Cranberry Hen Salad | Diethood - Dailyhealthinsight

My favourite cranberry hen salad is full of candy cranberries, crunchy almonds, and smoky bacon tossed in a lightened-up, tangy yogurt dressing. It’s straightforward to make and filling sufficient to gas my entire day. You’re going to like it!

Overhead view of cranberry chicken salad in a glass bowl with two wooden salad servers.

This cranberry hen salad is certainly one of my favourite straightforward hen salad variations. Largely as a result of it’s simply that good, but in addition as a result of it’s the best salad to make for any event, any time of the 12 months. It’s festive and potluck-y, too, so I took it to a celebration as soon as throughout the holidays and it was gone inside the first 20 minutes. That is THE salad I crack out at any time when a buddy or acquaintance hits me with that, “however salads are BORING” line. Creamy, crunchy, candy, and savory– this cranberry hen salad is the precise reverse of boring!

Why I Love This Hen Salad Recipe

First, I am keen on something and all issues salad. Whether or not it’s a traditional chef salad, a fruity watermelon salad, or a leafy Mediterranean salad. The opposite day, my daughter requested me why my favourite coloration isn’t inexperienced as a result of I eat so many salads. Sufficient mentioned?
Secondly, I gravitate in direction of the flavors and textures. This cranberry hen salad satisfies my love for all issues candy, salty, and crunchy. There are tart cranberries, juicy hen items, crunchy almonds, and crispy, salty bacon. Don’t even get me began on the creamy Dijon dressing. It’s all types of deliciousness in a single bowl.
Thirdly, it’s simply so darn straightforward. This hen salad doesn’t require any fancy elements or a ton of prepping, particularly once I make it with leftover hen! I add all the things to a bowl, whisk up the dressing, then toss and luxuriate in. It’s prepared for the vacations, or my subsequent BBQ.

Overhead view of cranberry chicken salad ingredients combined in a glass bowl, next to a smaller bowl filled with dressing ingredients.

Salad Components

As you may see, there are many causes to like this cranberry hen salad, together with the ingredient listing! I’ve jotted down some notes right here and you’ll discover a printable listing with quantities within the recipe card after the put up.

Greens – I chop up romaine hearts as a result of I just like the crunch. You should use any salad greens your coronary heart needs, whether or not that’s iceberg lettuce, combined greens, or one thing with a bit extra taste, like peppery arugula. Massaged kale additionally works nice, right here.
Hen – Cube up any cooked hen you may have available. I normally use leftover hen tenders or hen breasts.
Bacon – Cook dinner the bacon utilizing your most well-liked methodology (for me, that’s the air fryer). Different good choices are diced pancetta or chorizo.
Almonds – Or one other nut, like pecans or walnuts, like I exploit for a walnut hen salad.
Cranberries – I like to recommend dried cranberries since they’re much less tart.

For the Dressing

Yogurt – I exploit non-fat plain yogurt from Dannon. Be at liberty to make use of your favourite or plain Greek yogurt.
Dijon Mustard – I like the milder creaminess of Dijon, however you should utilize yellow mustard if that’s what you may have.
Parmesan – Freshly grated is finest.
Herbs – I exploit finely chopped recent rosemary and minced garlic. You should use one other herb, recent or dried, like thyme leaves or basil. When you don’t have recent garlic, change the clove with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Lemon Juice – To brighten up the flavors. It’s also possible to use purple or white wine vinegar.

A hand pouring dressing from a jar over a bowl of cranberry chicken salad.

The best way to Make a Cranberry Hen Salad

Salads needs to be straightforward, and this one undoubtedly makes the minimize. It’s prepared in 20 minutes or much less in two easy steps:

Assemble the salad. First, add your lettuce, hen, bacon, chopped nuts, and cranberries to an enormous salad bowl.
Add the dressing. In the meantime, whisk collectively the elements for the short yogurt dressing. Pour that over your hen salad, give it a very good toss, and luxuriate in!

Make-Forward Tip

Whereas inexperienced salads aren’t the very best for making forward of time, my favourite method to “meal prep” this cranberry hen salad is to go away out the romaine lettuce and toss the opposite salad elements along with the dressing. You find yourself with a creamy hen salad that shops nice within the fridge for 4-5 days. Whenever you’re able to serve, merely scoop the dressed hen over your lettuce leaves, toss, and dig in.

Cranberry chicken salad in a glass bowl with two wooden salad servers.

Straightforward Variations

Swap out the hen. When you’d desire one other protein, flip this hen salad right into a steak salad topped with juicy New York strip steak slices, or prime it with salmon or garlicky shrimp as an alternative.
Extra add-ins. You realize what goes nice on this salad? Roasted Brussels sprouts! Nearly any roasted veggie may be chopped up and added in, like asparagus or butternut squash.
Thicken or skinny out the dressing. If my yogurt salad dressing comes out a bit thick for pouring, I’ll normally simply add an additional splash of water to skinny it out. Then again, it’s positive so as to add extra yogurt or mustard to thicken dressing that’s too skinny.
Completely different dressing. If creamy salad dressings aren’t your factor, this cranberry hen salad goes nice with the sunshine Dijon French dressing from my copycat La Scala chopped salad. Or, you may strive one other of my do-it-yourself salad dressings.

Serving Options

Any time of the 12 months, this cranberry hen salad goes nice with a facet of cool, crisp Chardonnay and fluffy focaccia slices dunked in garlic butter. Serve it with a starter of stuffed peppers or a fundamental like grilled salmon and you’ve got one heck of a meal.

I additionally love this salad as a vacation facet to roast pork or roast turkey at Christmas (cranberries = Christmas, proper?) proper up there with my favourite stuffing and creamy inexperienced bean casserole. Clearly with a yuletide daisy cocktail in hand!

The best way to Retailer

As soon as the dressing is added, this cranberry hen salad is finest loved inside a few hours. Sadly, as with most salads, the leftovers are inclined to go soggy after a day or two within the fridge. See the part above for a simple make-ahead hack!

Extra Hen Salad Recipes

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Assemble the salad. In a big salad bowl mix lettuce, hen, crumbled bacon, slivered almonds, and cranberries; put aside.
Make the dressing. In a small mixing bowl mix yogurt, dijon mustard, grated parmesan cheese, rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt, and pepper. Whisk till completely included. If searching for a thinner consistency, add extra water, if you wish to thicken it, add extra yogurt and mustard.
Toss and serve. Add salad dressing to beforehand ready salad; toss to mix. Serve.

I exploit 1 tablespoon of dressing per cup of salad (this recipe makes roughly 8 servings of 1 cup every).

Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might fluctuate in line with the elements and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.