shredded
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

The Steps

This recipe calls for grilled chicken breasts. Grilling the chicken imparts a deeper flavor to the salad than boiling the chicken that is typically used to cook the chicken. If you have any grilled chicken left over, by all means dice it up and follow the following steps as left over grilled chicken works just as good as fresh grilled chicken.

As I did not have any chicken left over I seasoned a few breasts with olive oil, salt and pepper and threw them on the grill to cook. At the same time I made a pouch on tin foil and tossed the pecans in the pouch, rolled it up to seal it and tossed it on the grill on the resting rack while grilling the chicken. If you don’t trust this method, by all means, toss the nuts on a baking sheet and toast in a 350° oven for ten minutes.

Once the chicken is cooked, pull from grill and let cool. Once cool, dice chicken in small pieces and set in large mixing bowl. Smaller pieces will help the salad stay together.

Add the diced red onion, celery and toasted pecans in the mixing bowl with the diced chicken.

Wash your Fuji or other sweet, crisp apple and shred straight into the mixing bowl with a box grater or shred with food processor.

Season salad now with the kosher salt and pepper, add mayonnaise and mix.

Taste the salad now and adjust seasoning if necessary. Once happy, place scoop of salad on a bed of greens or tuck into your favorite bread or flour tortilla. For a low carb option, use Bibb or Butter lettuce as wraps. Enjoy!

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Pecan Chicken Salad

Prep Time

8 mins

Total Time

8 mins

 

Brighten up your summer eats with this interestingly crisp and sweet Pecan Chicken Salad. Your croissant never had it so good.

Servings: 6 sandwiches

Author: Nate

Ingredients

• 1 lb Grilled Chicken
• 1 cup Toasted Pecans
• 1/4 cup Red Onion Diced
• 2 ribs Celery Diced
• 1 each Fuji Apple Shredded
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• TT Salt n Pepper

Instructions

1. Small dice one pound of grilled chicken and set in large mixing bowl. If you don't have grilled chicken, grill some and let cool, then dice.
2. Toast pecans on grill in foil pouch or in 375 ° oven for ten minutes or until browned.
3. Dice celery, onion, and add to chicken with the shredded apple and toasted pecans.
4. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste and mix.
5. Serve on bread of choice or on top of a nice garden salad.