Cranberry Chicken Salad

This cranberry chicken salad is sweet, savory, and totally deli-style - made with rotisserie chicken, dried cranberries, crunchy celery, and a creamy, tangy dressing.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

leslie lambert, author of lamberts lately.

Ever get on a salad kick? Sometimes, all that will do is a crisp, cool salad (especially during summer in Mississippi).

I've created some of my best salads when it's miserably hot outside - like my Italian Bean Salad or this yummy Bacon Ranch Bowtie Salad. And today's recipe falls in that category, too!

I like to use rotisserie chicken to make it easy to prep and give it a ton of flavor. The cranberries give it the perfect little hint of sweetness and tang, and the celery gives it a great crunch that makes it so fresh and bright. It's the kind of chicken salad you'd pay $12 for at a cafe - but you can make it at home for a fraction of the price!

More reasons why it's a favorite...

So versatile. This cranberry chicken salad recipe is easy to customize based on what you have on hand. Swap the nuts, change the fruit, lighten up the dressing, or add extra crunch. It works for quick lunches, meal prep, party trays, or easy weeknight dinners.

The perfect sweet and savory flavor. Tender rotisserie chicken, chewy dried cranberries, crisp celery, and a creamy, tangy dressing create the ultimate sweet-and-savory balance. Every bite has texture, flavor, and just enough richness to feel like deli-style chicken salad at home.

Endless ways to serve it. Serve this cranberry chicken salad on croissants, sandwich bread, crackers, lettuce wraps, or straight from the bowl.

Save this one for those hot summer days - it's the perfect quick lunch when you need a fresh salad on the go. Enjoy!

Ingredient Notes

ingredients for rotisserie cranberry chicken salad.

For Chicken Salad Base

Rotisserie chicken - Rotisserie chicken gives you the best flavor with almost zero prep. Use a mix of white and dark meat for the juiciest texture. If using cooked chicken breast instead, you may want to add a little extra dressing since breast meat is leaner. Leftover turkey works great too, especially around the holidays.
Celery - Celery adds crunch and freshness that balances the creamy dressing. Dice it small so you get texture without big watery bites. If your celery stalks are extra thick, slice them lengthwise first, then dice.
Pecans - Pecans add buttery richness and soft crunch. For deeper flavor, toast them in a dry skillet for a few minutes before adding. You can easily swap with almonds, walnuts, cashews, or sunflower seeds if needed.
Red onion - Red onion adds sharpness that cuts through the creamy dressing. Dice very fine so it blends into the salad instead of overpowering it. Want a milder onion flavor? Soak diced onion in cold water for a few minutes, then drain well.
Dried cranberries - Sweetened dried cranberries give the classic sweet-savory balance most people expect. If using unsweetened, you may want to add a tiny drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Other great swaps include raisins, chopped dried apricots, or dried cherries.

For Dressing

Mayonnaise - Full-fat mayo gives the best creamy texture and flavor (great if you like a little tang). Light mayo works fine if you want to cut calories, but the dressing will be slightly less rich.
Sour cream - Sour cream adds tang and keeps the dressing from tasting flat. Plain Greek yogurt is a great swap if you want more protein and a lighter feel. If using yogurt, full-fat or 2% usually gives the best texture.
Dijon mustard - Adds a subtle sharpness that balances the sweetness from the cranberries. If you don't have Dijon, stone ground mustard works well. Yellow mustard works in a pinch but will taste slightly more tangy and less complex.
Seasonings - Simple seasonings (salt, pepper, and garlic powder) are important here. Taste after mixing and adjust if needed, especially if your rotisserie chicken is already salty. Garlic powder blends better than fresh garlic in this creamy dressing.

Optional Additions

If you want to keep this chicken salad classic and deli-style, make it exactly as written.

If you like a little extra sweetness and crunch, add chopped grapes or apples. Love eggs in chicken salad? Stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs. And if you want a fresh flavor boost, mix in a few tablespoons of herbs like parsley, dill, or thyme. Finish it off with a sprinkle of green onion if you want it a little prettier and a little punchier.

Why should I use rotisserie chicken?

Two words: flavor and convenience.

Rotisserie chicken is already tender, well-seasoned, and juicy, which means your chicken salad tastes like it came from the deli without extra work. That built-in seasoning pairs perfectly with the sweet dried cranberries and creamy dressing.

