Chicken Salad with Craisins and Pecans is sweet, savory, and creamy, with a delicious crunch. Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken makes this recipe quick and easy. It’s the perfect make-ahead recipe for stuffing into buttery mini croissants, making it ideal for brunches, baby showers, or just a delicious lunch at home.
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Recipe at a Glance
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Chill Time: 30 minutes
- ✅ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🛒 Ingredients: Rotisserie chicken, Craisins, celery, and pecans in a spicy dressing.
- 👩🍳 Serves: 10 to 12
- 💡 Difficulty: Easy
- 📦 Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses rotisserie chicken for quick and economical prep
- Sweet and tangy from Craisins and lemon juice
- Crunchy and creamy all in one bite
- Make-ahead friendly and even better when chilled
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Simple Steps, Maximum Flavor
- Make the Dressing: Whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Add the Mix-ins: Add the chicken, Craisins, celery, and pecans to a large bowl.
- Combine: Add the dressing to the chicken mixture, and gently stir until well coated.
- Cover and Chill: Cover the chicken salad with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Assemble: Slice mini croissants with a serrated knife. Add a piece of lettuce, and fill with about 2 tablespoons of chicken salad.
This chicken salad with Craisins and pecans is easy, flavorful, and deliciously balanced. Whether you’re hosting brunch or meal-prepping for the week, this recipe will quickly become a family favorite. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Feel free to cook your own chicken to use in this recipe.
You can omit the pecans and replace them with additional celery. You can also substitute toasted slivered almonds.
You can make the chicken salad 1 to 2 days in advance. Assemble the croissants right before serving.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- I purchased the rotisserie chicken from Sams for $4.98. It was large enough that I was able to make a chicken casserole as well as this delicious chicken salad. Talk about economical!
- Since the chicken shreds were quite long, I cut them into 1-inch pieces to achieve a more cohesive mix.
- For maximum flavor, toast the pecans for about 8 minutes at 350°F.
- Don't overstuff the croissants. Two tablespoons of the chicken salad is plenty.
- Swap chopped grapes for the Craisins for a tasty variation.
- Use slider buns instead of mini croissants for delicious chicken salad sliders.
Other Delicious Slider Recipes
Interested in sliders? Here are some delicious recipes.
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Chicken Salad with Craisins and Pecans
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Chicken Salad
- 2 cups Shredded rotisserie chicken, trimmed to 1-inch pieces (See Tip 1)
- ⅓ cup Craisins (See Tip 2)
- ⅓ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted (See Tip 3)
- Dressing from above
Instructions
Dressing
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Chicken Salad
- Place chicken, Craisins, celery, and pecans in a medium to large bowl. Add the dressing; stir gently to combine.
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve on split mini croissants or slider buns.
- Yield: 12 servings (See Tips 4 and 5)
Video
Tips/Notes
- I used just the white meat from the rotisserie chicken, but both the white and dark meat can be used in this recipe. If desired, you can cook your own chicken and shred it.
- For a delicious variation, substitute chopped grapes for the Craisins.
- Toast the pecan pieces in a preheated oven at 350°F for 8 minutes. Watch carefully to ensure the pecans do not burn.
- This recipe can be easily doubled.
- Cover and refrigerate the chicken salad for up to three days.
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