Chicken Apple Winter Salad (Printable)

Bright and hearty combination of chicken, crisp apples, pecans, and a tangy apple cider dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 2 crisp apples (e.g., Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and sliced
03 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or romaine)
04 - 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
06 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries
07 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Apple Cider Dressing

09 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
10 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar until fully combined. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, mix salad greens, chicken, apple slices, celery, pecans, dried cranberries, red onion, and feta cheese if used.
03 - Pour dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
04 - Transfer to plates and serve immediately, optionally garnished with additional pecans or feta.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It uses up leftover chicken without feeling like leftovers.
  • The apples stay crisp and bright even after tossing with dressing.
  • You get protein, crunch, and sweetness all in one bowl without turning on the stove.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad too early, the greens will wilt and the apples will start to brown, so wait until the last possible minute.
  • Toasting the pecans changes the whole texture, but if you skip it because you are in a hurry, nobody will know but you.
03 -
  • Slice the apples at the last second and toss them with a tiny squeeze of lemon juice if you are worried about browning.
  • Use a jar with a tight lid to shake the dressing instead of whisking, it emulsifies faster and you have one less bowl to wash.
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