Dairy-Free Walnut and Cranberry Chicken Salad
A rich and crunchy chicken salad loaded with tender chicken breast, toasted walnuts, and tart reduced-sugar dried cranberries over a crisp bed of fresh lettuce. Dressed in a creamy avocado oil mayonnaise, it makes a quick, high-protein lunch.
Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
10 min
Makes
1 serving
Created together. Shared with you.
Made by ERNESTINE + Lila
ERNESTINE created this recipe with Lila and shared it with the perimenopause community.
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthSteadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
Comfortably satisfied
Fullness that has staying power
This meal is designed to feel substantial, so finishing it can feel like the meal is complete rather than the start of an evening of grazing.
Notice: fullness 2–3 hours later
Digestive comfort
A portion that works for you
Fiber and plants can support digestion, but more is not always better overnight. Start with a comfortable portion and build gradually.
Notice: comfort + portion
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
10 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Large skillet · Whisk · Mixing bowl · Knife and cutting board
Time saver
Store the chicken salad mixture and lettuce separately if prepping in advance to keep the greens crisp.
Do these three things first
- 1Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 2Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
- 3Read through the steps once before you begin
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 6 steps complete
Next: Dice pre-cooked chicken breast into bite-sized 0
- 01
Dice pre-cooked chicken breast into bite-sized 0
Dice pre-cooked chicken breast into bite-sized 0.5 inch (1.2cm) cubes and place them into a large mixing bowl.
Tap card to mark done - 02
Finely chop celery stalk and red onion
Finely chop celery stalk and red onion, then add them to the bowl along with toasted chopped walnuts, chia seeds, and reduced-sugar dried cranberries.
Tap card to mark done - 03
Whisk together avocado oil mayonnaise
In a small ramekin, whisk together avocado oil mayonnaise, lemon juice, and dijon mustard until smooth and emulsified.
Look for: smooth and emulsified
Tap card to mark done - 04
Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture…
Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and stir gently for 1 minute until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Look for: all ingredients are evenly coated
Tap card to mark done - 05
Wash and dry fresh romaine lettuce leaves
Wash and dry fresh romaine lettuce leaves, then chop or lay them out to form a bed on a plate or bowl.
Ready when: everything is assembled and ready to enjoy
Tap card to mark done - 06
Spoon the chicken salad over the bed…
Spoon the chicken salad over the bed of lettuce and serve immediately.
Ready when: everything is assembled and ready to enjoy
Tap card to mark done
Made this recipe?
Leave a quick rating or a cooking tip for the next woman.
Your symptoms change. Your plan should too.
One good meal is a start. Your whole week is better.
Tell Lila what you like, what you avoid and which symptoms are loud today. She’ll turn that context into meals, targets and small adjustments that fit real life.