Chicken Cranberry Pecan Salad Sandwich

Chicken Cranberry Pecan Salad Sandwich. A perfect combination of flavors for a festive autumn or winter luncheon tray, a picnic, or perhaps just a change from your regular brown bag lunch. Roasted chicken, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, celery, scallions, dijon mustard and mayonnaise combine together as a delicious sandwich filling.

Cranberries give a sweet and tart flavor to this chicken salad. I bet that you didn’t know that cranberries are a major American crop! Cranberries are also high in antioxidants.

Over the weekend, I roasted a whole chicken. Generally, my husband likes to eat the legs of the chicken and I will have a slice or two of chicken breast. What to do with the leftover cooked chicken? Several options come to mind including a tasty chicken salad sandwich. My usual chicken salad sandwich is more mainstream. This slightly fancier recipe is a bit more festive and just in time for the holidays. You can substitute leftover cooked turkey for the cooked chicken.

I diced the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Then, I thinly sliced some scallions and celery. Chopped some toasted pecans. Hydrated some dried cranberries in some warm water, then drained and chopped them. Mixed together all the ingredients with some mayonnaise and a touch of dijon mustard. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Toasted some sandwich rolls. Spread the toasted insides of the rolls with a bit of mayo and placed a lettuce leaf on each roll bottom. Then I scooped the chicken cranberry pecan salad onto the lettuce leaves and topped with each sandwich roll top. Sliced each sandwich in half, and they were ready to eat!

You could refrigerate the chicken salad for up to two days. Try some pumpernickel bread slices for an open-face sandwich. Put dollops of the chicken salad (minus the lettuce) on top of your favorite crackers for a simple bite-sized appetizer. Make finger sandwiches for a party sandwich tray.

Enjoy!

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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….

Chicken Cranberry Pecan Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 c diced cooked chicken
1/2 c diced celery
1/2 c dried cranberries, hydrated in water, then drained and chopped
3 T chopped toasted pecans
2 T sliced scallions
1 c mayonnaise (more if you like a creamier chicken salad, less if you don’t)
1 T dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

4 sandwich rolls, toasted
Additional mayonnaise for spreading on rolls
4 whole lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Method:

1. Mix together the diced chicken, celery, cranberries, pecans, and scallions with the mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Spread the inside of the toasted rolls with some mayonnaise.
3. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of each toasted roll.
4. Put a scoop of chicken cranberry pecan salad on each lettuce leaf.
5. Put the roll tops on the chicken salad, and cut each sandwich in half.
6. Serve!

Serves 4 for a tasty lunch. Offer with potato chips or tortilla chips on the side.

Variations: Substitute cooked turkey for the chicken. Swap in toasted walnuts for the pecans. Use dried cherries or apricots instead of the cranberries. Use a honey mustard in place of the dijon. Try Greek yogurt instead of the mayonnaise. Serve scoops of the chicken salad on top of the lettuce leaves without the sandwich rolls for an elegant lunch entree. It’s a great filling for a wrap, too.

Take these whimsical plates with their own curious ants with you on a picnic with your chicken salad sandwiches!

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