From Chef Oonagh Williams of Royal Temptations Catering

As many of you know, I constantly shop at Costco. One summer, on separate occasions, they had two versions of this salad. The ‘bought in’ salad was made with canned chicken breast and then Costco made their own version using leftover bbq’d chicken. One was called Cape Cod Chicken salad and the other had to be renamed to New England Chicken Salad. I read the label (as I often do both for nutrition and recipe ideas) of the ‘bought in’ salad, and it included craisins, pecans and honey with mayo. I went back to my chicken Waldorf salad and took that as the base for this salad.

Using canned chicken, it can easily be used as a sandwich filling, cracker spread, or to fill mini pastry tarts. Using fresh chicken in larger pieces, it is good as a meal-time salad or for a picnic/party etc. Making this yourself you can add as many craisins, pecans, etc., as you like and also keep them in larger recognizable pieces, rather than almost mush.

This is the proportion of ingredients we like in my home, so play with them to your taste.

Ingredients

• 12 oz. can of chicken, drained, or 12 oz. cooked chicken shredded as finely as you want
  • 12 oz. of cooked chicken is roughly 2 breasts from a ready-roasted chicken—remember to make sure store-bought chicken is gluten-free as added sauces and injected solutions can contain gluten.
• 1 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
• 1-2 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
  • Start with 1 Tbsp., make the salad, then taste and add more if you want. You can use zest of 1 orange instead.
• 1/3 cup plain craisins
• 1/3 cup pecans
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 Tbsp. leaves from the fresh celery (optional if kids won’t eat green stuff, or you didn’t use celery)
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional if kids won’t eat green stuff)
• 2 Tbsp. green of green onions or chives (optional if kids won’t eat green stuff)
• 2-3 tsp. maple syrup (or honey) or to taste
• 1 tsp. honey mustard
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Toast pecans by baking at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
2. Chop vegetables; celery can be cut into 4 lengthwise and then diced into ¼ to ½ inch cubes.
3. Chop pecans.
4. Mix everything together.
5. Refrigerate for about an hour for flavors to mingle.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.
7. Serve cold in bowls, lettuce wraps, or on sandwich bread.

Tips and Alternatives

• Instead of pecans, use peanuts, smoked almonds or cashews, etc.
• Instead of celery, try shredded carrots, chopped raw broccoli, or chopped Gala apples.
• Instead of craisins, add some curry powder/paste and pineapple.
• Spread on wraps and top with lettuce, roll up.
• Spread on gluten-free crackers or crostini and serve for shower or tea party.
• Spread into cucumber or celery boats.
• Serve as appetizer on top of half an avocado, hollow out orange or grapefruit half and use as serving container for individual portion on top of mixed salad.
• Serve in hollowed-out melon for large party. Cut edges with v-shaped cutter or knife.
• Make an Asian version with gluten-free soy sauce, honey, water chestnuts, drizzle of sesame oil, Thai basil.
• Make a Mexican version with cilantro, hot spice, bell peppers.
• Make an Italian with basil, artichokes, olives, bell peppers.