Chicken Salad With Dried Fruit Recipes

Steps:

• Combine dried fruit and apple juice in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Bring to a simmer and stir. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Mix mayonnaise and mustard in a medium bowl. Add chicken (or turkey), green onions (or celery) and toasted almonds. Mix well. Stir cooled fruit into chicken mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill if desired, or serve immediately.
• Serve over salad greens as a main dish salad, or in pita pockets or on multi-grain bread as a sandwich filling.
• Cook time is recommended chill time!
• NOTE: 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts = 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken, or a 3 pound whole chicken yields about 4 1/2 cups cooked/diced.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whip cream to soft peaks.
• Combine meat, celery, grapes, dried fruit and nuts (or Salad Pizazz), parsley, salt and mayonnaise with whipped cream. Chill.
• Note: Instead of using the dried fruit and the nuts, I always use Salad Pizazz which is a gourmet salad topping that can be found in grocery stores and comes in a variety of flavors. For this salad I like to use the Cherry Cranberry Pecano, the Orange Cranberry Almondine or the Raspberry Cranberry Walnut Frisco.

Steps:

• Stir the couscous, cranberries, curry powder, salt, and sugar together in a heatproof bowl. Bring water (amount will be listed on package directions) to a boil and pour it over the couscous. Add the orange juice. Give it a big stir, cover the bowl tightly and let it stand, giving it a big stir once or twice, until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Fluff up the couscous with a fork. Add the olive oil, scallions, parsley, lemon juice, and walnuts. Stir around until everything is distributed evenly throughout the couscous. Make up to 2 hours ahead of time and keep at room temperature until you're ready to serve. Check the seasonings just before you serve the salad and add salt and pepper, to taste.
• Note: To toast the walnuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven until they turn a shade darker, about 8 minutes.

Steps:

• Make a quick vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper (or throw the ingredients into a small jar with a lid, cover, and shake). Pour the vinaigrette over the watercress and toss to coat. Garnish with the toasted slivered almonds and dried cranberries.

Steps:

• If you don't already have cooked chicken available, you can poach the poultry in water, or chicken broth. Poach chicken breasts by placing in a pot, and covering with water or broth, cook over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken from water, and when cool enough to touch shred the chicken breasts and place into a bowl. In a medium sized bowl add sliced celery, nuts, dried fruit, and mayonnaise. Stir to combine mixture well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in a covered container for up to 3 days before serving. This Chicken Salad can be served on a bed of lettuce, or served in fancy rolls, or even on plain bread. I personally love to serve this chicken salad with a nice bowl of soup. I don't think you can beat that soup and sandwich combination.

Steps:

• Preheat the grill for high heat.
• Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and slice.
• Meanwhile, place pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pecans until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• In a blender, combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, onion, mustard, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
• Arrange lettuce on serving plates. Top with grilled chicken slices, strawberries, and pecans. Drizzle with the dressing to serve.

Steps:

• Bring the quinoa, salt, and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Once done, scrape into a large bowl, and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Stir in the green onions, celery, raisins, cayenne pepper, vegetable oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. Stir in the cilantro and pecans before serving.