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Make this chicken salad with apples for an easy lunch or a casual dinner. Pile the chicken salad on thick toast for a filling and crunchy sandwich. It’s delicious!
Casual dinners have become the norm around here. Most evenings, my husband and I catch up on the news while we eat, and more often than not, we skip the dining table altogether. I’ve found that easy-to-eat meals work best, and sandwiches are always at the top of the list. We rotate through a few favorites…grilled turkey and cheese, ham and Swiss sliders, and this simple chicken salad with apples and pecans. It’s a recipe I’ve been making for years, and it never goes out of style.
Why This Recipe Works
This refreshing chicken salad is full of flavor, texture, and crunch. It’s quick to toss together, made with simple ingredients, and perfect for busy nights. The apples add just the right amount of sweetness, while the pecans give it a satisfying bite. It’s an easy dinner that the whole family will enjoy.
How To Make
- Prepare the ingredients. Chop the chicken, celery, apples, and parsley, zest the lemon. Place all in a large bowl.
- Place the chopped pecans in a small skillet on the stove, over medium high heat.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, watching carefully and stirring, until pecans are lightly roasted.
- Add pecans, salt and pepper to chopped ingredients.
- Toss lightly to combine.
- Add the mayonnaise, and gently stir until the mayo is incorporated into the ingredients.
- Cover and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce, or on toasted bread as a sandwich.
Easy & Delicious Ways to Serve Chicken Salad
One of the best things about this recipe is how versatile it is. I usually enjoy it as a sandwich, but there are plenty of other easy and delicious ways to serve it.
- Toasted on sandwich bread and paired with a warm cup of soup for a casual, comforting dinner
- Stuffed into pita bread or rolled in a tortilla for a quick wrap
- Spoon it over a bed of lettuce for a lighter option. Add a muffin on the side for a complete meal
- Served with crackers or fresh-cut veggies like cucumber slices, celery sticks, carrots, or bell pepper for a snack or appetizer
- Alongside a plate of fresh fruit, which makes a perfect warm-weather lunch
Tips + Tricks
- Use pre-cooked chicken to save time. Any kind of chicken can be used to make this recipe, but rotisserie chicken or baked chicken breasts are easy and very moist.
- Use both apples and celery. The combination of the celery and apples adds a delicious crunch, so make sure to use both ingredients.
- Sweet apples are best in chicken salad. Use your favorite apple variety to make this easy recipe. Some suggestions are Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala apples, or Golden Delicious.
- Roast the pecans for the best flavor. The pecan roasting step is optional, but it only takes a few minutes, and the pecans become so much more flavorful after.
- Customize the recipe for your taste. This chicken salad with apples can be made according to your family’s tastes. The measurements are simply guidelines and can be easily adapted. Ideas for additional add-ins are red onion or green onion, grapes, dried cranberries, Dijon mustard, or fresh dill. Walnuts or sliced almonds can be used in place of the pecans.
- Either regular or light mayonnaise can be used. Both are equally delicious.
- Use fresh lemon. The lemon zest and parsley brighten the taste of this salad and add a wonderful flavor. I love tasting a subtle hint of lemon in every bite.
- How to thin the dressing: if you like your chicken salad thinned out a bit, add a tablespoon of milk or plain yogurt. Stir well to make sure everything is combined.
Chicken Salad with Apples + Pecans
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken (chopped)
- 1 cup celery (chopped)
- 1 cup apple (chopped)
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (zest from 1 large lemon)
- 1 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 cup lite mayonnaise
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Chop the chicken, celery, apples, and parsley, Zest the lemon. Place all in a large bowl.
- Place the chopped pecans in a small skillet on the stove, over medium high heat.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, watching carefully and stirring, until pecans are lightly roasted.
- Add pecans, salt and pepper to chopped ingredients.
- Toss lightly to combine.
- Add the mayonnaise, and gently stir until the mayo is incorporated into the ingredients.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce, or on toasted bread as a sandwich.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!
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I made this for my lunches for the work week and they turned out perfect! Love the flavors of it and it’s so easy to throw together.
Love chicken salad I have had apples and pecans in it and always
Celery but never lemon zest! Can’t wait to try this. Thank you
I’ve tried your chicken salad recipe and it is fantastic! It is great in a sandwich but even better as part of a fruit plate. Thank you!
Thanks, Ann, for this Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe. It sounds so yummy! I am going to make this tomorrow.
Oh, your chicken salad recipe looks and sounds so good! I can’t wait to try it, thanks for sharing!
I’m going to ty this recipe out. We also eat watchng the news many days. I still prepare a hot meals especially if our daughter’s home after work. She just texted she out tonight with friends. Big salad it is tonight.
This looks and sounds amazing. Can’t wait to make it!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! All of my favorite flavors for lunch! Thanks, Ann!
This chicken salad is excellent. It is easy to make and comes together quickly. Great taste and can be adapted for other additions.
My husband and I love this recipe! We made it several times last summer. Using rotisserie chicken (Kroger even sells it chunked) makes this the easiest, quick recipe. Do take the extra few minutes to toast the pecans; it does make a difference. I shared a batch with a friend who was recovering from surgery and it was greatly appreciated.
I love the Kroger rotisserie chicken that is already pulled! Whoever thought of that is brilliant. :)
Thank you Ann for the recipe, particularly suitable as Daylight Savings will be here on the 14th. Easy dinners will be the agenda for the following week!