recipe: CHICKEN SALAD WITHOUT MAYONNAISE

Mayo... who needs it?! Okay, well sometimes it's pretty awesome. BUT you can actually enjoy a tasty chicken salad sandwich without it! Check it out...

Cooking the chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 chicken breasts with bones (Boneless, skinless breasts gross me out for several reasons, but besides that I prefer to use breasts with the bone because the meat usually cooks much more tender and juicy that way!)
• 1/2 Ambrosia apple, remove core and seeds (you can also use Gala, Fuji, or any other sweet apple)
• 1 Medjool date (remove pit)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• splash of white wine (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400.

Wash chicken breasts and place in an oven safe baking dish.  (I like to take a little extra virgin olive oil, a little salt, and a pinch of turmeric and massage them into each breast before I do anything else.  This usually makes the meat a little bit more tender and flavorful, but it is completely optional.)

Blend apple, date, garlic, red onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, and wine if you're using it.  Make sure mix is smooth and then pour it on top of the chicken.  Cover with foil.  Cook for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove from oven.  Let chicken cool slightly.  Remove breasts from the dish and set the "sauce" aside.  On a cutting board, remove the meat from the bone and cut/shred into small bite size pieces.  Place shredded chicken in a bowl and mix in the sauce a little bit at a time until moist and saturated. 

Preparing the chicken salad

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Ambrosia apple, finely chopped (can substitute with any sweet apple)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 red onion, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:
Add apple, raisins, almonds, and red onion to chicken.  Mix.

Place in the refrigerator to chill.  Serve and enjoy!

GTBB,
Bad Joan