Quick Apple Salad With Chicken Recipe

There are delicious Spanish recipes for every time of the year, but only some of them manage to showcase the perfect blend between two different seasons.

The apple salad with chicken is an amazing way to refresh yourself during the end of the summer, while also embracing the cozy, seasonal flavors of fall with its warm, savory elements.

We want to share with you our take on this delicious Andalusian dish, and for that, you just have to keep reading this article, where you will also discover tips for making the best salad and variations to suit your taste.

You, dear reader, support this blog. If you purchase through a link, we earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Spanish Chicken Salad

• Spanish chicken soup with rice

• Smoked octopus salad

Background of the Dish

Andalusia is famous for its dishes featuring chicken as the star ingredient, such as the Spanish chicken soup recipe and the ensalada de pollo.

Still, the apple salad with chicken is a game changer, highlighting a fruit as a main ingredient (similar to the ensalada de naranjas, the apple manchego salad, and the Spanish apple tart), yet blending it with savory elements.

The apple, walnuts, and manchego cheese bring out that fall seasonal flavor, and the use of apple cider vinegar instead of the traditional Spanish salad dressing seals the deal adding a unique and tangy twist.

Pin for later!

Things You’ll Need for Apple Salad With Chicken

The main Spanish salad ingredients needed for this recipe are green apples (Granny Smith or Golden Delicious), chicken breasts, manchego cheese, walnuts, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 5 large green apples (Granny Smith or Golden delicious)
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce (or your favorite mixed greens)
• 1/2 cup (70gr) walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• 80gr manchego cheese
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

How to Make Apple Salad With Chicken – Step by Step Guide

1. To start with this recipe for chicken salad with apples, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook them in a skillet over medium heat for 7 minutes per side or until fully cooked. Let them cool and shred or dice them.

2. Then, wash the iceberg lettuce, and drain it so as not to end up with a watery Spanish salad. Keep in mind that you can also use a different type of mixed greens. Cut the manchego cheese into cubes.

3. After that, wash the apples, peel, core, and dice them. For this Spanish salad recipe, you can keep the peel on if you clean them properly.

4. Now is the time to prepare the dressing for the homemade chicken salad with apples. For that, grab a small bowl and mix olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

5. To continue making one of the best Spanish salad recipes, grab a large bowl, and place the vegetables and chicken. Pour the dressing on top and gently toss it. Take the chicken and apple salad to the fridge to cool down for 30 minutes.

6. For the final step, top the salad bowl with chopped walnuts, dried cranberries or raisins, and cubed manchego cheese. Gently mix them in and serve the apple salad with chicken cold.

Substitution of Ingredients

The apple salad with chicken is made with ingredients that highlight fall flavors, yet are available all year round.

Still, if you want to make some replacements for the best chicken salad recipe with apples, then we’ve got you covered.

First, you can prepare this traditional Spanish salad with pecan nuts, a different type of nut, or if you have a nut allergy simply use bread croutons to add more texture.

Like most Spanish salad recipes, feel free to use other vegetables, adding different greens such as arugula, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, etc.

Besides that, this recipe calls for a dressing that is different from the one you can find in authentic Spanish salad recipes, but you could go back to the classic one or experiment with a citrus-based dressing for a fresh twist.

Do you want to try and make more Spanish-style salad recipes? Then you must visit our favorite ones, such as the refreshing Spanish chopped salad and the healthy Spanish salad bowl.

Tips on Serving Apple Salad With Chicken

We prepared the best chicken salad with apples to have a delicious salad that is easy to make and can be served all year round, but especially during the fall.

If you choose to serve this apple salad with chicken as a side dish, then you can enhance it by pairing it with grilled meats, such as chicken or pork, or with a hearty soup to complement its fresh and fruity flavors.

In a similar way to other chicken salad recipes with apples, it can easily be turned into a main dish by serving a larger portion and adding a side of crusty bread or a scoop of quinoa or couscous for extra sustenance.

Other easy Spanish salad recipes that are perfect for this time of the year are the warm cannellini bean salad, the Spanish octopus salad, and the Catalan bean salad.

Try out our latest Spanish egg salad, a simple and nutritious that is incredibly delicious and can be served on toast.

How to Store Apple Salad With Chicken

This delicious, easy chicken salad with apples is best enjoyed freshly made, so we only recommend that you store it in the refrigerator for up to one day to maintain its freshness and flavor.

To store it, you have to follow the Spanish summer salad recipe step-by-step, but avoid adding the dressing (because it would negatively affect the texture of the veggies).

If you want to save some time, you can copy other apple chicken salad recipes by cooking the chicken breasts ahead and storing them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Besides traditional Spanish salads, we crafted more Andalusian recipes that you can make and store for a longer amount of time, such as the Spanish chicken noodle soup, the Spanish chicken and rice recipe, and the Spanish chicken skewers.

Recipe Card: Apple Salad With Chicken

---

---