St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah is one of the most anticipated events of the year and I LOVE making festive food to celebrate. I recently had the opportunity to cook an Irish-inspired picnic for my co-workers, and this week, leading up to the biggest party of the year, I’ll be unpacking the recipes from our feast here on the blog. First up is my Chicken Salad Cabbage Cups!

Chicken salad is one of those iconic dishes in the South that everyone has a strong opinion about, much like barbecue and pimento cheese. Versatile, with mix-ins ranging from fruit and nuts to eggs and onions, it can eaten by itself, packed into croissants or scooped into lettuce. Instead of butter lettuce or romaine, I’m giving a nod to the Irish by using cabbage leaves as the vehicle for my chicken salad. The outer leaves make a perfect cup, and they’re green! I use lots of green mix-ins too, like green grapes and green onion for garnish. The pop of the sweetness from the dried cranberries with the crunchy, nutty Georgia pecans and tender chicken is absolutely delicious. The lemon zest and juice help to cut the richness of the dressing, giving the salad a bright, citrus flavor.

Some Kinda Good Chicken Salad Cabbage Cups
Serves 6 – 8

• 1 Rotisserie Chicken, Breast Meat (White meat only), chopped, then shredded by hand
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans
• 1/2 cup of dried sweetened cranberries
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 bunch green grapes, sliced vertically
• 2 stems green onion, chopped, for garnish
• 1/2 cup Dukes Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tsp Kosher salt or more to taste
• Pinch of pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 head of cabbage, leaves carefully removed to make cups

In a large bowl, place chicken. In a dry saute pan over medium heat, toast pecans for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned. Toss pecans, dried cranberries and celery together with chicken. Season the mixture with salt, pepper and cayenne. Meanwhile, whisk mayo, sour cream, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper. A little bit at the time, add the dressing to the chicken mixture until desired consistency is reached. To serve, scoop into cabbage leaves. Refrigerate immediately. Make ahead to allow flavors to really meld together. The longer it sits, the more Some Kinda Good it gets!

Watch how this recipe comes together in my Facebook Live video and be sure to Like Some Kinda Good! Stay tuned for more recipes from our St. Patrick’s Day picnic all week long. Next up – Mini Shepherd’s Pies!

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Food Network Star finalist Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a food enthusiast and writer. Her blog, Some Kinda Good, features Southern, coastal recipes, locally sourced and in-season. A Georgia Southern University alumna, Rebekah also attended Savannah Technical College’s Culinary Institute of Savannah. To learn more, connect with Some Kinda Good on social media, or visit RebekahLingenfelser.com.