Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

Apple walnut chicken salad is a great lunch or light dinner recipe that your family will love to eat! Packed full of flavor, and quick to put together, this is the type of recipe that becomes an old family favorite.

 

Why We Love Creamy Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

• Quick And Easy Lunch – This apple walnut chicken salad comes together fast and makes an easy lunch or light dinner. Great for lunchboxes, busy days, or anytime you need something simple that still tastes really good.
• Easy To Serve – Pile it on a croissant, sandwich it between slices of wheat bread, scoop it with crackers, or wrap it in lettuce. It’s flexible, plus kids usually love it on that flaky croissant.
• Great For Sharing – Perfect for baby showers, graduation parties, or casual get-togethers. Just keep it chilled if it’s warm out and it disappears fast.

Ingredients For Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

• chicken – cooked boneless chicken breast or boneless chicken thighs, rotisserie chicken works as does shredded chicken if you prefer. You can also use leftover grilled chicken.
• granny smith apple peeled and diced
• celery sliced thin
• green onion sliced, you could also swap in a little diced red onion if you prefer and it’s delicious!
• walnuts chopped
• mayonnaise
• lemon juice – about one medium lemon
• Dijon mustard – don’t use regular yellow mustard!
• honey
• garlic powder
• salt
• black pepper

How To Make This Chicken Salad Recipe

1. Chop the chicken, apple, walnuts, celery and green onions into small bite sized pieces. The celery especially is best if chopped small and thinner.
2. In a large bowl, add chicken, apple, walnuts, celery, and green onion and mix together well.

3. In a second smaller bowl, add mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Blend this mixture well with a whisk or fork.
4. Pour the dressing mixture over chicken, apples and walnuts mixture. With a spoon, mix in the dressing until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated.

5. Scoop and enjoy! Add to croissants or fluffy rolls, or enjoy all by itself.

Apple Walnut Chicken Salad Variation Ideas

• Make it a sandwich: Pile the chicken salad onto a croissant, soft roll, or toasted bread. Crackers work great too if you’re skipping the bread.
• Scoop with veggies: Mini bell peppers, cucumber slices, carrot chips, or baby carrots add crunch and make easy dippers.
• Wrap it up: Spoon into a tortilla with lettuce, or keep it low-carb with lettuce wraps.
• Switch the nuts: Walnuts are delicious, but almonds or pecans also work well. Or you could leave them out if needed.
• Lighten it up: Swap some or all of the mayo for plain Greek yogurt.
• Add fruit: Grapes are a classic addition and pair beautifully with the apples and walnuts.

Can I Use Rotesserie Or Canned Chicken?

Yes absolutely, any cooked chicken works well for this recipe including rotisserie chicken grilled chicken or even canned chicken..

Can I Freeze This Chicken Apple Salad?

I don’t recommend freezing chicken salad, it doesn’t defrost well due to the mayo. Tt tastes best when enjoyed fresh.

How Long Will This Chicken Salad Last?

This chicken salad keeps well for about 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.

Since it’s made with mayo, make sure it stays cold. If you’re packing it for lunch or taking it somewhere, toss an ice pack in the cooler or lunchbox.

Don’t leave it sitting out too long. About 2 hours at room temp is the max, and even less on a hot day. If you’re serving it at a party, keep it chilled or set it out in small batches so it stays fresh.