Home Kitchen Dried Cherry Toasted Almond Chicken Salad

I don’t always meal prep lunch but when I do, I make chicken salad.

Depending on what I’m in the mood for, I usually alternate between chipotle chicken salad, this avocado grilled chicken salad, curried chicken salad, the familiar chicken salad with grapes and pecans or the one I’m sharing today. All of these taste memorable and are great to have on hand for a speedy healthy lunch.

In this particular salad, shredded cooked chicken is tossed with celery, onions, dried cherries and toasted almonds. The go-to part, in my opinion, is the dressing! A simple creamy dressing of mayonnaise, greek yogurt and lemon juice is sweetened with a little honey and seasoned with everything (but the bagel) seasoning.

I like to top my cherry almond chicken salad with micro greens and extra everything seasoning and serve with with crackers and bibb lettuce leaves.

To cook this Cherry Toasted Almond Salad Gather:

for the dressing:

• plain nonfat greek yogurt – Lends creaminess without adding fat.
• mayonnaise – Adds creaminess and flavor.
• lemon juice – Thins out and brightens the dressing.
• honey – Adds a touch of sweetness.
• everything seasoning – Use kitchen-made or store-bought.
• kosher salt – Enhances the flavors in the dressing.
• freshly ground black pepper – Adds subtle bite and flavor.

for the salad:

• yellow onion – Lends savory onion flavor and some crunchy texture.
• sliced almonds – Add toasty, nutty flavor and crunch.
• shredded cooked chicken – Use leftover roasted chicken or rotisserie.
• celery – Lends earthy flavor and crunchy texture.
• dried cherries – Adds texture and sweetness.
• green onion – For a mild onion flavor.
• parsley (fresh) – For a pop of dark green.

In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, the juice of 1/2 a small lemon, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 tablespoon everything seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and about 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Stir well to combine and so that the honey is mixed throughout.

Add 1/2 a medium, finely diced yellow onion to a bowl with ice and water. Let them soak 5 to 10 minutes.

What Happens When You Soak Onions In Ice Water?

Soaking onions in ice water removes a lot of the bite. You still get onion flavor but it’s mellowed out considerably.

Next, toast 1/2 cup of sliced almonds in a dry pan until golden, tossing occasionally. Remove off of the heat and cool.

Measure, dice or roughly chop the remaining ingredients.

In a mixing bowl, add 3 cups of shredded chicken, the (drained) yellow onions, 1/2 cup celery 1/3 cup dried cherries (roughly chopped), toasted almonds, 3 sliced green onions and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley.

Lastly pour in the creamy dressing.

Toss.

Until combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

How To Serve Chicken Salad:

• seedy crackers – I like Mary’s Gone crackers.
• toasted bread – Try it on croissant bread OMG.
• lettuce – Serve on or wrapped in romaine, iceberg or bibb lettuce.
• sandwich or wrap – Tuck it into a croissant, lavash or wrap of choice or in pita bread.

What To Serve With Chicken Salad:

• Fresh fruit
• veggies
• chips of choice
• small cup of soup

How To Store Chicken Salad:

Store leftovers in a large container or individual personal size containers with a tight fitting lid.

How Long Will Chicken Salad Last In The Fridge?

If stored properly, chicken salad can last up to 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Click Here For All My Chicken Salad Recipes!

Enjoy! And if you give this Cherry Toasted Almond Chicken Salad recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!