A summer delight: Chicken Salad

This chicken salad is a favorite at our house; it's one even my menfolk like. The fruit and touch of curry make it a little unusual and the abundance of chicken makes it hearty enough for a summer supper.

The recipe came my way from my Mom's and More days at Elmbrook Church. (Child is now 20 so I have had it a while!) It has also undergone a few tweaks and additions over the years. Hope you give it a try.

The Recipe: Makes enough to serve 4. The ingredients I changed or added are in italics.

3 Cups cooked chicken, cut up. (If I am making this for our supper, I use one chicken breast per person. If it is just a side dish or for a pot luck supper, the 3 cups are fine.)

1/2 Cup diced celery

Red and/or green grapes, about 2 Cups total.

20 ounces pineapple chunks, drained or use fresh pineapple if you have it. Fresh is better.

Cooked rotini or shell pasta. These days I am trying to cut down on empty carbs so I might use about 1/2 pound of pasta for the whole salad. Pasta may be omitted all together if you like.

1/2 cup diced peeled and seeded cucumber

1/2 cup or more toasted and salted slivered almonds. I like salted cashews better.

The dressing:

1/2 Cup mayonnaise (I use the less fat kind or mid-grade as I call it not no fat. Aldi's worked fine.)

1/2 Cup sour cream (Sour half and half works fine.)

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/8th to 1/4th teaspoon of curry powder

salt to taste

Stir dressing ingredients together and toss with chicken, fruit, vegetables, and pasta. Garnish with the nuts on top. If you wanted to increase your veggie count, serve on a bed of lettuce.

I think this salad tastes best out on the patio with a tall glass of iced tea. Enjoy!

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, CNS News, Jay Weber, Mark Levin, Vicki McKenna Jay Weber, The Right View Wisconsin, The Heritage Foundation