Chicken Salad Bonanza (gf)

I first had a similar recipe at a friend’s house and my husband absolutely devoured these sandwiches. She gave me the recipe which was just off the food network website and I made it once but it just wasn’t the same. I had to add a lot more yogurt to make it a little creamier and to counter the strong tastes of the spices. This time I couldn’t find the recipe I had used before and the only one similar to what I remembered was from Rachel Ray. As I was making it this time I felt that it still didn’t taste right so I went ahead and did my own thing. I used some of the ingredients from her but used my own amounts and added some other ingredients.

Feel free to change out some of these ingredients for other ones. I would recommend substituting or adding:

1 medium sized apple, diced
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
½ cup green onions, chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries

My mother-in-law also has a great chicken salad recipe that she gave me that I make fairly frequently. I tend to throw in whatever suits my fancy at the moment so feel free to substitute some of the ingredients from the first recipe in for this one. I’ve never tried the yogurt as a substitute for the mayonnaise but I’m sure it would be just as good.

I love having fruit in my chicken salad. I just love the burst of juicy sweetness when you bite into it and I think it is especially pleasant in this chicken salad. The curry adds a little bit of heat and the lemon pepper really helps to brighten it up. Plus, I love the fact that this recipe uses plain yogurt over mayonnaise. I am not a fan of mayonnaise at all; it is just so heavy and I prefer something a bit healthier. That way you don’t have to feel guilty about having two or three sandwiches- which you probably will. Plus, both these recipes are perfect to make the night before a party because they taste even better after sitting and melding for a night. Good eating!

Easy curry chicken salad (gf)

1 lb cooked chickenm shredded
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 medium bell pepper, diced
½ of 15 oz can mandarin oranges
1 ½ - 2 cups plain yogurt, depending on how creamy you want it
6 ½ - 7 ½ teaspoons curry powder
¾ - 1 teaspoon dry mustard
1-1 ½ teaspoons lemon pepper
Salt

Combine yogurt with the lesser amount of curry powder, dry mustard, and lemon pepper listed. Add chicken, celery, and bell peppers and combine well. Gently fold in mandarin oranges and grapes. Add extra seasonings and salt to taste.
Serve on a bed of lettuce (for gf) or as a sandwich on a croissant.

Fruit-filled Chicken Salad (gf)

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded
1 golden delicious apple, chopped
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
2-3 ribs celery, finely chopped
1-2 green onions, chopped
1 lb. red seedless grapes, quartered
1 15 oz can mandarin oranges
¾ - 1 cup mayonnaise, mayo with olive oil, or low-fat Greek yogurt

Mix all ingredients, except grapes and mandarin oranges, together and add enough mayo to stick everything together. Add a couple to a few shakes of soy sauce. Then add the grapes and oranges and gently mix so they don’t squish. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.