Fall is honeycrisp apple season, and one of the best ways to savor the sweetness of this fruit is with a pecan crusted chicken salad. The sweet crispness of the apples in this dish pairs well with the subtle butteriness of the pecans for a recipe you’ll love throughout the year. You can also add toppings such as crumbled bacon for a smoky element to make the salad even more irresistible.

Enjoy the Crisp Flavors of Fall With This Harvest Salad

Vibrant leaves and cooler weather is a sure sign that fall is around the corner. One of the best ways to make the most of this new season is with our pecan crusted chicken salad. This fresh salad is flavorful and features a honey Dijon vinaigrette to add a sweet and savory note. Serve the dish as a main course, or make it a side you and your guests will reach for throughout the meal.

What Ingredients You’ll Need

Since the dish contains heartier ingredients, it pairs well with a light and fresh honey Dijon vinaigrette. To make the vinaigrette, you’ll need:

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons of champagne or red wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• ¼ cup apple cider
• ¼ cup olive oil

The fall-inspired ingredients you’ll need to assemble the salad include:

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 ½ cup pecans
• 10 cups of mixed greens
• 2 honeycrisp apples
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• ⅓ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup crumbled bacon

How to Make This Harvest Salad

Before assembling the lettuce, place all the ingredients for the dressing into a blender. Blend them for 20 to 30 seconds or until they are well combined. Set the dressing aside.

For the main, start by making the chicken. Place the flour, eggs and pecans in three separate bowls. Pat the chicken breasts dry before dipping them one by one into the flour, eggs and pecans. Put the coated chicken breasts on a baking sheet and cook them in a 375-degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, combine the lettuce, apples, cranberries, bacon and raisins, and toss them with the vinaigrette. Place the chicken on top of the lettuce once it finishes cooking. Serve immediately to savor your meal at maximum freshness.

Make This Fresh and Filling Salad Even Better With Pecans From Pecan Nation

At Pecan Nation, our specialty is ensuring our pecans are at their ultimate freshness. We manage the harvesting process from planting to distribution and pride ourselves on only offering our customers the highest-quality nuts available.

Our Georgia-grown pecans are a great way to elevate your pecan crusted chicken salad. If you’d like to explore a variety of flavor combinations, we also encourage you to try our flavored pecans. Browse our selection of recipes to build an entire menu based on our delectable pecans.