Cherry Chicken Salad is one of those chicken salads that stands out from the rest, and everyone raves about it!
The combination of juicy and tender chicken breast with sweet dried cherries and toasted nuts is simple perfection and so easy to make!
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This recipe is perfect for serving the chicken salad on a bed of salad greens, in lettuce cups, as a chicken salad wrap, or any kind of chicken salad sandwich! Your friends and family are going to love this fun twist on delicious chicken salad.
Of course you can also customize the ingredients and change things up, but I think you will love this version!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken
I recommend using split chicken breasts (bone in and skin on) in this recipe and you can either smoke them, bake or air fry them OR if you want to use boneless chicken breasts, consider cooking them via sous vide for a super tender chicken breast.
For this recipe I don't recommend boiling the chicken breasts because boiled chicken does better when you plan on shredding it.
You can use leftover Rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken as long as it isn't overly seasoned with strong spices like curry or another strong flavor.
I have made this recipe with chicken thighs and prefer it with chicken breasts, but this is completely up to you.
Canned chicken can be used, but the texture is going to be completely different and more like a shredded chicken salad.
You can also use turkey breast in place of the chicken if desired.
Cherries
This recipe uses dried cherries which is going to give it the right sweetness and texture. You can use fresh cherries if you prefer, but I would not recommend using maraschino cherries because they are going to be way too sweet.
There will be added moisture in your chicken salad if you use fresh sweet cherries so I recommend removing the cherry pit and letting them dry a bit before adding them to the chicken mixture.
Many people love grapes in their chicken salad, and that is another option. You can also use dried cranberries or any other dried or fresh fruit you love!
Pecans
I really enjoyed toasted pecans in this chicken salad, but you can omit the nuts or use toasted almonds, walnuts or any nut that you love.
Sunflower seeds are another delicious addition to this chicken salad recipe. You can use them in place of the nuts or in addition to them.
Other Ingredients
I recommend keeping the ingredients to a minimum in this recipe because it's the flavor of the chicken, cherries, and nuts that truly make this chicken salad the best!
I use plain mayonnaise in this recipe, and I believe this is the best choice for this chicken salad. However, you can certainly experiment with plain Greek yogurt or even add some sour cream to the mayonnaise if desired. These changes will affect the overall flavor and consistency of the chicken salad.
I use red onion, celery, salt and black pepper and that is it!
Feel free to omit the onion, use a sweet yellow onion, or use green onions instead.
Celery can also be omitted, but I like the fresh flavor and crunch it brings.
The amount of salt and pepper (or other seasonings) you use will depend on how seasoned your chicken is.
How to Make Cherry Chicken Salad
Mise En Place (Prep for Recipe)
The chicken salad is best with cold chicken, so if you don't already have leftover chicken to use, cook the chicken at least several hours before you want to serve your chicken salad to give it enough time to fully chill.
Cooking the Chicken
The way you cook the chicken will depend on the type of chicken you are using. Here are my cooking suggestions based on the cut of chicken.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Sous Vide at 145°F for 90 minutes. Here is the recipe for more information: Sous Vide Chicken Breast Recipe
This cooking method is perfect for chicken salad because the chicken stays so moist and juicy, and it is perfectly tender!
Baked
Bake wrapped in foil until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, let rest for 10 minutes while temperature goes up to 165°F.
This cooking method will keep the outside of the chicken from becoming tough by providing a little steam while baking.
Whole Chicken
Cooking a whole chicken for chicken salad is a great option if you are okay with both dark and white meat in your chicken salad. Or, you can cook the whole chicken and use the breast meat for the salad and the dark meat for another dish like Chicken a la King!
There are several options for how to cook a whole chicken for chicken salad and if you have the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker or another type of air fryer, this recipe post goes over 4 cooking techniques: How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Foodi.
You can also smoke a whole chicken for this recipe and I recommend using cherry pellets or cherry wood!
Split Chicken Breasts (bone in, skin on)
By far, this is my favorite cut of chicken for making the best chicken salad. The skin and bones keep the chicken meat super juicy and tender.
Smoked Chicken Breast
My favorite way to prepare the chicken for this recipe is to smoke it on the Ninja Woodfire at low temperatures which also locks in the juices and gives the chicken the best (subtle) smoke flavor.
