Let me just tell you that it has been quite the STRUGGLE getting this recipe written up and published today. I swear the world is against me today. Not only is it incredibly dreary outside (rain, thunder, and a TORNADO WATCH…YES…a tornado watch), but the lighting for photographing has been God awful (because of the rain, thunder, and TORNADO WATCH). The internet has been cutting in and out, and Comcast and I ALREADY don’t get along (NOT because of the rain, thunder and tornado watch…this has been going on since early AM). Long story short, it has taken me a good 4 hours to get this posted, AND I’m not even half way through what I wanted to accomplish in the kitchen (because of that whole TORNADO thing). Hold me.
I’m not full of sadness today though because I had this glorious harvest chicken salad for lunch. I ADORE chicken salad. It is pretty much a staple item in my fridge. I always have it on hand, and I’m always looking for new ways to put a spin on it. I wanted to fall-ify this chicken salad, and by doing that, I added pecans, apples, pears, and cranberries into the mix. With just a touch of apple cider vinegar, this harvest chicken salad may be my new go-to recipe for the fall months…
Now…
What to do about winter?? Snickerdoodle chicken salad? No? Too far? Ok…
So did y’all have a fabulous weekend? It was pretty low-key around here, and I’m pretty happy about it. Zach and I finally got back around to brewing beer. It has been a long time coming, and I’m so happy to be at it once again. The super great thing about this is that I will be posting homebrew recipes in the next couple of months (for those of you who care — I’m guessing some of you do). So WOO! This makes me very happy.
P.S. I don’t know why I keep using “y’all.” I’m not from the south. I’ve never lived in the south. I have just found it incredibly fun to say lately. You can judge. It’s ok.
Beer: Great Divide’s Nomad
Brewed By: Great Divide
Style: Pilsner
ABV: 5.4%
Description: Great Divide’s Nomad is everything you desire in a pilsner, yet so much more. I love it for it’s fresh crispness and florally notes. With this chicken salad being insanely fresh and in some ways on the lighter side, I wanted a fresh-tasting beer to go along with it. Nomad brings all of these attributes to the table, and while it is a quite unique spin on your traditional pilsner, it still has those distinct pilsner-like qualities. It’s a great early fall beer.
I’m still in heartbreak over this past football weekend. Both Penn State and the Steelers lost, so my agonizing has not quite subsided. Forgive me for being a “Debbie downer.”
Here’s the recipe! You can thank me later. <3
Yields 6
10 minPrep Time
10 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- salt and pepper
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, fully cooked and shredded
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 apple, cored and diced
- 1 pear, cored and diced
- 3/4 cup halved pecans, lightly toasted
- 4 strips of bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
- sliced bread, rolls or greens (for serving)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, Greek yogurt, milk, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, cranberries, apple, pear, pecans, bacon and crumbled goat cheese.
- Pour the dressing on top of the chicken mixture and mix to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve the chicken salad on bread or a bed of greens. It will store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Enjoy!
