Recipe: Chicken Salad with Cranberries Apples and Pecans

You will love this recipe for Chicken Salad. It not only has cranberries, but also chopped apples and pecans. It’s delicious as a spread in a sandwich or on a plate of lettuce (as in the picture).

As we go into spring and summer… there are many celebrations and the challenge to make the food special and still stay on a budget can be daunting. I recommend making lists of possible spreads you can use in finger sandwiches.

Finger sandwiches are a terrific way to feed a crowd on a budget. Last week I posted the Benedictine Sandwiches that use a cream cheese and cucumber spread. This recipe for Chicken Salad is another great candidate for a menu.

I used a boneless chicken breast that I had which ended up an odd piece.. so I decided to make chicken salad for lunch. I cooked it with vegetables and chicken broth… you can use leftover chicken from a meal also.

TIPS

If you decide to make the chicken breasts for it… figure about one chicken breast half per person … if you have big eaters add a couple of extra ones in.

I garnished my salad with apple slices and Parmesan Crisps.

The recipe below is for 4 servings.







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Recipe: Chicken Salad with Cranberries Apples and Pecans

All you need:

To prepare the chicken breasts:

4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
Chicken Broth
1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
1 medium onion
5-6 sprigs of fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon thyme
Pinch of salt
Dash of pepper

To prepare the salad:

¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¾ cup dried sweetened cranberries
½ cup chopped pecans
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, sliced for garnish (optional)
¼ cup mayonnaise * you may need to add more to get it to the consistency you like.
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

All you need to do:

Place the chicken, carrot, celery, onion, parsley, salt and pepper in a small pot.

Add chicken broth to just cover everything.

Over medium heat, cook the chicken until cooked through (simmer for about 20 minutes).

When cooked, remove the chicken allow to cool enough to handle. Discard the vegetables or use them for something else.

Dice the chicken into small cubes and place in a large bowl.

Add the chopped celery, chopped onion, dried cranberries, diced apples and pecans.
Mix well.

In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and lemon juice.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the mayonnaise mixture to the chicken and toss until the salad is well coated. * you may need to add more to get it to the consistency you like.

Serve as a chicken salad sandwich or on a bed of lettuce.