Fruited Chicken Salad

This chicken salad skips the heavy mayo-laden route and goes bright with fresh fruit and a lightened-up dressing. Diced apples, orange sections, and halved green grapes bring juicy sweetness between bites of soy-marinated chicken.

That soy sauce step is what sets this apart. Tossing the diced chicken with soy sauce for 15 minutes gives it a savory, umami backbone that keeps the salad from tasting like a fruit bowl with protein thrown in.

The dressing blends low-fat yogurt, light mayo, and skim milk with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice. It sounds unusual, but that warm spice ties the fruit flavors together beautifully without adding sweetness.

Chef Tips

• Use leftover roasted or poached chicken. Rotisserie chicken works great here and saves time.
• Dice the apples last and toss them in lemon juice if you’re making this ahead. They brown quickly once cut.
• Chill the salad before adding the dressing. Cold fruit and chicken hold their texture better when the dressing hits them.
• Serve on crisp lettuce leaves for crunch, or pile it into a croissant for a sandwich.

Variations

• Swap the chicken for turkey for a great way to use Thanksgiving leftovers.
• Add toasted pecans or slivered almonds for crunch.
• Replace pumpkin pie spice with curry powder for an entirely different flavor profile that still works with the fruit.