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Cranberry Chicken Salad

Hi friends!

So what’s for lunch this week? I’m having this tasty cranberry chicken salad, courtesy of the The Cranberry Institute! I am part of the Cranberry Bog Blogger group, which means quarterly I get sent cute little boxes of cranberries and supplies to make a recipe. This time, I received a box full of dried cranberries, salt & pepper grinders, and a cute red whisk to make this two-ingredient dressing!
  Cranberry Chicken Salad 2

Four Tidbits about the Tiny, Tart Cranberry:

  • Cranberries naturally contain the flavonoid proanthocyanidins (PACs). The unique structure of the PACs found in cranberries offer properties that prevent bacteria from sticking to cell walls.
  • The PACs in cranberries may help prevent harmful bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract, such as E. coli associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs).
  • MyPlate suggests trying dried fruits, including dried cranberries, as a snack because they are easy-to-carry and store well. Perfectly portioned single-serve packs of dried cranberries are an easy grab-and-go snack! Remember, 1/4 cup is the perfect portion size.
  • Cranberries are naturally fat-free, have little sodium and align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations.

 

Cranberry Chicken Salad 4

Add cranberries, in various forms, to some of your favorite recipes to boost fruit intake.

  • Use cranberry sauce as a spread on turkey sandwiches (Thanksgiving is right around the corner!)
  • Turn fresh or frozen cranberries into a cranberry relish
  • Top pancakes or waffles with whole berry cranberry sauce instead of butter or syrup
  • Mix fresh or frozen cranberries into store-bought or homemade applesauce
  • Add dried cranberries to oatmeal for added layers of sweet and tart flavor (My favorite, Quaker Warm & Crunchy Granola w/ Cranberries & Almond)

Cranberry Chicken Salad 6

This chicken salad is very easy to make. I cooked my chicken in the toaster oven (it’s the perfect size without having to heat up the whole oven!) and then diced it up. To make the dressing, you combine a fat-free poppy seed dressing with reduced fat mayo to make it creamy. In a large bowl, you combine the chicken, dressing, green onions, celery and cranberries!

I ate it on whole-wheat bread with baby spinach. Great for a low-calorie, high protein lunch.

Cranberry Chicken Salad
Yields 8
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup dried cranberries
  2. ⅓ cup 100% cranberry juice, unsweetened
  3. ½ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
  4. ⅓ cup fat-free poppy seed dressing
  5. 16 oz. grilled white chicken meat, diced
  6. 1 cup sliced celery
  7. ¾ cup thinly sliced scallions
  8. 2 cups shredded fresh spinach
  9. 16 slices of bread
Instructions
  1. Place cranberries and cranberry juice in a saucepan and heat slightly. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature. Cranberries will absorb all liquid. Hold.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and dressing.
  3. Stir in diced chicken, celery and scallions. Toss well to coat. Stir in reserved cranberries and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.
  4. To Serve: For each serving, place ¼ cup spinach onto a slice of bread and portion ½ cup salad on top of spinach. Top with another slice of bread and serve.
Notes
  1. Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 390, Calories from Fat 100, Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 12g, Cholesterol 20mg, Sodium 800mg*, Total Carbohydrate 57g, Sugars 17g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 13g, Vitamin A 20%, Vitamin C 15%, Calcium 10%, Iron 20%
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What is your favorite chicken salad recipe?

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