Chicken Apple Winter Salad (Printable)

A vibrant blend of chicken, apples, pecans, and tangy cider dressing for a refreshing winter dish.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, mix salad greens, cooked chicken, apple slices, celery, pecans, dried cranberries, red onion, and feta cheese if using.
03 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently to ensure even coating of all ingredients.
04 - Transfer to plates and serve immediately, optionally garnishing with extra pecans or feta cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses what you already have, no special shopping trips or fancy ingredients.
  • The sweetness from apples and cranberries cuts through the richness without feeling heavy.
  • Every bite has texture, crunch from pecans, snap from celery, and tender chicken all at once.
02 -
  • Dress the salad just before serving, wet greens turn limp and sad within minutes.
  • If your apples are browning before you're ready to serve, toss them in a little lemon juice to keep them bright.
  • Cold chicken straight from the fridge works better than warm, it keeps the salad from wilting.
03 -
  • Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for three minutes, it brings out oils and makes them taste like they cost more.
  • Use a mix of sweet and tart apples for more complexity, one Granny Smith with one Honeycrisp changes everything.
  • If the dressing tastes too sharp, add a tiny pinch of sugar or an extra drizzle of honey until it smooths out.
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