This post is sponsored by Shaft’s Cheese & Co., but all opinions are 100% my own.

With the new year in full swing, I know most of us are looking for ways to meal prep, make better choices when it comes to food, and get back into a routine. Chicken salad is a go-to lunch option for me when I am getting back on track and I love that I can prepare the recipe in advance and have it ready to go when I am. I partnered with my friends at Shaft’s Cheese & Co. to create this delicious recipe for a blue cheese and pear chicken salad that is a twist on a classic Waldorf Chicken Salad that most people love.

It’s a great combination of salty from the blue cheese, sweet, and nutty with a bit of crunch and creaminess. It’s the perfect blend of flavors and textures making it ideal for snacking on with crackers, adding to a sandwich, topping a salad, or dipping with crisp veggies. It can be made at the beginning of the week and kept in the refrigerator to eat whenever you need a healthy lunch option!

What makes this chicken salad so special is the Shaft’s Blue 1 Year Blue Cheese. It’s rich, creamy, and savory without overpowering your tastebuds and it really brings all of the flavors together in this chicken salad. You can add as much or little blue cheese to your liking, but I happen to be a blue cheese fan so I add a good amount so that the flavor profiles really shine through!

Variations of this recipe:

• Try roasting your own chicken. Simply roast bone in chicken breasts or a whole chicken if desired. I do recommend a bone-in chicken here so that the chicken comes out juicy.

• Swap pears for apples if preferred or if that’s what you have on hand.

• Use a different candied nut. I love pecans, but you can really use any nut variety. I love the candied version here for a little sweetness throughout each bite.

Ingredients:

• I Rotisserie Chicken, Skin and Bones Removed

• 1/4 Cup Shaft’s Blue 1 Year Blue Cheese

• 1/2 Cup Chopped Celery

• 1/4 Cup Finely Diced Red Onion

• 1 Diced Pear (about 1 Cup)

• 1/4 Cup Chopped Candied Pecans or Other Nut

• 1 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley

For the Dressing-

• 3/4 Cup Greek Yogurt

• 2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise

• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

• 1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

• 1 Tbsp. White Vinegar

• 1/4 Cup Crumbled Shaft’s Blue 1 Year Blue Cheese

• 1 Tsp. Salt

• 1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper

Directions:

• Make dressing by combining greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, blue cheese, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Puree the dressing until smooth if desired or whisk, leaving the blue cheese crumbled in the dressing until well combined.

• Add chicken, blue cheese, celery, red onion, pear, candied pecans, and parsley in a large bowl.

• Drizzle half of the dressing in the bowl and toss to combine. Add more dressing as desired.

• Store the chicken salad in the refrigerator for up to a week or serve immediately with crackers, on a sandwich, or on a salad.

Doesn’t this blue cheese and pear chicken salad look so delicious? It’s a must make for and easy and healthy lunch option any day of the week.