Chicken Apple Winter Salad (Printable version)

A hearty mix of chicken, apples, pecans, and greens tossed in a tangy apple cider dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 2 crisp apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and sliced
03 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, 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 Steps:

01 - Whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, mix salad greens, chicken, apple slices, celery, pecans, cranberries, red onion, and feta cheese if using.
03 - Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all components evenly.
04 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra pecans or additional feta crumbles.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes but tastes like you spent an afternoon thinking about it.
  • The apple cider dressing is tangy enough to cut through richness but never bossy about it.
  • Leftover chicken transforms from Monday dinner into something you actually want to eat again.
02 -
  • Dress the salad just before serving or keep the dressing separate if you're making it ahead, otherwise the greens will wilt within an hour.
  • Slice your apples at the very last moment to prevent browning and to keep them crisp against the cold dressing.
03 -
  • Toast your pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes if you want them to taste like they matter, rather than like an afterthought.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to create paper-thin red onion slices so they integrate into the salad instead of announcing themselves with aggressive bite.
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