Chicken Apple New Years Luck (Printer View)

A protein-packed salad featuring chicken, apples, black-eyed peas, and 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 Fuji or Honeycrisp apples, 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, 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)

# Method:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal in one bowl—protein-packed enough to satisfy, but light enough that you won't feel weighed down after eating it.
  • The black-eyed peas bring that New Year's luck tradition without feeling gimmicky or forced.
  • Comes together in barely 35 minutes, which means you can make it on a weeknight or pull it together for a potluck without stress.
02 -
  • Don't over-dress the greens until the very last moment—they'll wilt and turn dark if they sit in vinaigrette too long, no matter how fresh they started.
  • The dressing needs to actually emulsify or it'll separate and taste thin and one-dimensional; take a minute to really whisk it instead of just stirring.
  • Apple cider vinegar is essential here—regular vinegar tastes sharp and mean in comparison, and it changes the entire personality of the dish.
03 -
  • Make your dressing in a mason jar and shake it vigorously instead of whisking—it's faster, and the vigorous shaking helps the emulsification happen more completely.
  • If you're serving this later in the day, cube your apples and toss them with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning while maintaining their crisp texture.
  • Toasting your own nuts transforms them entirely—five minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat wakes them up from whatever their pre-packaged state was.
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