Chicken salads are just perfect, whether it is a picnic in the park or an easy prepped lunch for a busy week ahead.
Pistachios pair so well with cherries so we thought why not create an inventive spin on a traditional dish?
This chicken salad recipe with dried cherries is a delightful balance between sweet and savory.
The dried cherries create a sweet and tart dynamic while the shallots add flavor and a crunch over using traditional celery. We know you’ll enjoy this chicken salad with a twist!
This recipe is super versatile. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, use that meat make this a rotisserie chicken salad recipe.
If you have boneless skinless chicken breasts in the fridge, poach them in water and pull the meat apart with you hands to create a shredded chicken salad recipe.
Heck, if you only have canned chicken available in the pantry, pop it open, drain the can, and use it for this canned chicken salad recipe.
If you love chicken salads, be sur to also check out this Southern Chicken Salad.
How to make chicken salad
Chicken salad can be made in many ways. Obviously you need to start with chicken! You can shred your chicken or cube it (you might also like these other cubed chicken recipes).
Mix the meat with a sauce. We use light mayonnaise, but you can substitute that for Greek yogurt or even a smashed avocado.
Next add in some crunch whether it is celery or for our easy chicken salad recipe, grab a minced shallot.
For sweetness we add dried cherries, but dried cranberries or sliced grapes are always a great addition to your chicken salad.
Finally, go nuts with nuts! Walnuts and almonds are the most popular choice for chicken salad recipes, but we have add in our favorite nuts: pistachios!
Chicken salad serving ideas
Most people will use our recipe as a chicken salad sandwich recipe, but the salad can be used in a varity of ways.
For a low carb option, this cherry pistachio chicken salad can be served in lettuce cups. It’s great way to have a lunch full of flavor and under 350 calories!
Also, this simple chicken salad recipe is great to whip up for happy hour or entertaining. Just serve it with crackers and one of our delicious cocktail recipes!
Homemade Chicken Salad Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 pound cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1/3 cup shelled pistachios, crushed
- 1/3 cup dried cherries
- 2/3 cup light mayo
- 1/2 of a large shallot, finely chopped
- Lettuce cups
- Salt and Pepper
Start by cooking your chicken breasts. We like to poach them as a healthier way to prep the meat since it is going to be coated in mayonnaise a bit later in the recipe.
Chill the chicken and then cut in into small cubes. Place the nuts into a Ziploc bag and smack it with a mallet briefly to lightly crush the pistachios.
In a mixing bowl, add the cubed chicken, pistachios, cherries, mayo, shallots, and salt and pepper.
Chill for at least an hour and pile onto lettuce cups. If you’re craving carbs, feel free to load it onto some bread and make a sammie
Cherry Pistachio Chicken Salad
Cherries and pistachios add a gourmet flavor to this easy chicken salad that can be made with pantry ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded or canned chicken
- 1/3 cup shelled pistachios, crushed
- 1/3 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
- 2/3 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/2 of a large shallot, finely chopped
- 8 Lettuce cups
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
Start by cooking your chicken breasts. We like to poach them as a healthier way to prep the meat. Simply cook your chicken breasts in a skillet with about 1 cm of water in the pan. Cook until no longer pink.
Chill the chicken and then cut in into small cubes.
Place the pistachios into a Ziploc bag and smack it with a mallet briefly to lightly crush the pistachios or chop them with a knife.
In a mixing bowl, add the cubed chicken, pistachios, chopped cherries, mayo, shallots, and salt and pepper.
Mix until combined and pile onto lettuce cups. If you’re craving carbs, feel free to load it onto some bread and make a sandwich or serve on crackers.
Store leftovers in an airtight container, if the chicken soaks up the mayo, feel free to add 1-2 more tablespoons of mayonnaise prior to serving the leftovers.
Notes
If you don't have a shallot on hand, feel free to use 2 tablespoons of minced red, white, or bulb onion. No produce on hand? Use a sprinkle of onion powder!
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1 Comment
Telkom University
June 11, 2024 at 6:56 amThis article presents a delightful recipe for pistachio cherry chicken salad. It’s a refreshing twist on traditional chicken salad, combining the sweetness of cherries with the crunch of pistachios for a flavorful and satisfying dish.