Chicken Apple New Years Luck (Printable)

A vibrant mix of chicken, apples, black-eyed peas, and greens tossed in a tangy honey-mustard dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein & Legumes

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 1 1/2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

→ Produce

03 - 2 medium apples (Fuji or Honeycrisp), cored and diced
04 - 1 cup celery, finely sliced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or baby kale)
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 tablespoon honey
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

14 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
15 - 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (omit for dairy-free)

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooked chicken, black-eyed peas, diced apples, celery, red onion, and parsley.
03 - Introduce mixed salad greens to the bowl and toss gently to blend ingredients.
04 - Drizzle prepared dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle toasted pecans or walnuts and crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's packed with protein but feels light enough to eat after indulging all week.
  • The honey-mustard dressing bridges sweet and savory in a way that makes you want to drizzle it on everything.
  • Black-eyed peas bring substance and that good-luck symbolism without any pretension.
02 -
  • Don't dress this salad more than five or ten minutes before serving or the greens will start to soften and the apples will lose their snap.
  • Toasting your nuts for even three minutes in a dry pan transforms them from background to the thing people reach for first.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts right before serving—even three minutes in a dry skillet makes them taste twice as good and twice as crunchy.
  • If you're serving this to a crowd, keep the dressing on the side and let people dress their own plates; that way everyone can eat immediately and nothing gets soggy.
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