Sonoma Chicken Salad Recipe
Spring time is here and it’s time to unpack your favorite picnic recipes! Picnic recipes are typically full of simple carbohydrates and empty calories, but this one is full of protein and antioxidants! Chicken salad is one of our favorites for a Spring picnic in the park. This salad is delicious eaten by itself, however, you can also put it on bread, croissants, and even wrap it up in a tortilla with lettuce. There are plenty of ways you can manipulate this recipe, like substituting different dried or fresh fruits, so get creative!
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise or vegannaise
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 4-6 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast and/or thighs
- 3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted
- 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries, or 2 cups red seedless grapes, halved
- 3 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
Preparation
In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. This can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish coated with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes or until completely cooked through. Remove cooked chicken breasts from pan, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.When the chicken is cold, dice into bite-size chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in nuts, fruit, celery and dressing.
Serve cold and enjoy with family and friends!
