Copycat Wendy's Apple Pecan Salad with Chicken
Description
A fresh, restaurant-quality copycat of Wendy's Apple Pecan Salad with crispy pecan-crusted air fryer chicken, apples, cranberries, blue cheese, and a homemade pomegranate vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into cutlets or tenderloins
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup pecans, finely diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Salad
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
- 2 cups mixed greens
- ½ cup green apple, chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pecans
- ⅛ cup blue cheese, crumbled
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup pomegranate juice
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced (about ¼ tsp)
- ½ cup olive oil, or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat dry. Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder; season both sides.
- Bread the chicken. Dip in beaten egg, then press diced pecans firmly onto each piece.
- Air fry. Cook at 370°F for 8–12 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Make the vinaigrette. Whisk pomegranate juice, orange juice, and vinegar. Add lemon zest, sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper; whisk until dissolved. Slowly stream in oil until emulsified.
- Assemble. Arrange greens; top with apples, cranberries, blue cheese, and toasted pecans. Slice chicken over the top, drizzle with vinaigrette, and serve immediately.
Equipment
- Cooking Spray
- Parchment Paper, optional
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 15gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 550mgPotassium: 372mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1264IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg