Growing up, Mother would pre-prepare a cold meal on Saturday that would be ready as soon as we got home from church on Sunday. She served ham, rolls, chicken salad, potato salad, coleslaw, deviled eggs, and some kind of Jell-O salad (I’m still not sure why she considered Jell-O a salad!). Everything was made from scratch. This meal was a special treat in the summer because we didn’t have air conditioning! It was so nice to eat something cold when it was hot outside. This is her favorite recipe for chicken salad.

Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds 

2 bone-in, skin on, split chicken breasts
2 teaspoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3/4 cup diced celery
1/3 cup green grapes, sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup Hellman’s real mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon or 3/4 teaspoon celery salt (choose one)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in 350ºF oven for 2 to 4 minutes

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place chicken Breasts on a rimmed baking sheet lined with non-stick foil. Rub skin with 1 teaspoon oil per breast. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper. Bake 45 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165ºF. 

Remove chicken from oven and cool.  Discard skin and bones, then shred chicken with 2 forks. In a large bowl; place chicken, celery, grapes, mayonnaise, pepper, tarragon or celery salt (choose one), and almonds.  Stir to combine. Refrigerate overnight to let flavors mingle. Makes 4-6 servings. Enjoy!

Published in The News and Neighbor on May 20, 2022.