Autumn Chicken Salad with Apple, White Cheddar & Pecans

This autumn chicken salad is creamy, crunchy, slightly sweet, and full of fall inspired flavor from crisp apple, sharp white cheddar, toasted pecans, celery, and fresh thyme.

I love a good chicken salad for meal prep, but this one feels a little more special than the usual version. The combination of apple, toasted pecans, sharp white cheddar, and thyme gives it such a good mix of sweet, savory, creamy, and crunchy.

The dressing is made with both Greek yogurt and mayonnaise, which keeps it creamy without feeling too heavy. Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and black pepper bring everything together.

This is especially good piled onto fresh sourdough bread with a little arugula, but it also works really well as a simple salad or easy lunch to keep in the refrigerator for the week.

Main Ingredients & Swaps

• Chicken: Any cooked chopped or shredded chicken works here. Rotisserie chicken makes this especially easy.
• Apple: Use a crisp apple that will hold its texture after being mixed into the dressing.
• White cheddar: Sharp white cheddar adds a savory bite that works really well with the apple and honey.
• Pecans: Toasting the pecans brings out so much more flavor and gives the chicken salad a little extra crunch.
• Celery: Celery keeps the salad fresh and crunchy.
• Fresh thyme: This gives the chicken salad that autumn inspired flavor and pairs especially well with the apple and pecans.
• Greek yogurt and mayonnaise: Using both gives you a creamy dressing with a little extra tang.
• Dijon mustard: Dijon adds depth and balances the sweetness from the honey and apple.
• Lemon Juice: This this chicken salad an extra pop of brightness and brings out the flavors.
• Honey: Just a little bit goes a long way here.

How I Make It

I start by whisking together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper until smooth.

Then I add the cooked chicken, diced apple, celery, white cheddar, toasted pecans, and fresh thyme.

I stir everything together until it is well coated, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

That is really all there is to it. I like serving it right away or refrigerating it so the flavors have time to come together.

Serving Ideas

• My favorite way to eat this chicken salad is on homemade sourdough bread with fresh arugula.
• It is also really good spooned over an arugula salad, tucked into a wrap, or served with crackers for an easy lunch.

Tips & Storage

• Toast the pecans: Add the pecans to a dry stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently for about 3 to 5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let them cool before chopping.
• Make it ahead: This is a great recipe to make ahead because the flavors get even better after a little time in the refrigerator.
• Keep the apple crisp: A firm, crisp apple works best and holds up better once mixed into the dressing.
• Refrigerator: Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it throughout the week.

You can watch me make this Autumn Chicken Salad with Apple, White Cheddar & Pecans in my Meal Prep for Kids & Teens video on YouTube.

This has quickly become one of my favorite chicken salads because it feels a little more interesting than the classic version without being complicated. The apple, cheddar, pecans, thyme, and creamy dressing all work so well together, and it is one of those recipes I am very happy to have waiting in the refrigerator for an easy lunch.

Autumn Chicken Salad with Apple, White Cheddar & Pecans

A creamy, crunchy chicken salad with crisp apple, sharp white cheddar, toasted pecans, celery, fresh thyme, and a lightly sweet Dijon dressing.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Chicken, Snack

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large crisp apple diced
• 4 celery ribs finely diced
• ¾ cup white cheddar cut into small cubes
• ⅓ cup pecans toasted and chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Notes

• To toast the pecans, add them to a dry stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently for 3 to 5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool before chopping.
• A crisp, firm apple works best so it holds its texture in the salad.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for an easy make ahead lunch.

Method

 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the cooked chicken, diced apple, celery, white cheddar, toasted pecans, and fresh thyme.
3. Stir until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.
4. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve on sourdough bread with arugula, over a salad, in a wrap, or with crackers.

Video

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