Boring Chicken Salad Gets A Sweet Flavor Boost From This Fruity Canned Ingredient

Chicken salad is one of those easy-to-make dishes that always seems to appear at potlucks. The deli counter staple is also great for using up midweek leftovers and is packed with protein and veggies for a nutritious meal. As classic chicken salad has become widely popular, so too have various iterations. If you're looking to impress your guests with an unexpected version of this crowd favorite, reach for a canned pantry staple: fruit cocktail.

Adding this fruit medley is a quick, easy, and affordable way to elevate chicken salad. The concoction of cherries, peaches, pineapple, pears, and grapes lend a sweet, slightly tropical kick to the creamy, hearty dish. You have to properly strain the fruit to avoid an overly wet chicken salad, but don't toss all the juice out. Save a tablespoon or two to make the dressing, along with an equal amount of lemon juice for acidity, a little olive oil and mayonnaise, and a hint of Dijon mustard. Don't forget other necessary seasonings like salt, pepper, and garlic powder to bring the flavors together.

When thinking about other key chicken salad components, consider diced grilled chicken or chopped crunchy tenders, depending on the texture you're after and what you have available. Additionally, if you find the syrupy fruit chunks to be a bit too sweet, rinse them first. Or mince all the ingredients to create a chopped chicken salad, which more evenly distributes the flavors and works nicely for a lettuce or tortilla wrap as well as a dip for chips. You could also try a spin on our chopped mango avocado chicken salad recipe by using fruit cocktail in place of the mango.

Considering the variety of canned options out there, you don't have to stop at fruit cocktail. Canned fruits are a great option when you're in a time crunch, or want a little extra sweetness in your chicken salad without having to stew or candy fruit yourself. All it takes is a can opener and this ingredient is ready to be incorporated. 

Despite mayonnaise being a common ingredient in chicken salad recipes, there are alternative options that swap out this component altogether if you don't like the idea of pairing it with fruit. If you're looking for a mayo-free dish, try a tahini chicken salad, which swaps mayo for the Middle Eastern condiment made from sesame seeds. The sweet and tart flavors of canned pineapple will pair nicely with the nuttiness of this ingredient. Pineapple's tropical notes also work well with a bit of heat, like that of a sweet and spicy chicken salad. Make use of various ingredients you probably already have at home (think almonds and celery), then elevate it further with habanero pepper jelly.

Another way to add a spicy kick to your chicken salad: horseradish. The bright, sweet citrus of canned mandarin oranges would make a lovely feature in a shredded napa cabbage and horseradish chicken salad. Meanwhile canned pears could also complement a creamy horseradish dressing, as the syrupy fruit cuts sweetly through the pungent root vegetable . For a dish that's perfect for fall, you could also try a spiced chopped pear and chicken salad, which combines a pop of cayenne and cinnamon with tender chunks of canned pears. But if that's not enough, you could even upgrade your chicken salad with this Mediterranean twist, swapping the mayo for creamy Greek tzatziki and adding Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and roasted red peppers.