Apple and Tarragon Chicken Salad

Apple and Tarragon Chicken Salad is one of my favorite uses for leftover roast chicken. I roast a chicken every few weeks, it makes a satisfying dinner one night and the leftover breast meat gets tossed into pastas, salads, and enchiladas. Chicken salad makes a excellent lunch option, and even an easy dinner option when the weather gets too warm to cook. Apples, pecans, and fresh tarragon give this chicken salad enough pizzazz to entertain with, but its easy enough to create for lunch any day of the week.

 

Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt creates the binder, so no mayonnaise is needed. Substituting Greek yogurt also adds extra protein (27g per serving) and keeps the fat content low (9g per serving). Most of the fat comes from the pecans, omit them and you bring the fat down to only 2g per serving. Pecans aren't your thing? You can use almonds, walnuts, or omit the nuts completely.

 

This chicken salad is so good, even my three year old enjoys it! He could hardly wait for me to finish snapping photos before he wanted to dig in, and my props didn't stand a chance. We ended up having an impromptu picnic on the front lawn and then proceeded to spend the rest of the afternoon outside.

I'm always in a better mood when I get to enjoy sunshine and fresh air, and I know that my boys benefit too. Now that S-bug isn't taking daily naps, the extra time outdoors helps him burn off his extra energy which helps tremendously at bedtime!
 

 

Serve this salad for your next girl's weekend, or a Mother's Day lunch, it will be a hit! Or, pack it up and take it to the office over a bed of fresh spring greens. Either way, Apple and Tarragon Chicken Salad is a delicious, healthy lunch option. I hope you try it!

 

Apple and Tarragon Chicken Salad

Serves 4 (get printable recipe)

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
• 1 large red apple, diced
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• ⅓ cup golden raisins
• ⅓ cup pecans, chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 5 oz plain nonfat greek yogurt
• salt and pepper, to taste

 

Directions

1. Combine greek yogurt, lemon juice, tarragon to create dressing. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Mix chicken, apple, scallions, raisins, and pecans together in a large bowl.
3. Add dressing and fold gently to combine. Taste for seasoning.
4. For best flavor, refrigerate 4 hours (up to overnight) before serving.

 

Serving Suggestions

• Serve Apple and Tarragon Chicken Salad on your favorite bread or croissant roll.
• Make appetizer portions by serving in savory pate a choux puffs (pastry puffs).
• Skip the bread altogether and serve in lettuce wraps or over a bed of greens.