Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 1, 2026 
Some recipes earn a permanent spot in my refrigerator, and this cranberry walnut chicken salad is one of them. I love how the sweet cranberries and crunchy walnuts transform a simple chicken salad into something that feels a little special. It’s easy to make ahead and perfect for everything from sandwiches to fresh green salads.
I love a chunky, creamy, and flavorful chicken salad. It’s one of those classic American spreads that I always have on hand, because it’s truly perfect for any occasion from a grab-and-go lunch, to a quick snack, and even a backyard party. Like my chicken salad with relish, this cranberry walnut version has it all. It’s refined, yet rustic, packed with sweet and savory flavors, and crunchy and creamy textures. Every bite is filled with tart dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, fresh dill, tender chicken, orange zest, and a creamy mayo that brings everything together. This recipe is incredibly versatile, too. I love to load it onto a toasted croissant or scoop it onto crackers. You can also pile it high on some toasted sourdough bread, or even turn it into a protein-packed grain bowl! This is the kind of chicken salad that will earn a permanent spot on your weekly meal rotation, so definitely give it a try.
Pat – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wow! This is hands down the best chicken salad I’ve ever made. The mix of textures and flavors is just perfect, and the dressing is so creamy and flavorful! My whole family loved it!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Quick and Easy – This delicious chicken salad comes together in a few easy-to-follow steps. The secret is to use rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken, because it saves SO MUCH time and work! Then, all you’ve got to do is chop your veggies, squeeze in some mayo, mix it all up, and you’re ready to chow down on this creamy dish.
Amazing Flavor Combos – I’m crazy over the combination of flavors in this chicken salad. Every bite has the perfect balance of sweetness from those dried cranberries and fresh orange zest, and savoriness from the chicken and mayonnaise. Plus, you’ve got incredible textures, too. Win-win!
Great for Meal Prep – I always, always make a really big batch of this chunky dish and keep it on hand in the fridge. As with my tuna salad with apples recipe, it actually tastes even better after it’s had some time to chill because the flavors get stronger. When I need a little protein midday, I’m thrilled to pull this out rather than cold-grilled meat or cottage cheese.
Ingredients You Need
- Cooked chicken – This is the centerpiece of this recipe! I love to use a tender rotisserie chicken that I shred and chop into smaller pieces. Leftover chicken from earlier in the week works as well.
- Scallions – For a pop of color and some deep onion flavor, I add in both the green and white ends of scallions.
- Celery – There’s no such thing as chicken salad without celery! (or at least there shouldn’t be!) This crunchy, green stuff adds the perfect amount of freshness and texture to this dish.
- Dried cranberries – These are an obvious must-have to making this recipe. They add some tartness and sweetness to every bite, and they plump up just a bit once they’ve soaked up some of that mayo moisture.
- Walnuts – Chopped walnuts, or pecans, pair perfectly with the cranberries. They also bring a lot of rich nutty flavor and crunchiness, too.
- Fresh dill – I always add in a sprinkle of freshly chopped dill because it adds just the right amount of herbiness.
- Orange – This is kind of like the secret ingredient here. I mix in grated orange zest for a subtle citrus pop of flavor.
- Mayonnaise – To tie everything together, I use regular mayonnaise! It makes this salad creamy and rich.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Mix the chunky ingredients – The first step to this seriously easy chicken salad is to mix the chopped chicken, scallions, celery, cranberries, walnuts, dill, and orange zest in a bowl.
Add in the mayo – Then, I pour in enough mayonnaise to coat everything. I mix that all up again, and sprinkle in some salt and pepper. I’m gentle when mixing, so I don’t break up the chicken pieces too much. I like to see good chunks in here.
Chill – I chill the salad in the fridge until I’m ready to serve it! Really… That’s it!
Recipe Variations
- Apple – Sometimes I like to mix in some diced firm apples for added sweetness and crunch. Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work great here!
- Almonds or pecans – Swap the walnuts with either almond slivers or chopped pecans if you prefer. Or omit the nuts if needed.
- Greek yogurt – For a lighter, tangier version of this chicken salad, replace some of that mayo with Greek yogurt.
- Grapes – You can also add in a handful of chopped grapes for some juicy sweetness and a fun burst of flavors.
- Feta – Try mixing in some crumbled feta cheese for a tanginess that pairs great with the sweet cranberries.
Serving Suggestions
This cranberry chicken is incredible on toasted bread or folded into soft tortillas for a wrap-style lunch. You can also pile it high on a croissant, or serve it over some crunchy fresh lettuce for a lower-carb meal.
This rich and sweet chicken flavor also makes the perfect dip! Of course, I love to serve them with classic crunchy crackers, but you should also give my low carb cauliflower crackers and baked sweet potato chips a try!
And chicken salad is perfect for serving with other hearty Southern salads like pasta salad, broccoli cauliflower salad, and bean salad.
Storing
This recipe is great for your weekly meal prep! Store the chicken salad in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days if using day-old leftover chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but it will not quite have the same flavor. While there are many great uses for canned chicken, it doesn’t do too well as a replacement in fresh salads like this copycat Panera cranberry walnut chicken salad recipe.
It’s easy to poach chicken breasts to make chicken salad! Cut two large chicken breasts into large chunks that are about 2-3 inches square. Meanwhile, start to bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken to the water after it gets hot but before it’s at a full boil. Once it boils, quickly cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat off.
Let the chicken cook for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how big the pieces are. Check them for doneness, then either replace the lid and keep cooking a few more minutes, or remove the pieces and transfer them to a cutting board to cool.
Another option would be to cook chicken in an Instant Pot and then either shred or chop to use. This method takes less than an hour and is nearly entirely hands-off!
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More Easy Salad Recipes
Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup chopped scallions green and white ends
- ¾ cup sliced celery
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Set a large mixing bowl. Combine the chopped chicken, chopped scallions, sliced celery, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts or pecans, fresh chopped dill, and orange zest. Mix the ingredients to make sure the dill and orange zest is evenly distributed, not clumped together.
- Then mix in the mayonnaise. Mix well to coat all ingredients. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
- Cover the chicken salad and chill until ready to serve.
Wow! This is hands down the best chicken salad I’ve ever made. The mix of textures and flavors is just perfect, and the dressing is so creamy and flavorful! My whole family loved it!
I love how quick and easy this recipe is! The flavors are perfectly balanced, and the hint of sweetness from the cranberries makes it extra delicious.
This cranberry chicken salad is absolutely amazing! I made it for lunch, and it was a huge hit – definitely adding this to my regular meal prep!