Craisin Almond Chicken Salad

I have a weird relationship with mayonnaise. The thought of mayo almost always makes me gag. It's so white, plain, and...well...fattening. If I'm ever ordering a sandwich, I always, always make sure it doesn't come with mayo on it. I'll have mustard or hummus, please and thank you. Or if I ever do find a glob of mayo on my otherwise delicious sandwich, you better believe I'm taking a napkin to that bun and soaking up every little bit of it. I think my negative feelings towards mayo started when I learned how to read a nutrition label. As soon as I discovered that little label on the side of food, I quickly eliminated a lot of ingredients and products from my diet without even thinking twice. Darn you sneaky label with almost always disappointing information.

Despite my hesitations with mayo and the nutrition labels that accompany the jar it is sold in, I can't imagine cooking without it. Mayo a key binder in so many salads that I love, love, love; this chicken salad recipe being one of my favorites.

Thanks to my culinary genius roommate who just whipped up this recipe one day, I am now a huge fan of adding craisins and almonds to my chicken salad. Talk about a flavor and texture boost. The sweet and chewy craisins provide a burst of flavor and color to an otherwise rather bland dish. The slivered almonds that garnish the top of this salad assist the celery and add more crunch and pizazz to this dish. While I think the craisin/almond combo is a hands down winner, you could try adding other dried fruits and nuts to your favorite chicken salad recipe.

So while I might turn my nose up at putting mayo on my sandwich, you better believe I still have some in my refrigerator to make this amazing recipe!

Craisin Almond Chicken Salad
(4-5 servings)

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/3-1/2 cup low fat mayo
1/3 cup craisins
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice
optional: 1 tsp minced garlic
optional: 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Fill a large pot with water. Bring the water to a boil. Add chicken breasts to water and allow to boil until fully cooked and no longer pink in the middle. Chicken tenders take about 5-7 minutes to fully cook, while chicken breasts take about 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly before shredding. (I simply shred the chicken using two forks.)

Add the shredded chicken and all ingredients except the slivered almonds to a mixing bowl. Stir ingredients together until well mixed. Add more mayo if you want a creamier salad.

Cover and chill the salad until ready to serve. Before serving, garnish the chicken salad with a few more craisins and slivered almonds.

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Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 5
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 191.3
Total Fat: 5.6 g
Cholesterol: 65.0 mg
Sodium: 254.9 mg
Total Carbs: 10.1 g
Fiber: 0.7 g
Sugars: 6.8 g
Protein: 25.1 g

Pros:
-Simple list of ingredients
-Easy and quick to make
-Minimal clean-up
-Great for lunch or a light dinner
-Can easily be doubled to serve a larger crowd

Cons:
-High in protein without many other nutritional benefits