Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer (Gluten-Free!)

(Last Updated On: May 20, 2023)
While this Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer post is sponsored by Envy Apples in partnership with Publix Apron's Schools, all opinions are my own. This post may also contain affiliate links.

I LOVE apples. More specifically, I LOVE Envy Apples. That’s why when they reached out and asked me if I had any interest in creating another recipe for a sampling night at Publix Apron’s Schools, I jumped at the chance to do so. Last year in 2018, I shared my Granny Betty’s Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings. This year, instead of a dessert, I wanted to do an appetizer that could easily double as a quick lunch or after workout snack.

I chose to make a Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer on apple slices. While I often eat chicken salad on a croissant, or hamburger bun, I wanted to make this version low carb and gluten-free so that even if I’m trying to watch my diet, I can indulge in this delicious snack. Here’s how I made it:

Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer

Ingredients

Cran Apple Chicken Salad Ingredients
– Approximately 1 1/2 cups of rotisserie chicken chopped (I pulled it right off of a Publix rotisserie chicken!)
– 1/4 cup celery chopped into small pieces (I used Dandy pre-washed celery because it has such a great crunch and I don’t have to cut or wash anything. It’s ready right out of the bag!)
– 1/3 cup of mayo*
– 1/3 cup of sour cream*
– 1/4 cup of dried cranberries chopped (I used Craisins)
– 1/4 cup of grapes sliced
– 2 or 3 medium sized apples (I used Envy Apples – highly recommend these because they don’t brown as fast as other brands)
-A handful of crushed walnuts (optional!)

Instructions

Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer Plated

1. Mix all ingredients except for the apples in a bowl
2. Salt and pepper to taste, mix again, and then chill your chicken salad mix in the fridge for about an hour
3. Wash and dry your apples
4. Cut thin slices of your apples. You want them just thick enough to hold something on them.
5. Lay the slices onto a serving platter
6. Scoop about 2 tbsp of chicken salad mix onto each one of the apple slices
7. Serve and enjoy!

*Recipe note: If you like your chicken salad a little drier, cut the mayo and sour cream back to 1/4 cup each.

This Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer is perfect for barbecues, baby showers, and all kinds of parties!

The weekend I made these we went to a Memorial Day weekend party and they were a hit! The cold chicken salad on a crisp apple slice was the perfect kickoff to a delicious barbecue. You can make a huge batch of these before any party.

If you won’t be serving them for a while you can soak your apples in a bath of Sprite before hand. Envy Apples already keep their color a long time, but the Sprite adds even more time before browning occurs.

Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer in Hand

Want to Try a Sample of this Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer?

Join me at Publix at the Shoppes of Citrus Park on Saturday September 7, 2019 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. There I along with some of my Tampa Bay Bloggers will be passing out free samples of our Envy Apple creations, and admission is also free. Get more details about the event here.

If you attend the in-store event, you’ll be givin a special discount promotional code to their upcoming An Evening with EnvyTM Apple Demonstration class on September 28, 2019!

About the Envy Apples I Used in my Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer
  • Envy TM apples are premium apples with extraordinary crunch and texture and refreshingly sweet
  • Envy TM have naturally higher citric acid content which prevents the ‘browning’ enzyme from activating. This means they are VERY slow to brown, which makes them ideal for kid’s lunches, picnics, salads, charcuterie boards and party platters – they will look great for hours!
  • Envy TM is cross between Braeburn and Royal Gala. They are non-GMO and are grown naturally in Washington State and New Zealand.
  • Envy TM apples can be found nationwide at grocery stores including: Publix, Whole Foods, Walmart, Market 5 one 5, Central Market, Raley’s, King Soopers, IGA, Wegmans and more. For the store nearest you, visit envyapple.com and click on the
    store locator.Cran-Apple Chicken Salad on Apple Slices Appetizer- Pinterest Image-