Pine Nut and Cranberry Picnic Chicken Salad
The theme for this recipe is Spring Time in the Park! I wanted to create something simple and portable, but incredibly tasty too.
The theme for this recipe is Spring Time in the Park! I wanted to create something simple and portable, but incredibly tasty too.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 can of swanson canned chicken (or course you can doubl
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 1 cup shredded swiss or jack cheese (i found a swiss & g
- loaf of fresh ciabatta bread
- tomatoes & lettuce (optional)
- 1/4 tsp basil
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed/minced)
- Carbohydrate 83.193405896883 g
- Cholesterol 66.7111000096928 mg
- Fat 34.0957893831847 g
- Fiber 2.76716665323433 g
- Protein 35.4646213325068 g
- Saturated Fat 7.77105707108634 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (288g)
- Sodium 1379.31033516137 mg
- Sugar 80.4262392436487 g
- Trans Fat 5.70445186624124 g
- Calories 760 calories
Step-by-step
- Begin by mixing the last four ingredients. This mixture is what you will brush on the Ciabatta bread slices. In small bowl, measure olive oil, add spices and crush garlic. Blend well and let sit.
- In a separate large bowl, drain and add chicken, cranberries, pine nuts, mayo, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate.
- Heat large skillet or griddle to medium.
- Slice Ciabatta bread into 1/4 inch slices. Liberally brush or spoon olive oil mixture on each slice and place this side down on griddle. Cook until light brown and slightly crispy.
- For your picnic, you can bring the cooled bread slices in a plastic bag, and the chicken salad mixture in a disposable container. It’s quick and easy to make the sandwiches right on the spot! When assembling the sandwiches, place the filling on the toasted sides of the bread, so the outside of the sandwich will be soft.
Allowing the crushed garlic and dried herbs to steep in the olive oil for ten minutes before brushing onto the ciabatta draws out the fat-soluble compounds, resulting in a more aromatic crust once toasted on a medium-hot skillet. Canned chicken provides a reliable pantry baseline, but substituting freshly poached and shredded chicken breast significantly improves the protein texture by eliminating the dense, compressed fibers typical of canned poultry. Pine nuts contribute a buttery crunch, while dried cranberries supply a concentrated chew that balances the rich mayonnaise and shredded swiss cheese. Toasted pine nuts can turn bitter if overheated, so toast them in a dry pan over medium-low heat for three to five minutes until fragrant before folding them into the salad matrix. For diners requiring a dairy-free variation, replace the cheese with an avocado puree and substitute the mayonnaise with an oil-based emulsion, ensuring the sandwich retains its necessary moisture without compromising structure. Moisture management is critical here; packing the filling separately from the quarter-inch bread slices prevents the crumb from dissolving into a soggy mess during transport. Assemble the components directly on the toasted interior surfaces immediately before eating so the outer crust maintains its contrast against the creamy filling.
