Turkey Cranberry Chopped Salad gives leftover turkey a much-needed change from sandwiches. This salad is made with tender turkey, crisp romaine, chopped apple, celery, cucumber, dried cranberries, red onion, feta, pecans, and fresh parsley in every serving.
The creamy cranberry Dijon dressing pulls everything together without covering up the other ingredients. Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise make the base, while cranberry sauce adds a little sweetness. Apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard balance it with a tangy bite.
Serve this high protein chopped salad for lunch, a quick dinner, or the day after a holiday meal when the refrigerator is full of turkey. It’s ready in 20 minutes, and each serving has 47 grams of protein.
The mix of crunchy, creamy, sweet, and savory makes leftover turkey feel like a completely different meal.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Cranberry Chopped Salad
Ready in 20 Minutes
There’s no cooking required when you start with cooked turkey. Chop the ingredients, mix the dressing, and toss everything together.
High in Protein
Each serving has 47 grams of protein, making this salad filling enough for lunch or dinner.
Uses Leftover Turkey
This recipe gives Thanksgiving turkey or meal-prepped turkey breast a new purpose beyond sandwiches and soup.
Plenty of Texture
Crisp lettuce, crunchy vegetables, chewy cranberries, creamy feta, and chopped pecans keep every bite interesting.
Ingredient Substitutions
Turkey Breast
Use cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken in place of the turkey.
Romaine Lettuce
Replace the romaine with green leaf lettuce or a chopped lettuce blend.
Apple
Use a firm pear for a softer texture and mild sweetness.
Feta Cheese
Crumbled goat cheese or reduced-fat blue cheese can replace the feta.
Pecans
Use chopped walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are a useful nut-free option.
Greek Yogurt
Plain low-fat Greek yogurt can replace the nonfat Greek yogurt.
Cranberry Sauce
Use either whole-berry or smooth cranberry sauce. Whole-berry sauce will give the dressing more texture.
Light Mayonnaise
Replace the light mayonnaise with an equal amount of additional Greek yogurt for a tangier dressing.
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Turkey Cranberry Chopped Salad
Recipes are written with one action per step for accessibility. Short lines. Fewer rereads. A calmer kitchen on mobile or desktop.
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 3 cups cooked turkey breast chopped
- 1 large apple chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- ¾ cup cucumbers chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
- ½ cup reduced-fat feta cheese crumbled
- ⅓ cup red onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
For the Creamy Cranberry Dijon Dressing:
- ½ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon light Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon cranberry sauce
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the romaine lettuce, turkey, apple, celery, cucumber, dried cranberries, feta cheese, red onion, pecans, and parsley.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, water, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Using a wire whisk, mix the dressing until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the salad.
- Toss until the ingredients are evenly coated.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Chop everything into small pieces – Keeping the ingredients close in size makes the salad easier to scoop and gives each serving a balanced mix. Toast the pecans – Toasting the pecans in a dry skillet for a few minutes adds more crunch and a deeper nutty taste. Let them cool before adding them to the salad. Prevent the apple from browning – If preparing the ingredients ahead, toss the chopped apple with a small amount of lemon juice.Storing
Store the dressing separately – Refrigerate the salad ingredients and dressing in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Store dressed salad briefly – Once dressed, the romaine will begin to soften. Refrigerate leftovers and use them within 1 day.Nutrition
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