Chicken Apple Salad

Chicken Apple Salad, with fresh greens and nuts, is spicy and tangy and full of flavors that will make it your new favorite lunch or dinner

This salad really does have it all!

Drizzled with creamy Garlic Parmesan Dressing, this salad is perfect for lunch, dinner, or brunch year-round. We love it served alongside Pork Loin Roast, Garlic Butter Steak Bites, or Individual Chicken Pot Pies.

Ready to get started? Just click on our “JUMP TO RECIPE” button below. For tips, processes, and substitutions keep reading. This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our affiliate disclosure for details. We only recommend products to you that we love ♥️ and use.

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Ingredients for Chicken Salad with Apples

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (about 6 ounces) – seasoned, baked, and cut into small dice or shredded. In a time crunch? Grab a rotisserie chicken from the market.
• Green leaf lettuce – about 4 cups
• Butter leaf lettuce – about 4 cups (or use 8 total cups of mixed greens)
• Feta cheese – crumbled, or substitute blue cheese or goat cheese
• Walnuts or Pecans – roughly chopped, we recommend toasting them for best flavor
• Apple – Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, or Fuji, cut into cubes
• Dressing – we like a tangy Parmesan Garlic Dressing (see recipe card for details), but our classic Lemon Vinaigrette is also a great match for this salad

Ingredients for Parmesan Dressing

This dressing pairs perfectly with chicken apple salad but, of course, you can use any salad dressing of choice, such as our Champagne Vinaigrette.

• White Wine Vinegar or Champagne Vinegar – the flavor of champagne vinegar is slightly softer but either works
• Red Wine Vinegar – we don’t recommend substituting balsamic because it’s too heavy. If needed just use more white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
• Celery Seed and Onion Powder – if you use celery salt or onion salt just omit the regular salt
• Cinnamon – one of the secrets to this amazing dressing! (If you use store-bought dressing instead be sure to whisk in a little cinnamon)
• Tarragon – dried or fresh
• Garlic – choose fresh garlic if you can, but garlic powder works too
• Anchovy fillet – optional, but we promise you it takes this dressing to a whole new level, doesn’t taste fishy and gives it a gorgeous umami flavor
• Tabasco – or any other hot sauce of choice
• Olive Oil – slowly drizzling olive oil in emulsifies this dressing and gives it a slightly creamy texture
• Parmesan Cheese – use the good stuff – it’s worth it!
• Salt and Pepper

How to make Chicken Apple Salad with Fresh Greens

Make the Dressing:

• In a blender or small food processor: Mix together both vinegars, celery seed, onion powder, cinnamon, tarragon, garlic clove, anchovy, and tabasco and blend until smooth
• Add Parmesan and blend until pureed
• Slowly drizzle in olive oil and blend until the dressing is emulsified
• Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed
• If whisking in a bowl instead of using a food processor: Follow the same method but finely mince the garlic clove and use grated parmesan instead
• Set dressing aside. If not using it right away store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Shake well before using

Make the Salad:

• If desired, lightly toast the nuts, let them cool, and roughly chop. Set aside.
• Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized cubes, or shred it, and set aside.
• Core and cut the apple into bite-sized pieces. We leave the skin on our apples but peel them if you like. Set aside.
• In a large bowl add the lettuce.

• Add chicken, apples, and nuts.
• Crumble the feta cheese and add to the salad bowl.
• Drizzle in dressing and toss gently to combine everything.
• Serve immediately.

Substitution Ideas:

We love this salad as it’s written but it’s easy to swap out some of the ingredients.

• Lettuce: red or green leaf, mixed greens, or butter lettuce all work well
• Apples: Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, or Fuji are our favorite choices
• Nuts: walnuts are the traditional choice, but pecans are also a good pairing. Our candied pecans would be scrumptious in this salad too!
• Cheese: try substituting the feta with crumbled blue cheese, gorgonzola, or goat cheese

Make Ahead:

This salad is great for meal prep! Almost everything can be made ahead.

• The chicken can be cooked and refrigerated for up to 3 days
• The dressing can be prepared and kept in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. Just be sure to mix well before serving.
• Toast the walnuts or pecans, cool, and keep tightly sealed for about 5 days.
• When ready to serve the salad, cut the apples, crumble the feta, and toss everything with the lettuce.

Other great salads to try:

• Fresh Peach Salad with Port Wine Vinaigrette
• Arugula Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
• Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing