Honey Almond Chicken Salad

I love to keep different types of mixed salads on hand for quick lunches and snacks and chicken salad is one of my favorites. This Honey Almond Chicken Salad is my version of the one I like to pick up from the deli at my local grocery store. It sure is nice to make it at home with leftover roast chicken and with such few ingredients.

What kind of chicken should I use for Honey Almond Chicken Salad?

You can use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store if you'd like. I choose not to because the ingredient list is usually way too long for my liking. I prefer to cook chicken from fresh so I'll roast two at one time so that I have plenty of leftovers.

Another option is to poach some chicken by cooking it in water on the stove. Be sure to season it well with salt and let it cool completely before making the salad.

Take the chicken off the bone and dice it small or pull it apart.

I use an equal amount of onions and celery, diced pretty small. I don't like getting a big bite of onion in the middle of my salad!

Personally, I think the almonds make this salad! Use slivered almonds and cut them really small so they distribute easily throughout the salad.

The dressing for Honey Almond Chicken Salad

Many mixed salads like these use only mayonnaise and frankly, I think they can easily get too "gloopy". It's really not a favorite texture! For this salad, I mix mayonnaise with a little honey and a bit of lemon juice. It has just the right balance between sweet and savory and doesn't weigh down the salad.

How to serve Honey Almond Chicken Salad

Oh my goodness, there are so many ways to enjoy this salad. Of course, I love it on a sandwich using homemade sourdough loaf bread topped with tomatoes and lettuce. I also throw it way back and use it as an appetizer by spooning it on cucumber rounds. And of course, you can't go wrong by putting it on crackers of any kind.

Recipe

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