Apricot Chicken Salad with Toasted Cashews

Name: Apricot Chicken Salad with Toasted Cashews
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 cups finely diced rotisserie chicken breast; ½ cup diced dried apricots; ½ cup roughly chopped toasted cashews; 2 finely diced celery stalks; 1 finely minced shallot; ¼ cup finely chopped fresh tarragon or cilantro; ½ cup plain greek yogurt; 2 tbsp mayonnaise; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp whole-grain mustard; 1 lime, zest & juice; 1 tbsp honey; salt, to taste

The chokehold the chicken salad has me in could be studied. I don’t know why. I don’t know how to explain this, but it’s just the one meal prep option that I never get sick of, and I love coming up with new flavors, so introducing my apricot chicken salad with toasted cashews.

It’s the same easy formula as most of my chicken salad recipes: dried apricots, toasted cashews, a bit of fresh herbs, and a creamy dressing that’s a combination of mayo and mustard to keep things light and high-protein, without sacrificing any of the creaminess.

NGL, I typically eat it with a fork standing in front of the fridge, but it’s also great piled onto sourdough, scooped up with crackers, or even in cute little lettuce boats.

Some more of my favorite chicken salad recipes:

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Side view of apricot chicken salad in a white bowl with scattered apricots

Why I Love This Apricot Chicken Salad

High-protein and no cooking required. Has nearly 40g of protein per serving from the rotisserie chicken and creamy greek yogurt dressing, but you don’t have to turn on the stove or oven, making it super easy to prep ahead.
Ready in 15 minutes. All you’ve got to do is a little chopping, whisking, tossing, and that’s it.
Perfect for meal prep. It holds up beautifully in the fridge and actually tastes even better on day two.
Sweet, savory, crunchy, creamy. Every bite has all four. The apricots lend this beautiful chewy texture and slight honey flavor, and the toasted cashews bring nuttiness and crunch.
Totally customizable. You can swap the apricots for golden raisins, use whatever herb you like, cashews for almonds, lime for lemon. This is just a base recipe to get you started, but I encourage you to make it your own.

If you love chicken salad as much as I do, this High-Protein Dill Pickle Chicken Salad is a must-try. It’s one of the most popular recipes on my site.

Apricot chicken salad scooped onto a cracker over a white bowl

Key Ingredients

You only need a couple of simple ingredients to throw this apricot chicken salad together. Here are the essentials.

Rotisserie chicken breast. This is the shortcut that makes this whole thing take just 15 minutes. I like to buy a whole rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, which gives you about three cups of breast meat, and then I save the thighs and legs for dinner. You can, of course, also make your own chicken: simply bake it, poach it, or even cook it in the slow cooker.
Dried apricots. You can also use the unsulfured ones from the health food aisle. They’re a deeper orange-brown and have a richer, less sweet flavor.
Toasted cashews. Buy them pre-toasted or toast your own for the perfect buttery, sweet crunch. They really are the perfect companion to the chewy apricots.
Fresh herbs. I like tarragon, but cilantro is also amazing here. Feel free to use what you love or whatever needs to be used up from the fridge.
Greek yogurt and mayo. I like to make my creamy dressing out of half greek yogurt and half mayo because you get the tang and lightness of the yogurt, plus a couple extra grams of protein, and the richness from the mayo. You can use all yogurt if you want to keep the calories low, or all mayo if you want to make it dairy-free.
Two types of mustard. These are essential ingredients in my chicken salad recipes. I like to use a combination of a sharper Dijon and a more textured whole-grain mustard.
Lime zest and juice. You can also use lemon, but lime brings a nice, brighter, more tropical flavor to the mix. It pairs so well with apricot.

Looking for more meal prep ideas? Check out 29 High-Protein Cold Lunches for Work, each with 30+ grams of protein per serving.

How to Make It

You can find the full instructions in the recipe card, but here is the overview.

Toasted cashews in a single layer in an air fryer basket

Toast your cashews
Either buy pre-roasted cashews or toast them yourself. A few minutes in a dry skillet or an air fryer take them from raw to perfectly toasted, crunchy, and nutty.

