Forget Arby’s and enjoy your own homemade Pecan Chicken Salad as a Sandwich or on a bed of lettuce. Fresh apples, grapes and celery give the salad a nice crunch.
Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Pecan Chicken Salad
Forget Arby’s and enjoy your own homemade Pecan Chicken Salad as a Sandwich or on a bed of lettuce.
Use an Air Fryer to grill the Chicken or an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker to poach the Chicken.
The fresh apples, grapes and celery give the salad a nice crunch.
Cast of Ingredients for Pecan Chicken Salad
Every year I like to plan specical, easy, but delicious meals to take for picnic to the Hollywood Bowl.
One year, I made a killer Cobb Salad with poached chicken and all the trimmings.
It was before I started my blog, so I did not photograph and post the recipe, but I will.
A couple of years ago, I created my brownies, which took several attempts and by the last show of the season, my The Forum Cafeteria Incredible Chocolate Brownies were developed and perfected.
Pressure Cooker Killer Shrimp was another recipe created to bring to the Hollywood Bowl picnic.
Salt and Pepper Chicken
Do you remember the delicious Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich that Arby’s used to sell only for a few months a year?
So, I decided to try to recreate the Salad. I watched one of their 30 second commercials, where the ingredients are quickly flashed across the screen.
Easy peasy.
What are the Ingredients for Arby’s Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches?
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Red Grapes
- Juicy Apples
- Crunchy Pecans
- Celery
- Mayonnaise
Arby’s uses Honey Wheat Bread. A light toasting is really nice.
For my recipe, I use Avocados on the sandwiches, which really adds a nice flavor and creaminess, which I thought their sandwich was lacking.
Cook Chicken in Air Fryer
The Chicken is first grilled and then diced.
This is quickly done in an Air Fryer.
If you have an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker, you can poach a Chicken Breast too!
Poaching instructions are on the recipe card below.
Dice up Grapes, Celery and Pecans
I like to dice all the ingredients to about the same size, except for the celery.
My husband dislikes celery, so I finely diced it up, so that it doesn’t stare him in the face.
It’s actually really good this way.
He noticed. 🙁
Diced Apples in Water with Lime Juice
Wow, those Diced Apple Chunks sure look enormous.
They aren’t, the camera just makes them look 3x the size.
Since I was waiting on the Chicken to cook, I did not want to add the Apples to the rest of the ingredients.
Apples brown so quickly, so add them to a bowl, with Lime, Lemon or Vinegar and cover in water.
Keep Some True Lime Crystallized on hand, just in case.
Let the Chicken Rest and Cool
Add some time, so that you let the Chicken rest.
If the Chicken is cut open right away, you will lose all the juiciness.
Once the Chicken is cooled, it will be super juicy.
Mix in some Mayonnaise and Salt
Olive Oil Mayonnaise, Low Fat Mayonnaise or Regular Mayonnaise all work well.
For a lighter version, try using half Mayonnaise and Half Homemade Greek Yogurt.
That will also add a little extra protein.
Dice up the Chicken
You can see how juicy the Chicken is from letting it rest.
Dice it up a little bigger than the other ingredients.
The Chicken coming out of the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker won’t have all this color.
It will be equally as good and maybe a bit juicier
As I cannot decide which method I prefer, I will have to make it again.
Just to see and all ………………..
Pecan Chicken Salad in a Bowl
You could just stop here!
A scoop of Pecan Chicken Salad on a bed of greens is so fantastic!
Cut up some Avocado and squeeze on a little Lime Juice for a nice accompaniment.
Other Quick and Light Summer Recipes to Consider are:
Pressure Cooker Bruschetta Chicken with Zoodles
Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese (Noodles & Cheese)
Air Fryer Dim Sum Chinese Shrimp Toast
Air Fryer Colombian Pan de Yuca
Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Lightly toast Honey Wheat Bread and pile on the Pecan Chicken Salad.
To take this Pecan Chicken Salad up a notch, slice up Avocado and add a couple of slices right on top of the Salad.
Oh my gosh, it is so good.
If you squint, you can see the Avocado Slices over there in the corner.
I totally forgot to put them on the Sandwich.
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot DUO Plus 60 Pressure Cooker or
- GoWISE USA 5.8 Quart Air Fryer
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Culina Stackable (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- Alpha Armour Salt Box with Spoon
- Eukein Electric Pepper Mill
- John Boos Maple Cutting Board with Groove
- 3.5 Quart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
Caring is sharing! If you would like to support This Old Gal, please share this recipe on Social Media, so that I can continue to bring you more wonderful recipes!
Here is the handy printable recipe:
Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Forget Arby's & enjoy your own homemade Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich. Fresh apples, grapes and celery give the salad a nice crunch. {Air Fryer or Instant Pot}
- 1 pound Chicken Breast Air Fried or Poached
- sprinkling Salt & Pepper
- 1/2 cup Red Grapes diced
- 1/2 cup Apples (Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Red Delicious) peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup Celery Stalk strings peeled away and diced
- 1/4 cup Whole Pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil Mayonnaise Light or Regular
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- Romaine Lettuce
- 8 slices Honey Wheat Bread
- 1 Avocado sliced into 8 slices
Air Fryer - Season Chicken Breasts with Salt and Pepper and place into Air Fryer. Cook at 340 degrees for 15 minutes. When time is up, wait 5 minutes and then remove Chicken from Basket.
or
Pressure Cooker - Season Chicken Breasts with Salt and Pepper and place into Pressure Cooker. Add just enough liquid (broth/water) to cover chicken. Lock on lid, close Pressure Valve and cook on Low Pressure for 3 minutes. When Beep sounds, wait 10 minutes and then slowly release the rest of the pressure.
Allow Chicken to fully cool and then dice into cubes.
Remove the threads from the Celery and then dice. Dice up the Grapes, Apples and Pecans and add to a Bowl.
Add Salt and Mayonnaise and combine. Add diced Chicken and combine. Taste and add more Mayonnaise or Salt, as needed. Place in refrigerator for one hour.
Lightly toast Bread and pile on Pecan Chicken Salad. Top with sliced Avocados and place top slice of Bread.
For a change of pace, add 1/2 teaspoon of Ground Curry to Chicken Salad.
PIN this Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches!
Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches {Air Fryer or Instant Pot}
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Have you had a problem with the apple turning dark if there were leftovers?
Ann, we eat it all in a couple of days, so no problem. Jill
Hey Jill,
yummi salad Thanks for sharing .