Monday’s Menu: Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

dried cranberries and toasted pecans = yum

I love Chicken Salad but I usually avoided any that had fruit or nuts added to them.  Silly me! One day a friend made me try her “gourmet” chicken salad and I was hooked. I found a pre-made type at Costco that I really liked.  Unfortunately, it has disappeared from the shelves. That’s when I decided to make my own.  I combined many recipes and advice from friends. I am so happy with the outcome that I had to share it.

~Erika

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (2 lbs chicken breast)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup toasted pecan halves
• 1.5 cup mayonaise
• 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 4 tsp. sugar
• salt and pepper

Poach 2 lbs of chicken breasts in sodium free chicken broth until cooked – about 20 minutes. Next toast the pecans on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Flip them and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Slightly chop the nuts, cube the chicken and add them to a large bowl with the cranberries. In a smaller bowl add the mayonnaise, honey, sugar and vinegar.  Whisk these four ingredients until blended.  Next pour over the chicken mixture, mixing it well. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours and serve on your favorite bread.