Chicken Salad Veggie Bites with Goat Cheese and Pecans

An easy appetizer idea made from endives stuffed with tangy goat cheese and a citrusy, crunchy chicken salad made with fennel and pecans.

Citrus Fennel Chicken Salad Endive Boats with Goat Cheese, Asparagus and Pecans

Endives topped with goat cheese and chicken salad on a narrow serving dish.

Hi everyone, happy Monday if that is possible! We’ve still got a few weeks until Mother’s Day, so to get us ready I am having a Mother’s Day Recipe Extravaganza this week and early next that I am so excited to share with you! I’ve partnered with my local Whole Foods Market in Tustin (that I am so in love with ) to give you an entire Mother’s Day Menu. Maria Mugica, the Marketing Supervisor is wonderful and I am thrilled to be working with her.

To start our Menu off, I chose to create an appetizer that will literally knock your socks off! This is a fancier Picky Palate recipe, but hey, it’s Mother’s Day right?! I love the freshness of this chicken salad. The citrus and fennel together are so good, just wait until you taste it. If you are not a goat cheese fan, you can leave it out or even use feta which would be great. These little endive boats look adorable on the table and taste even better. Hope you enjoy this appetizer 🙂

Ahhhh, here is my fabulous Whole Foods Store Front! xoxox

image of store front from google images

Here is a collage of some of the key ingredients in this chicken salad. I swear, the second I step foot inside Whole Foods my inner wannabe chef comes out. The produce section alone steals my heart as I look at each and every carefully arranged display. I mean, the sky is the limit when it comes to creating recipes from Whole Foods. I love how fresh, organic and beautifully displayed everything is. I even snapped a picture of the two men in charge of keeping the produce section so lovely! I told them thank you!!!

Maria was telling me that Whole Foods uses a local CA Organic Chicken Farm, so they know they are getting the best. A huge thank you to Whole Foods for providing us with such a fabulous place to SHOP!!

Endives topped with crumbled goat cheese.

After taking the endive leaves apart, place little pieces of goat cheese down then you’ll put your chicken salad over top. Oh my gosh, if you are a goat cheese fan look out!! I love this recipe, can you tell?

Citrus Fennel Chicken Salad Endive Boats with Goat Cheese, Asparagus and Pecans

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt with Parsley

1/4 teaspoon dry thyme

1 Cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice (about 1/2 an orange)

1/4 Cup fresh chopped fennel

1/4 Cup chopped pecans

2 heads Belgian endive, leaves separated

1/2 Cup crumbled Goat Cheese

1/2 Cup asparagus tops, steamed until fork tender and trimmed

1. Place chicken, salt, pepper, garlic salt, thyme, mayonnaise, dijon, orange juice, fennel and pecans into a large bowl. Mix until well combined.

2. Place endive leaves onto a serving plate. Place crumbled goat cheese inside each of the leaves then top with chicken salad. Place asparagus tips onto each endive boat. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

12 servings

___________________________________

Hope you all enjoy. Up next…..Part 2, the Main course 🙂  Come back soon!

Endives topped with goat cheese, chicken salad and asparagus tips on a narrow serving dish.

Chicken Salad Veggie Bites with Goat Cheese and Pecans

An easy appetizer idea made from endives stuffed with tangy goat cheese and a citrusy, crunchy chicken salad made with fennel and pecans.
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 207kcal
Author: Jenny
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic salt (I use Lawry's Garlic Salt with Parsley)
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp orange juice freshly squeezed (about 1/2 an orange)
  • 1/4 cup fennel freshly chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 heads Belgian endive leaves separated
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbled
  • 1/2 cup asparagus tips steamed until fork tender and trimmed

Instructions

  • Place chicken, salt, pepper, garlic salt, thyme, mayonnaise, dijon, orange juice, fennel and pecans into a large bowl. Mix until well combined.
  • Place endive leaves onto a serving plate. Place crumbled goat cheese inside each of the leaves then top with chicken salad. Place asparagus tips onto each endive boat. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 456mg | Potassium: 352mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1797IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords: easy appetizer ideas, easy chicken salad recipe, finger food recipes

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27 Responses
  1. Me, Myself & Pie

    I love anything with goat cheese and this looks so delicious. Congrats on partnering up with Whole Foods. Love that store.

  2. Aimee

    I used to live in Newport Beach, and visited the Tustin Whole Foods regularly. I absolutely miss that store! The Whole Foods where I currently live just isn’t the same!!

  3. Fuji Mama

    Oh girl, you totally made this recipe JUST FOR ME, right? 🙂 Goat cheese is my absolute favorite cheese on the planet. I am dying to make this! I love the Whole Foods in Tustin, btw. When we moved back from Japan a year and a half ago, we were living in an apartment about 3 minutes away from there while we waited for escrow to close on our house. Squirrel and I went there almost every day. 🙂

  4. Jenn

    These look great. I just moved, and now have a whole foods store within minutes of my home. Swoon!

  5. Nastassia (Let Me Eat Cake)

    what a great appetizer. perfect for spring and the endive is the perfect bite sized boat. yum!

  6. Kim Fluck

    Wow, I can see why you enjoy shopping at Whole Foods… gorgeous looking market and gorgeous looking recipe! I am jealous… I live in a small town… no Whole Foods store for me! I really enjoy your blog… thank you!

  7. Cookin' Canuck

    I love our Whole Foods stores here, too. I can always find all sorts of wonderful produce and cheeses. This appetizer is such a pretty way to start a Mother’s Day meal.

  8. marla {family fresh cooking}

    Jenny, I am so won over by your fancy Mother’s Day yum-yums! These are right up my alley. How neat to be working with our awesome Whole Foods!! xo

  9. Stephanie

    This looks great!! Wow your Whole Food Store rocks. In Tucson, AZ our Whole Foods looks and smells so getto! We need a new store!

  10. Sues

    Wow! I just made a chicken salad that knocked my socks off, but to put it in endive? That’s the best idea ever!

  11. pegasuslegend

    I love Whole Foods I hate that they closed in my area! I will still drive the hour it takes to get there, love everything they have…this recipe is fabulous great pictures as well

  12. Colle

    I LOVE any and all appetizers – especially ones for spring festivities! Can’t wait for the rest of your extravaganza!

  13. LilSis

    I love the asparagus in this salad. What a great combo of flavors! I don’t have a Whole Foods close by yet, but we’re getting one in Encinitas soon and I can’t wait!

  14. zestycook

    This looks devine( similar to divine) but spelled using the same letters as endive 🙂 Ok I need help!
    Love the appetizer though

    zest

  15. Rachel

    YUM YUM YUMMY!! Can’t wait to try these. I am totally Whole Foods obsessed too!! Endives are so great because they add that crunch that you need! Thanks for sharing!

  16. Heather

    These look wonderful and what an elegant appetizer indeed!
    So great you are partnering with Whole Foods. I love my local Whole Foods and I don’t know what I would do without it.
    Looking forward to Part 2!

  17. Danielle

    What an elegant looking appetizer! I can’t wait to see the rest of the menu. You shouldn’t be cooking on Mother’s Day though, someone should be cooking for you!

    1. Jenny Flake

      LOL! Don’t worry Danielle, I plan to be far away from my kitchen on Mother’s day! I’ll have my hubby cooking for sure 🙂

  18. Gaby

    I love endive!! The bitterness paired with the savory goodness inside makes for the perfect bite!

  19. Jessica @ How Sweet It Is

    That is so cool you have partnered with Whole Foods! This looks divine – love goat cheese and fennel!

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