In the event you’re on the lookout for a cranberry hen salad recipe that may blow your thoughts… look no additional. We’ve made this Cape Cod Hen Salad month-to-month for years, ever since we recreated it from our favourite bagel deli within the neighborhood (it has the perfect taste!). As a cousin to the equally scrumptious apple and grape-filled Hen Waldorf salad, this scrumptious salad is ideal for a picnic, packed lunch, or any out of doors outing. Whether or not you’re headed to the park, the seaside, a household outing, and even tailgating, this meal is tremendous straightforward to pack and revel in on the go. 

That is additionally generally known as “New England Hen Salad” if you happen to’re on the lookout for that, This Cape Cod model is a flavorful twist on the conventional hen salad however with cranberries, pecans and poppy seeds added. I like it a lot greater than the unique hen salad. 

I additionally included straightforward (examined!) substitutions under to make this recipe, gluten-free, vegan, WW pleasant, and low carb. 

Elements

• 4 cups chopped cooked hen (We preserve the Costco model of shredded hen readily available for this).
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 cup diced pink onion

Dressing Elements:

• 1 1/2 cups mayo
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Optionally available Sandwich Elements: 

Serves: 8

Directions

1. Into a big bowl, add your chopped cooked hen.
2. Add in your diced celery, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and diced pink onions.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine mayonnaise, honey, and poppy seeds to create a creamy dressing.
4. Pour the dressing over the hen combination and season with salt and black pepper.
5. Serve and revel in!

Now, let’s discuss some (examined!) enjoyable variations for each weight-reduction plan of this basic Cape Cod Hen Salad recipe. As a result of all people has totally different preferences and a few individuals are on a medically restrictive weight-reduction plan, In the event you’re like me and simply use rotisserie hen and even canned hen (it sounds gross, however belief me, it’s fairly tasty and a nice backup meal), or the shredded hen from Costco, you may whip this up in simply quarter-hour and meal prep it for the subsequent 2-3 days. 

Variations for Vegan/Low Fodmap/Keto/WW/Low Calorie Food plan

1. Keto or low-Carb Choice: Swap out the honey for two teaspoons of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard to maintain it keto-friendly.
2. Low FODMAP: Use inexperienced onions (or chives) as an alternative of pink onions, and make sure the mayo is freed from high-FODMAP substances (you need to use the Fig App to examine for Fodmap-free business product and types). 
3. Vegan: Use Hellman’s vegan mayo as an alternative, and purchase Butler’s Soy Curls right here (they’re onerous to search out in shops however they’re AMAZING as an alternative choice to diced hen – 4 out of 4 of my non-vegan besties will fortunately eat these rather than hen – which is the very best type of reward there may be as a result of they honestly hate vegan meals. I feel Butler’s soy curls style precisely like hen and might’t work out why they don’t carry them in each retailer that sells unattainable burgers. Butler’s soy curls come dehydrated, so to make use of them- you simply pour heat water over them and allow them to rehydrate for 10 minutes when you chop the remainder of the substances. 
4. WW (Weight Watchers): Use half fat-free Greek yogurt (or low-fat vanilla greek yogurt if you happen to can spare the factors) and half fat-free mayo. It will lower down the factors, making it a guilt-free possibility. For these monitoring recipes, this model is about 3 WW factors per serving (not counting the bread if you happen to make this a sandwich). 

Dietary Worth and Ideas

This Cape Cod Hen Salad is extremely good, and there’s lots of totally different views of what makes a wholesome meal (all natural? Complete meals? Low Carb? Low Calorie? Vegan?), However I’m together with out there nutrient information from Pleased Forks under (be aware: they’ve a recipe analyzer that may do that to trace recipes you discover on-line) so you may get an thought of vitamin primarily based on the recipe listed above (I didn’t do that for the entire variations like Vegan, Keto and so forth, however you need to use their recipe analyzer to make the substitutions that you simply used to replace it). Word: I calculated each day values utilizing all-white hen breast with simply the hen salad, so if you happen to use hen thighs, it might be barely increased. And including issues like complete grain bread to make a sandwich would additionally improve the energy. 

Picnic Perfection

The most effective elements about this hen salad is how straightforward it’s to pack for a picnic or any out of doors journey. Simply portion it into single-serving containers and even make sandwiches utilizing whole-grain bread. It’s a scrumptious recipe that’s versatile sufficient to serve in lettuce wraps or on crackers as a ramification. For a lightweight summer season meal, pair it with some contemporary fruit or a easy inexperienced salad.

This Cape Cod Hen Salad additionally stands out due to its distinctive taste profile. The poppy seeds add a refined crunch, whereas the honey brings a pleasant sweetness that balances the savory parts completely. It’s an genuine Cape Cod hen salad recipe that stays true to the standard flavors of the northeastern United States.

​Our Contemporary Hen Hack 

At first look, this recipe might look like you might want to prepare dinner hen earlier than you even get started- however you’re all of it improper! You should buy already-cooked chicken hen in bulk at Costco for ridiculous costs, retailer it in 1-cup baggage within the freezer to shortly thaw, and use it if you want it (we have now a ton of recipes that we use right here with precooked hen breasts in order for you different straightforward concepts). In the event you don’t use Costco- you too can use canned hen, a rotisserie hen, or you might bulk prepare dinner hen breast right away pot with pineapple juice (freeze the additional for subsequent time). 

Cape Cod Hen Salad Recipe: 15-Minute Picnic Meal

 

This creamy Cape Cod Hen Salad is a month-to-month staple in our home. It is our go-to for tailgating, seaside journeys, RVing, and even packed lunches for work.

Writer: Rosemarie Groner

Recipe kind: Picnic

Delicacies: American

Serves: 8 Servings

Elements

• 4 cups chopped cooked hen (We preserve the Costco model of shredded hen readily available for this).
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
• ¼ cup diced pink onion
• Dressing Elements:
• 1½ cups mayo
• ⅓ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Optionally available Sandwich Elements:
• Bread
• Lettuce

Directions

1. Into a big bowl, add your chopped cooked hen.
2. Add in your diced celery, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and diced pink onions.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine mayonnaise, honey, and poppy seeds to create a creamy dressing.
4. Pour the dressing over the hen combination and season with salt and black pepper.
5. Serve and revel in!

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Remaining Ideas

Whether or not you’re making this for a household outing, a fast meal at house, or packing it up for a day on the seaside, this Cape Cod Hen Salad is sure to develop into a staple in your recipe rotation. It’s straightforward to make, filled with taste, and adaptable for varied dietary wants. So, subsequent time you’re on the lookout for a meal that’s each scrumptious and handy, give this salad a strive. And don’t neglect to share your personal model and recipe concepts – I’d love to listen to the way you make this scrumptious salad your personal!

Pleased consuming, and revel in your subsequent picnic with this improbable Cape Cod Hen Salad!