This pecan chicken salad recipe is a healthy summer dish filled with greens, golden raisins, and artichoke hearts. It's light but still comforting for hot summer days, or perfect for when you need a culinary bear hug but a bowl of macaroni and cheese just doesn't jibe with your mood that day.
Course Salad
Servings 4servings
Calories 1144kcal
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
1 1/2poundschicken thighs
2tablespoonsolive oil
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonfreshly ground pepper
1cupmayonnaise
3/4cupplain yogurt
1tablespoonfreshly squeezed lemon juice
1teaspoonlemon zest
1/2teaspoonground nutmeg
3tablespoonsfresh parsleychopped fine
2wholegreen onionschopped finely
2stalksof celerychopped finely
1wholetart applepeeled and chopped
Salt & pepperto taste
Lemon juiceto taste
3/4cuppecanschopped
4big handfulsof spring salad mix
1/2cupgolden raisins
6pickled artichoke heartscut into quarters
4wholehard boiled eggssliced
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 300°F (149°C). Spread olive oil around the surface an oven-proof baking dish, such as a cast iron skillet. Lay down chicken thighs and sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Turn thighs over, spreading them out and laying them flat, and sprinkle with the rest of the salt and pepper. Move them around in the pan to make sure they are evenly oiled.
Bake chicken thighs for 25 minutes. Once they are done, turns thighs out onto a plate and allow to cool completely.
While thighs are baking, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the nuts and roast until they become fragrant and begin to darken, about two minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool fully.
In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise and yogurt until fully combined. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, nutmeg and parsley, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Dice or shred chicken into small chunks and mix into mayonnaise and yogurt. Add in chopped onion, celery and apple, mixing until completely incorporated. Season with more salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Chill until ready to serve.
Place a small frying pan over medium heat. Toast pecans until they begin to brown and turn fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Into four large bowls, place a handful of salad greens. Sprinkle each bowl with toasted pecans, golden raisins and artichoke hearts, then place a few heaping spoonfuls of the chicken mayonnaise salad into the middle of each bowl. Arrange hard boiled egg slices around the chicken salad and serve.