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Autumn apple walnut chicken salad tossed in creamy honey Dijon dressing with crisp Honeycrisp apples, toasted walnuts, and ruby dried cranberries

Autumn Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

This vibrant Autumn Apple Walnut Chicken Salad pairs tender juicy shredded chicken breast with crisp sweet Honeycrisp apples, buttery toasted walnuts, and chewy dried cranberries, all enveloped in a light creamy honey Dijon Greek yogurt dressing.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

Salad Base
  • 3 cups approx. 450g cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (rotisserie or poached)
  • 1 large Honeycrisp or Fuji apple cored and diced into bite-sized cubes (keep skin on for color)
  • 3/4 cup 80g walnut halves, toasted and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup 60g dried sweetened cranberries (craisins)
  • 2 medium stalks celery finely sliced for crunch
  • 2 tbsp fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon or chives minced (optional)
Creamy Honey Dijon Dressing
  • 1/3 cup 80g plain Greek yogurt (whole milk or 2% for creaminess)
  • 1/4 cup 60ml good quality mayonnaise (avocado oil or classic mayo)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard smooth or coarse ground
  • 1 1/2 tbsp pure wildflower honey
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice prevents apples from browning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For Serving
  • Crisp butter lettuce leaves croissants, or whole-grain toasted bread

Method
 

How to Make Autumn Apple Walnut Chicken Salad
  1. Toast the Walnuts: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the walnut halves and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan frequently until fragrant and slightly browned. Immediately transfer walnuts to a cutting board to cool, then roughly chop.
  2. Whisk the Dressing: In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, pure honey, fresh lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until completely smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust honey or lemon to your preferred sweet-tangy balance.
  3. Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large salad mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken, diced Honeycrisp apples, sliced celery, dried cranberries, chopped fresh parsley, and toasted walnuts.
  4. Toss & Coat: Pour the creamy honey Dijon dressing over the salad ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or salad spoons, gently toss everything together until every morsel of chicken, apple, and walnut is evenly coated in the luscious dressing.
  5. Chill & Serve: You can serve immediately, but chilling in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld and the apples to absorb the tangy dressing. Spoon into crisp butter lettuce cups, pack into buttery croissants, or serve with toasted sourdough!

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 32gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 390mgPotassium: 460mgFiber: 3gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 420IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1.6mg

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