Best Pineapple Chicken Salad Recipe

Given the intense heat of Andalusia during spring and summer, it’s no surprise that the region is renowned for its freshest Spanish recipes.

This summer, we took matters into our own hands and crafted a refreshing twist on the classic chicken salad: pineapple chicken salad.

In this article, we’ll share the recipe for this delicious pineapple chicken salad, along with tips to help you prepare it from scratch in the comfort of your own home.

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

• Spanish vegetable salad

• Hot chicken salad recipe

• Fajita chicken salad

Background of the Dish

The pineapple chicken salad adds a modern twist to the classic creamy chicken salad, featuring ingredients like pineapple and honey for a delightful blend of sweet and savory flavors.

Thanks to its fresh ingredients, it was commonly served at nearly every family gathering or holiday during the summer and spring, offering a fantastic and satisfying refreshment.

Today, you can find this dish alongside other traditional Spanish salads, such as the healthy chicken salad, Spanish chopped salad, and honey mustard chickpea salad, at many high-quality restaurants in Spain.

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Things You’ll Need for Pineapple Chicken Salad

To make one of the best chicken pineapple salad recipes you will need chicken breasts, fresh or canned pineapples, onion, bell pepper, mayonnaise, almonds, and honey as the main ingredients.

We have great news: making chicken salad with pineapples doesn’t require any special equipment or fancy kitchen tools.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 cup (200gr) pineapple (fresh or canned in juice)
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup (60gr) roasted almonds (optional) 
• 1/2 cup (120gr) mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

How to Make Pineapple Chicken Salad – Step by Step Guide

1. For the first step in this chicken salad with pineapple recipe, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a pan, heat the tablespoons of olive oil and cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 8 minutes per side or until fully cooked.

2. After that, it is time to prepare the vegetables. For that, discard the seeds from the bell pepper and chop them into small pieces. Chop the red onion and celery stalks into small squares.

3. Now, if you are using fresh pineapple, cut it into cubes, wash it under cold water, and drain it. If you choose canned, be sure to buy the option that has juice and not syrup (as the latter could be too sweet), and cut it into cubes. 

4. When the chicken is cold enough to handle, shred it or cut it into bite-sized dishes. Choose the way that suits you the most, as both work for this chicken pineapple salad recipe.

5. Then, to prepare the dressing for this chicken and pineapple salad, grab a small bowl and mix the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper.

6. For the next step in this Spanish chicken salad recipe, grab a large salad bowl and mix the chicken, bell pepper, onion, celery stalk, pineapple cubes, and pour the dressing on top.

7. Now, gently mix chicken salad with pineapple so that all of the ingredients get coated with the dressing. Take the pineapple chicken salad to the fridge to cool for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

8. To finish making this chicken salad recipe with pineapple the salad with chopped toasted almonds. Serve it cold and enjoy.

Substitution of Ingredients

As long as you have pineapple and chicken, you can prepare this Spanish salad by customizing the other ingredients from this recipe and adapting it to your taste and diet.

For example, you can prepare the salad with pineapple and chicken with other vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber, or green bell pepper.

Feel free to draw inspiration from other Spanish salad recipes, such as the chicken salad with carrots and the chicken bacon salad, and add different toppings like bacon bits or shredded carrots for added texture and flavor.

To ensure that this dish has that classic Spanish-style salad flavor, you can drizzle some olive oil on top of the mayonnaise while preparing the dressing.

If pineapple isn’t your favorite fruit or you can’t find it, then we have other Spanish salads recipes for you, like chicken mango salad, cranberry chicken pecan salad, or apple salad with chicken, each offering a unique and delicious twist.

Tips on Serving Pineapple Chicken Salad

The pineapple chicken salad is commonly served as a fresh appetizer, especially during the warmer months of the year, but you can enjoy it all year round.

A great way of adding more texture to chicken salad with pineapple recipes -that can be followed in this one- is to include crunchy ingredients like toasted almonds, chopped walnuts, or crispy bacon bits.

Besides that, this dish can be served as chicken salad wraps or with tostadas; you just have to spoon the salad onto your choice of wrap (tortillas or lettuce leaves) or tostadas and enjoy it as a convenient and flavorful meal. 

We developed other Spanish recipes that can be served as appetizers and feature chicken as the main start, such as the Spanish chicken croquettes and the chicken empanada recipe, so feel free to give them a try.

How to Store Pineapple Chicken Salad

Similar to the keto chicken salad recipe or the crispy chicken salad, you can store the pineapple chicken salad in the fridge for a short period of time.

For that, place the pineapple chicken salad in an airtight container, or cover the salad bowl with plastic wrap or a clean plastic bag, and then take it to the fridge where it can last up to 2 days.

This is truly one of the best pineapple chicken salad recipes because after that period of storing you just have to mix it, do a taste test, and adjust the seasoning or dressing if needed.

Since Spanish salads are usually served fresh, you might also enjoy recipes you can store longer, like Spanish rice and chicken soup, Spanish chicken stew, and Spanish chicken skewers.

Recipe Card: Pineapple Chicken Salad

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