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Creamy Mayo Chicken Salad Recipe

This creamy chicken salad recipe uses rotisserie chicken, cranberries, pecans, and light mayo. A quick cold chicken lunch idea that works as a sandwich filler or picnic food, the whole family will love.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Rotisserie chicken completely shredded and chilled
  • 1 cup Dried cranberries
  • 1 cup Chopped pecans
  • 1 cup Almond slivers lightly toasted
  • cup Mayonnaise Full-fat preferred for structural stability
  • 1 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. Garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. Coarsely cracked black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Place the dried cranberries into a small bowl and pour the 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice directly over them. Let them sit for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Pro Tip: This is a hydrophilic texturing technique. Dried fruits are moisture-starved and will aggressively suck up liquid. Pre-soaking them in acid plumps up the berries and infuses them with a bright flavor pop, preventing them from stealing moisture directly from your mayonnaise base later.
  • Spread your almond slivers and chopped pecans into a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan continuously, until they release a nutty aroma and turn pale golden. Move them to a cool plate immediately.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic powder, kosher salt, and coarsely cracked black pepper until the spices are fully suspended in the fat matrix.
  • Dump the lemon-soaked cranberries along with any unabsorbed surface juice directly into the mayonnaise bowl. Whisk again to fully emulsify the acid with the heavy dairy lipids. Crucial: Mixing your dressing completely smooth before introducing the meat prevents uneven seasoning clumps and locks the emulsion together so it holds up better during storage.
  • Add the shredded rotisserie chicken, toasted pecans, and toasted almond slivers to the dressing bowl.
  • Use a rubber spatula or wide spoon to firmly fold the ingredients together from the bottom up until the chicken strands are uniformly insulated in a thin, glossy glaze of mayonnaise. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving on croissants or a bed of fresh greens.
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