Creamy mustard dressing ingredients in a metal bowl with a whisk

Whisk up your dressing
Throw all of the dressing ingredients into a big bowl and whisk until smooth.

Diced chicken, shallot, celery, dried apricots, herbs, and cashews arranged in a bowl

Add everything else
Throw in the chicken, celery, shallot, apricots, herbs, and cashews, then mix. Mix a little longer than you think, about two to three extra minutes, and you’ll notice the chicken starts to break apart and you get a beautiful, shreddy, soft, creamy texture.

Apricot chicken salad freshly mixed in a metal bowl with a red-handled spoon

Chill and serve
If you have the patience, throw it all into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. This is an optional step, but it does make a little bit of a difference. Serve on it’s own, with crackers, in a sandwich, or however you like to eat your chicken salad.

Love a tangy chicken salad? My High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Salad is another reader favorite and makes for a great meal prep option.

Victoria’s Tips

Here are a few small things that make a big difference in this apricot chicken salad.

Mix longer than you think. Mix until everything’s smooth and combined, then continue for an extra two to three minutes. You’ll see the chicken starts to break down and the texture goes from chunky to a little more incorporated and soft and smooth.
Toast your cashews. Either buy them pre-roasted or toast them yourself, but the flavor of toasted cashews is totally different, and it also makes the texture even crunchier.
Chill before serving. This requires a lot of patience, but just 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge does help pull everything together.
Season to your desired level of saltiness. Taste often and season as you go but be a little bit careful because the rotisserie chicken and mustard already bring some seasoning.

Swaps & Variations

This recipe is here to make your own, so don’t be shy. Make all the swaps and substitutions to turn this into your ideal apricot chicken salad.

Cashews. I like toasted cashews here, but almonds, pecans, and walnuts all work, each bringing its own vibe. If you’re nut-free, pumpkin seeds are great too. I highly recommend going the toasted route for all of these options.
Apricots. You can use dried cranberries, golden raisins, or even chopped dates instead of apricots if you prefer.
Tarragon. Tarragon is my favorite, but cilantro, dill, and flat-leaf parsley all work great. You can really use anything you have on hand, or even a combination.
Shallot. A bit of finely diced red onion or thinly sliced green onions works great here, too.
Lime. This is an obvious one, but lemon also works. It’s a little less tropical and a little more classic.
Honey. You can leave this out altogether, or use maple syrup (same amount, slightly deeper sweetness).
Dairy-free. Swap the greek yogurt for an equal amount of mayo. The texture is still creamy, and the flavor is a bit richer. You’ll lose a couple of grams of protein, but it’s a super easy swap if you’re dairy-free.

Apricot chicken salad meal prep container with celery sticks and pita crackers

Storage & Meal Prep

Store this apricot chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You’ll want to give it a quick stir before serving to make sure the dressing is well incorporated. The salad is perfect for meal prep, so portion it into containers and enjoy with crackers, pita, or a slice of sourdough on the side.

FAQ

What type of greek yogurt should I use?

Go for full-fat or 2% plain greek yogurt for the best texture and flavor. Both have enough fat to make the dressing taste creamy and balanced, whereas nonfat will be a little bit lean, thin, and tangy. Still works in a pinch if that’s what you’ve got. A fresher Greek yogurt also leans a little more balanced versus one that’s been sitting in the fridge, which can get a little more tangy.

Can I use light and dark meat rotisserie chicken?

Absolutely! I like to go with breast meat for the highest protein content and cleanest flavor, but you can use all of the meat coming off a rotisserie chicken. Just dice them both up and follow the recipe as instructed.

What other mix-ins do you recommend?

This recipe is super customizable. You can add finely diced apple, halved red grapes, or chopped walnuts and pecans. Fresh herbs like dill, parsley, and tarragon also work well. And if you want extra crunch, you can even add something like finely diced cucumber or radish.

How can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Swap the greek yogurt for equal amounts of plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt, or use mayonnaise instead.