I usually smoke the split chicken breasts on 225℉/110℃ for 90 minutes or so. You don't have to worry too much about the internal temperature as long as it reaches at least 165℉/74℃. The chicken does not dry out at higher internal temperatures because of the slow smoking process.
Bake
It's also easy to place the split chicken breasts onto a tray and bake them in the oven at 350℉/175℃ until they reach 160℉/71℃ and then let them rest so carryover cooking raises the internal temperature to 165℉/74℃.
Air Fry
Air frying is another good option and you can air fry at 400℉/200℃ until the internal temperature reaches about 160℉/71℃ and let them rest for 10 minutes so the internal temp reaches at least 165℉/74℃.
Toasting the Nuts
You will also want to toast the pecans at least 30 minutes prior to making the chicken salad so they have time to cool.
Quick Tip
Place the toasted nuts in a shallow dish so they cool faster
Place the pecans or whatever nuts you are using into a small frying pan and heat over medium heat until the nuts starts to become fragrant and slightly brown.
Immediately remove them from the heat once you see them starting to brown because they can burn very quickly. Let them cool before adding to the chicken salad.
Making the Cherry Chicken Salad
Making chicken salad or any kind of salad for that matter is all about ratios and, once you have a basic ratio of ingredients, you can make as little or as much chicken salad as you want.
For reference, one split chicken breast will yield about 1½ cups of cubed chicken (about 1" pieces)
The ratios can be based on personal preference, but you do want more chicken in your chicken salad than any other ingredient. Here are the ratios that I use.
- 1½ cups cubed chicken
- ¼ cup toasted pecans
- ¼ cup dried cherries
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup diced celery (about 1 rib of celery)
- 2 Tablespoons diced red onion
- ½ teaspoon kosher or fine grind sea salt *season to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper *season to taste
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. *If you are unsure how your chicken is seasoned, wait to add the salt and pepper until the end and season to taste.
You may need more mayonnaise if your chicken is on the dry side.
Quick Tip
Chill the chicken salad for at least 1 hour before serving and then see if it needs more mayonnaise. Dry chicken will absorb the mayo as it sits.
Once the chicken salad is mixed, taste for seasonings. This is very important because your chicken may need more or less salt than I used.
You can serve your chicken salad right away or cover and refrigerate until serving.
Enjoy!
Chicken Salad Variations
- Classic Chicken Salad: Simply omit the pecans and cherries for a classic chicken salad.
- Ranch Chicken Salad: You can add some dry ranch dressing to the mayo for a quick version of a ranch chicken salad. I would also add some crispy bacon!
- Apple Blue Cheese Chicken Salad: Cube the chicken and mix with blue cheese dressing, pecans or walnuts, and a tart apple (Granny Smith is my favorite).
- Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad: Follow the same recipe except use dried cranberries and toasted almonds.
Storage Instructions
How to Store Leftover Chicken Salad
Refrigeration
Chicken salad using freshly cooked chicken will last 5 days in the refrigerator.
Quick Tip
The fresher your chicken is, the longer the chicken salad will last.
If you are using leftover chicken, the 5 days starts the day the chicken was cooked, not the day the cherry chicken salad was made.
Store in an airtight container for freshness.
Freezer
I do not recommend freezing chicken salad UNLESS you freeze it before adding in the celery, onion, and mayonnaise.
Cold Salad Recipes
Cold Salads are perfect for making ahead of time or when your reheating options are limited.
These cold salads are easy and delicious!
Cherry Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cooked chicken breast chilled and cut into 1" cubes
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup toasted pecans
- ¼ cup dried cherries
- 2 Tablespoons red onion ½" dice
- ¼ cup celery ½" dice (about 1 rib of celery)
- ½ teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
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Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl except salt and pepper.1½ cups cooked chicken breast, ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup toasted pecans, ¼ cup dried cherries, 2 Tablespoons red onion, ¼ cup celery
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. This may change if your chicken breast is already seasoned or brined. The recommended measurements of salt and pepper is for unseasoned chicken breast.½ teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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Susan
Would you recommend dehydrating some fresh sweet cherries for this recipe?