This nutty chicken salad is the absolute lunch pleaser. Tucked in a bun or wrap, it makes for the perfect grab-and-go lunch.
Another week has flown by, highlights of which included planting my first lemon tree. I am very excited about this and cannot wait to see my labor's (literal) fruits! Stay tuned! Or don't. I am somewhat nervous that the plant won't make it, so let me throw in a ta-da moment when I pick the first batch of citrus fruits without anyone watching 🙂
In other news, I feel blissfully rested after my toddler granted me two uninterrupted nights of sleep! Leaving me fully recharged and ready to share with you this tantalizing treat for your tastebuds - my crunchy salad with fruit and nuts!
A few years back, my hubs friend invited us to a housewarming and requested I bring finger food or dessert( he told me this the night before). Unsure of what to whip up in a short amount of time, I went to the supermarket first thing in the morning to pick up some items. So after a dash to the supermarket and a key lime tart in mind, I threw caution to the wind and attempted a dish I had never made before! Well, the result was a tangy watery mess! Lesson learned, tried, and tested is the way to go, hush my adventurous soul.
Frustrated, slightly embarrassed, and running out of time, with an hour until we were supposed to be at this housewarming, my sympathetic pod suggested I make my favorite chicken salad. He would have been six feet under mother earth if looks could kill. After scanning the refrigerator and pantry, I realized there was a chance to redeem myself.
How to make it
So, I began to shred the leftover rotisserie chicken from the night before. I chopped some onion, honey, crisp apples, and celery sticks.
I tossed it together and added sour cream, fresh lemon juice, honey, and dill. We spread the salad on sandwich bread and cut it into mini sandwiches. Simple, quick, and deliciously satisfying.
My dish was a hit at the housewarming, and I also received one beneficial suggestion from the host's aunt. She said, "I make chicken salads a lot. However, I noticed you missed one tangible ingredient. Next time try adding some nuts; you would love it." I smiled and went about my business.
VARIATIONS:
So Nutty...
Weeks later, I gave her suggestion a try. Holy guacamole! She was correct; the nuts gave the salad a facelift. I added some toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and fresh dill, which has made this a firm family favorite! Try it; I'm sure you will love it too!
You can equally add the following to make it your own:
Fruits: strawberries, peache, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, mango, oranges e.t.c
Nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, chia seeds, pistachios, sesame, hemp seeds, pcans
Enjoy it in all its nutty glory or spoon it into a pita pocket lined with lettuce, arugula, or spinach. My son loves it rolled up in a tortilla wrap.
This crunchy salad is perfect for picnics, parties, lunch boxes, and more! What else would you add to your chicken salad? Please tell; I'd love to know in the comments below.
Ahh, I forgot to add that this salad got us a pretty good discount on our flooring. Winning! Winning!
P.S
* You can use grape tomato to substitute the Roma tomatoes. Also, plain Greek yogurt is wonderful instead of sour cream.
I hope you'll give this chicken and fruit salad Salad a try.
MORE TASTY CHICKEN RECIPES TO TRY
- Chicken Fruit salad
- Greek Chicken Kebab Bowl
- Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks
- Baked lemon pepper chicken wings
- Chicken Caprese salad with creamy basil pesto
If you are looking for something more filling, try my healthy-ish Mac-n-Cheese.
Share a picture of your nutty chicken salad with us on social media using the hashtag worldlytreat(#worldlytreat); we'd love to join the soirée. Don't forget to pin it for later.
Have a beautiful start to spring!!!
PEACE & LOVE
Maureen
Nutty Crunchy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- ¼ Cup red onion, chopped
- 1 Cup honey crisp apple. cubed
- 1 Celery stick, chopped (about ¼ cup)
- ½ Cup toasted walnuts
- ¼ Cup dried cranberry
- Pinch of salt
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- ½ Cup Sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice, fresh
- 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 4 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 4-6 Romaine lettuce leaves
- 4 Pita bread, cut in half forming two pockets
Instructions
- Mix the first seven ingredients in a shallow bowl, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the honey, sour cream, lime juice, and fresh dill.
- Pour the dressing over the salad. Combine thoroughly using a wooden spoon or a spatula.
- Place a leaf of romaine lettuce and 3-4 slices of tomatoes into each pita pocket, then evenly distribute the chicken blend between the pita halves and serve.
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