Caramel Apple Chicken Salad (Print Version)

Vibrant salad with tender chicken, crisp apples, mixed greens, and caramel-pecan dressing bringing sweet and savory together.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Components

01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens such as arugula, baby spinach, and romaine
02 - 2 medium apples such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, thinly sliced
03 - 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced approximately 2 cups
04 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
05 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries
06 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 cup candied pecans or toasted pecans

→ Caramel-Pecan Dressing

08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
11 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
14 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

# Steps:

01 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until dissolved and bubbly approximately 2 minutes.
02 - Stir in maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and sea salt. Remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes.
03 - Whisk in extra-virgin olive oil until fully emulsified. Stir in finely chopped pecans. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
04 - Arrange mixed greens on a large serving platter or individual plates. Top with sliced apples, chicken, cheese, cranberries, red onion, and candied pecans.
05 - Drizzle the caramel-pecan dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to combine and distribute dressing evenly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It eats like dessert but fills you up like a proper lunch, which feels like cheating in the best way.
  • The caramel dressing comes together in one pan and tastes wildly more complicated than it actually is.
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it together right before guests show up, no sweating required.
  • It works with whatever apples or greens you have lying around, so theres no special trip to the store.
02 -
  • Let the dressing cool to room temperature before you pour it, or itll wilt the greens on contact and turn your salad into a sad pile.
  • Toss the apple slices with a tiny squeeze of lemon juice if youre assembling more than ten minutes ahead, it keeps them from browning.
  • Dont skip whisking the oil in slowly, dumping it all at once makes the dressing split and look greasy instead of creamy.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge, it lasts a week and turns any boring weeknight salad into something special.
  • Toast your own pecans instead of buying candied ones if you want to control the sweetness, just toss them in a dry skillet for three minutes until they smell nutty.
  • If the dressing thickens up in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for ten minutes and whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to loosen it back up.
Go Back