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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Cranberry Chicken Salad Pinwheel Sandwiches

    Published: Nov 15, 2021 · Modified: Feb 11, 2022 by Cara Lanz · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Cranberry Chicken Salad Pinwheel Sandwiches with cream cheese are made with chicken, almonds, cranberries, green onions, and feta rolled up in spinach tortillas. Chicken salad roll ups make a great appetizer for parties -- and taste even better than they look.

    For more pinwheel recipe ideas, try Mexican Street Corn Tortilla Roll Ups, Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels, and the 25 BEST Tortilla Pinwheel Recipes! 

    Chicken Cranberry Salad Pinwheel Sandwiches on a white plate.

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    🎥Video: How to Make Cranberry Chicken Salad Pinwheels

    Jump to:
    • 🎥Video: How to Make Cranberry Chicken Salad Pinwheels
    • You’re Going to Love These
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • How to Make Chicken Salad Pinwheels
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Easy Appetizers
    • Let's Stay in Touch
    • 📖 Recipe

    Super delicious chicken pinwheels are fast and easy to make for a light lunch, game day, or holiday party. And you'll be the hit of the party because everyone loves these tortilla roll-ups!

    You’re Going to Love These

    • Chicken pinwheels have a pretty festive look -- a perfect appetizer for the holidays
    • This easy recipe comes together with simple ingredients
    • Tortilla chicken salad sandwiches make a delicious snack or easy lunch
    • Great way to use leftover chicken or holiday turkey

    Ingredients

    Chicken Cranberry Salad Pinwheel Sandwich ingredients.

    Cream cheese. Cream cheese makes the cranberry chicken salad rich and thick enough to roll up in a tortilla wrap. I recommend using block cream cheese because it's thicker than tubbed cream cheese spread. 

    Sour cream. Sour cream adds even more tang to the cream cheese base.  

    Shredded chicken breast. I use rotisserie chicken. Finely shred the chicken so you can roll the tortillas into tight rolls.  

    Almonds. Almonds add nutty flavor and satisfying crunch to the cranberry chicken salad pinwheels.  

    Dried cranberries. The cranberries bring a hit of sweetness and chewy texture. 

    Flour tortillas. 10-inch tortillas are the perfect size for these chicken salad pinwheel sandwiches.

    Substitutions

    Mustard. You can use any kind of mustard you like. 

    Protein. Leftover turkey or ham, or crumbled bacon —- or even smashed chickpeas — would be delicious in place of the chicken. 

    Nuts. You can use toasted or untoasted nuts of any kind. Pecans or pine nuts would also be delicious.  

    Dried fruit. Dried cherries or blueberries would also work. 

    Aromatics and herbs. Chives, shallots, red onion, or your favorite fresh herbs would be great substitutes for green onions in these sandwich pinwheels.

    Feta cheese. If you’re not a fan of feta, use your favorite cheese. Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, Swiss cheese, provolone cheese -- any cheese would be delicious.

    Large tortillas. Not gonna lie, I chose the spinach tortillas 100% for the pretty color :). You can use plain or any flavor of flour tortillas -- or even a whole wheat tortilla.

    How to Make Chicken Salad Pinwheels

    cream cheese, sour cream and Dijon mixed together in a clear bowl.

    Step 1: Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and Dijon mustard together with a hand mixer.  

    Chicken, cranberries, green onions, feta, and almonds in a clear bowl.

    Step 2: Add the chicken, almonds, cranberries, green onions, and feta cheese. Stir until combined.

    Chicken Cranberry Salad spread over a spinach tortilla.

    Step 3: Spread the chicken mixture onto a tortilla, leaving a ½ inch border along the sides and top. 

    Rolled up Chicken Cranberry Salad Pinwheel on a wooden cutting board.

    Step 4: Tightly roll up the tortilla.  

    Chicken Cranberry Salad Pinwheel roll up wrapped in plastic wrap.

    Step 6: Tightly wrap the tortilla roll ups in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the rolled up tortillas for several hours to allow the filling to become firm. 

    Chicken Cranberry Salad tortilla Pinwheel cut into slices.

    Step 7: Gently slice the tortillas with a serrated knife into pinwheel sandwiches.

    Chicken salad pinwheels are best served the day you make them.

    Expert Tips

    • Use room temperature cream cheese to ensure a smooth and creamy mixture without lumps of cream cheese. 
    • Roll your tortillas tightly so they don’t fall open when you pick them up.  
    • Wrap the rolled tortillas in plastic wrap. Plastic wrap helps the rolled tortillas hold their shape. 
    • Chill the roll ups for a few hours before slicing to give the cream cheese a chance to firm up. This will make it easy to slice your pinwheels and keep them nice and round.  
    • Slice with a serrated knife. Slice the pinwheels using a sawing motion with a serrated knife to keep the soft tortilla rolls from flattening when you cut them. 

    Recipe FAQs

    How far in advance can you make pinwheel sandwiches?

    You can make these tortilla roll-ups up to a day in advance. Note, however, that the tortillas will absorb some moisture overnight, and they will be softer the next day. For best results, make this easy pinwheels recipe the day you will be serving them.

    How do you keep pinwheels from getting soggy?

    Limit the moisture in the filling ingredients. For example, too much sour cream can make the cream cheese mixture too wet. Or if you add fresh fruit or vegetables, it can also add moisture to the filling.

    Hand holding a Chicken Cranberry Salad Pinwheel Sandwich.

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    📖 Recipe

    Chicken Cranberry Salad Pinwheel Sandwiches

    Cranberry Chicken Salad Pinwheel Sandwiches

    Cara Lanz
    Cranberry Chicken Salad Pinwheel Sandwiches are filled with chicken, almonds, cranberries, green onions, and feta, rolled up in a spinach tortilla. A delicious holiday party appetizer that tastes even better than it looks.
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Chilling Time 3 hours hrs
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24
    Calories 130 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 ounces cream cheese
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
    • 2 cups shredded chicken
    • ½ cup sliced almonds
    • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
    • 4 sliced green onions
    • ½ cup feta cheese
    • 3 10-inch tortillas
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and Dijon mustard together with a hand mixer.
    • Add the chicken, almonds, cranberries, green onions, and feta cheese. Stir until combined.
    • Spread the mixture onto a tortilla, leaving a ½ inch border along the sides and top.
    • Tightly roll up the tortilla.
    • Tightly wrap the tortilla rolls in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the rolled up tortillas for several hours to allow the filling to become firm.
    • Remove the plastic wrap and slice the tortillas with a serrated knife into pinwheel sandwiches.

    Video

    Notes

    Use room temperature cream cheese. This ensures a smooth and creamy mixture without lumps of cream cheese. 
    Roll your tortillas tightly so they won’t fall open when you pick them up.
    Wrap the rolled tortillas in plastic wrap to help the rolled tortillas hold their shape. 
    Chill the roll ups for a few hours before slicing so the cream cheese can firm up again and make it easier to slice pinwheels into a nice round shape. 
    Slice with a serrated knife to keep from flattening the tortilla rolls while you cut them. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 6gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 138mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 207IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1mg
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    Hi, I'm Cara!

    I love sharing easy, delicious everyday recipes from the heartland.

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