Taste Life Blog

This recipe will knock your socks off. It would be a perfect you’re your leftover turkey on Black Friday.  The razzle dazzle secret of this recipe is simmering the cranberries in the cranberry juice. And, thee sweet of the poppy seed dressing giving the tart cherries a pop of flavor.  Beautiful to the eye too! This recipe is a keeper!  I could seriously eat this every single day. Give it a try.

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup 100% cranberry juice, unsweetened
• ½ cup reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup fat free poppy seed dressing
• 8 oz. grilled white chicken meat, diced
• 1 cup sliced celery
• ¾ cup thinly sliced scallions
• 2 cups shredded fresh spinach
• 8 flatbread rolls, split

Place cranberries and cranberry juice in a saucepan and heat slightly. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature. Cranberries will absorb all liquid. Hold. In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and dressing.

Stir in diced chicken, celery, scallions. Toss well to coat. Stir in reserved cranberries and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at last 4 hours before serving. To serve: For each serving, place ¼ cup spinach onto a split flatbread roll and portion ½ cup salad on top of spinach. Replace top and serve.
Nutrition per serving: Calories 390; Fat 12 gram; Carbohydrate 57 gm; Protein 13 gm; Sodium 800 mg* Dietary Fiber 3 gm.

*Depends on choice of flatbreads and if you use canned chicken

Recipe courtesy of the Cranberry Marketing Committee

I buy Trader Joe’s 100% Cranberry Juice. I used a 12 ounce can of Costco Kirkland brand chicken breast rather than the grilled chicken. And, replaced the shallots with the onions and used Marie’s poppy seed dressing.  Next time I  prepare  this recipe, I am going to toss in some water chestnuts for more crunch.

(As a Cranberry Blogger I was sent dried cranberries by the Cranberry Marketing Committee but was not paid to write this and my opinions are my own.)

Other holiday cranberry ideas

• Love using cranberry sauce as a spread on your turkey sandwiches
• Use cranberries fresh or frozen into a cranberry relish (always add a zest of orange for a pop of flavor)
• Add  fresh cranberries into your pancakes or top your pancakes with fresh cranberry sauce
• Top your oatmeal with dried cranberries for an added layer of tartness
• For a refreshing pick me up, mix sparkling water with cranberry juice and garnish with a fresh lime wedge
• To honor our Wisconsin heritage and love of the University of Wisconsin Badgers our favorite use of cranberries is creating a Bucky Badger sundae by layering vanilla ice cream, cranberry sauce and whipped cream.