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Chicken Apple Salad

This Chicken Apple Salad recipe has plenty of crunch and flavor. 

chicken apple salad on a plate

You can eat chicken salad served over lettuce leaves or tucked into two slices of bread for a sandwich. It’s the kind of salad I like to make and keep in the fridge for a couple of days. Spoonfuls of it here and there satisfy snacking. Try using it as a dip with wheat thins- so delicious!

ingredients displayed for making chicken apple salad

Ingredients needed:

  • chopped, cooked chicken
  • chopped celery
  • sliced green onion
  • mayonnaise
  • dried basil
  • lemon zest
  • salt
  • chopped apple
  • chopped, toasted pecans

four photos showing how to make chicken apple salad

How to make Chicken Apple Salad:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken, celery and green onions.
 
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, basil, lemon zest and salt. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the chicken mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, stir in the chopped apple and pecans (if using). 

chicken apple salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon

How to toast pecans:

Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir or shake the pan occasionally so the nuts brown evenly without burning.

Alternately, you can toast pecans on the stovetop. Toast the pecans in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned (one shade darker than they originally were) and fragrant, about 2 to 5 minutes.

chicken apple salad on a plate

Serve over greens to make a salad or on bread to make a sandwich. It’s especially delicious on a croissant sandwich!

I love the lemon zest added to the salad. It gives it a bit of bright flavor. And the crunch of the apples and pecans is delicious too. If you don’t care for pecans, it’s okay to substitute almonds. I’d use slivered almonds for this recipe. Enjoy!

chicken apple salad on a plate with a fork

The Best Salad Recipes:

chicken apple salad on a plate

Chicken Apple Salad

Recipeboy.com
A wonderful way to make the best chicken salad!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 386 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup chopped apple (no need to peel)
  • cup chopped toasted pecans, optional

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken, celery and green onions.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, basil, lemon zest and salt. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the chicken mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
  • When ready to serve, stir in the chopped apple and pecans (if using). Serve over greens to make a salad or on bread to make a sandwich.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 19gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 16gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 387mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 184IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
Keyword apple, chicken, salad
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