Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad Bites

These easy cranberry almond chicken salad bites are super easy to make and packed full of flavor! Buttery crackers topped with sweet and tangy cranberry chicken salad and melty cheese create a quick and easy appetizer perfect for the holiday season!

Appetizers aren’t really my thing, partly because I rarely have occasions that call for them. And partly because they always seem to slip my mind.

When I’m in the kitchen prepping food for a holiday dinner or a dinner party, my mind is often going a million miles an hour, and it’s not until far too late that I realize I probably should have planned an appetizer to get the evening going.

This is why I’ve slowly begun collecting a stash of quick and easy appetizer recipes that are perfect for every occasion, and don’t take too much time to make!

From easy veggies and dip, simple cucumber sandwiches, and dump-and-go baked brie recipes, to this quick and simple cranberry almond chicken salad recipe!

This simple recipe combines,  homemade chicken salad, with sweet cranberries, crunchy almonds, buttered Ritz crackers, and melted gouda cheese. To create a fun and flavorful appetizer that takes less than 20 minutes to make and is perfect for every occasion!

I love to serve these easy chicken salad bites at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but they are also perfect for any holiday, get-together, or dinner party!

Plus you can easily serve any leftover chicken salad on a sandwich or wrap for a quick and easy lunch or supper!

How to make Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad Bites

I usually make about 60 of these crackers and have a little chicken salad left over. The yield will really depend on how much chicken salad you put on each cracker.

Ingredients

for the chicken salad

• shredded chicken, you can use any kind of chicken for this recipe,  rotisserie chicken, boneless skinless chicken breasts, and even chicken thighs all work great!
• real mayo 
• celery, thinly sliced
• white onion, finely diced, you can also use red onion or even green onions!
• sweetened dried cranberries
• sliced almonds
• sugar
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

for the chicken salad bites

• butter, melted
• Ritz crackers 
• shredded gouda cheese

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the chicken salad ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment pepper and set aside.

Pour your melted butter into a small bowl, coat both sides of each cracker with the melted butter, then place them on your parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Spoon roughly 1 tbsp of the chicken mixture onto each cracker, then sprinkle roughly 1/2 tbsp cheese over the top.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Remove the crackers from the oven, and allow them to cool momentarily, then transfer them to a serving plate or platter. 

Serve warm and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Any leftover chicken salad bites can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days! Any leftover chicken salad mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days!

This cranberry almond chicken salad not only makes a great appetizer but it’s also perfect for making sandwiches and wraps. This delicious chicken is great on sandwich bread, a flaky croissant, a brioche bun, or even on a lettuce wrap! 

If you like you can add a little lemon juice to the chicken salad to give it a little extra tang!

If you would like to make your chicken salad extra creamy, feel free to add some extra mayo, sour cream, or plain Greek Yogurt to it!

Be sure to check out these easy appetizers too!

Brown Sugar Baked Brie

Baked Brie with Pickled Rhubarb and Maple-glazed Pecans

World’s Easiest Cucumber Sandwiches | Tea sandwich recipe