Money-Saving Tip

Check for day-old rotisserie chicken in your deli's refrigerated section. They're typically a little bit less expensive than fresh rotisserie chickens and are already refrigerated - no need to wait to make your recipe!

How to Make Cranberry Chicken Salad

chicken, onion, celery, pecans, and cranberries in a glass bowl.

adding dressing to chicken salad mixture.

mixed cranberry chicken salad in a bowl.

Make the chicken salad base. Remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces, removing any skin or large fatty pieces. Add the chicken to a large mixing bowl. Finely chop the celery, pecans, and red onion so you get a little bit of each ingredient in every bite. Add those along with the dried cranberries to the bowl with the chicken and gently toss to combine.
Make the dressing. In a separate small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and Dijon mustard until smooth and fully combined. Add the seasonings and mix again until evenly blended. The dressing should be thick but easily spoonable. If it feels too thick, you can loosen it with a tiny splash of milk.
Mix everything together. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture. Stir gently but thoroughly until all of the chicken and mix-ins are evenly coated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as you mix to make sure no dry pockets remain.
Refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving, though overnight is best for flavor. This resting time lets the dressing soak into the chicken and helps all of the flavors blend together. Give the salad a quick stir before serving, and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step-by-Step Video

How to Serve

There are so many ways to enjoy this recipe!

Make it into a sandwich. Serve on toasted sandwich bread, croissants, Hawaiian rolls (great for sliders!), or brioche buns with lettuce for crunch and texture.
Serve over a salad. Spoon over lettuce or spinach with simple veggies like cucumber, red onion, or tomatoes for an easy, protein-packed lunch.
Build a lettuce wrap. Use large romaine or butter lettuce leaves for a fresh, low-carb option that still feels filling.
Use as a dip. Serve with crackers, pretzel crisps, or pita chips for an easy snack or party appetizer.

Leftovers & Storage

STORAGE: This salad stores well in an airtight container. I recommend enjoying it within 4-5 days of making it (it's perfectly fine to prep on a Sunday night for chicken salad sandwiches for the work week). It actually gets better the longer it sets...all of those yummy flavors blend together!

FREEZING: This is one recipe I don't recommend freezing. Your fresher ingredients (celery, onion, even the dried cranberries) are going to get soggy. You could freeze just the chicken and creamy dressing, but that's honestly more work than just making it fresh as needed.

cranberry chicken salad on a pretzel bun, showing celery and dried cranberries, on a plate, surrounded by onions, celery, a bowl.

Leslie's Helpful Tips & Tricks

Try to make this rotisserie chicken salad at least a few hours ahead of time before you're ready to enjoy it. It needs time for the flavors to blend together and for the dressing to soak into the chicken and mix-ins. I prefer to let mine hang out in the fridge overnight.
Make sure your chopped elements (celery, onion, and pecans) are finely diced. Nobody wants a big bite of onion in their chicken salad. Even the chicken should be shredded into bite-sized pieces.
If your chicken is warm from a fresh rotisserie chicken, let it cool slightly before mixing. Adding dressing to hot chicken can make the dressing thin or oily instead of creamy.
If your chicken salad seems dry after chilling, stir in a small spoonful of mayo or sour cream right before serving to refresh the texture.
If you like extra crunch, add a little extra celery or nuts right before serving so they stay crisp.

FAQs & Troubleshooting

Yes, but the texture will be softer and less flavorful than rotisserie or freshly cooked chicken. If using canned chicken, drain it really well and break it up with a fork before mixing so the salad does not become mushy.

Yes! You can replace some or all of the mayo with plain Greek yogurt, mashed avocado, or a combination of yogurt and sour cream. The flavor will be a little tangier but still creamy.

I recommend using sweetened dried cranberries because they balance the savory chicken and creamy dressing. If using unsweetened cranberries, you may want to add a tiny bit of honey or maple syrup.

Make sure ingredients like celery are dry after washing, avoid over-mixing, and let the salad chill so the dressing can fully absorb into the chicken. If it loosens during storage, stir in a small amount of mayo before serving.

Aim for small (think Skittle-sized), even pieces so you get a little bit of everything in each bite. Large chunks of onion or celery can overpower the texture and flavor.

More Great Chicken Recipes

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Cranberry Chicken Salad

Why You'll Love This Recipe