I practically wrote a book the first time I published this post, so I’ll be concise today. This chewy and crunchy cherry chicken salad is still a favorite! This time I swapped red onion for the celery (because I didn’t have any), but I suggest including both. I went with Greek yogurt in place of half of the mayo (cutting out a significant number of calories) and it still tasted great! Definitely a clever healthy trick you should try!

Isn’t it strange how we form such strong aversions to particular foods when we are children, and then one day we realize how much we’d been missing out on? Why did I detest ketchup as a kid, and why wouldn’t I touch refried beans? Who knows, because I don’t think I actually ever tried them. It was the idea of them that turned me off. Sometimes I think we’re told what to do and how to behave so often when we’re young that, when it comes to food, we try to win back control by being stubborn and picky eaters. (Because no one can actually force us to eat something, and how do they know what we like!?) I’ll bet I actually wanted to put ketchup on my french fries once and a while, but unfortunately wanted even more to be opinionated/different… so it was with a plethora of foods I never experienced. Of course we don’t realize this when we’re young. Hindsight being 20/20, I sure wish I’d given a chance to half of the dishes I stuck up my nose at.

Luckily, one day (several years ago) I woke up (it may have been a more gradual transformation, but this is the way I remember it) and I was tired of being picky. Or maybe I was tired of eating the same boring thing every day. No matter how I arrived at this point, I’m grateful I got here. I’m not afraid anymore. (Sometimes we’re too afraid we’ll dislike something to even try it. How wimpy is that?) I’m no longer hesitant to try new things, and more importantly, not fearful of finding out that I genuinely do hate something. But the fantastic part is, those occasions are rare.

For some reason I had the notion that I didn’t like chicken salad. Now I’ve collected a whole stack of chicken salad recipes, because I can’t seem to get enough. This recipe became an instant favorite! Chewy and crunchy, sweet and salty, creamy and crisp. Incredible served on my freshly griddled Whole Wheat English Muffins.

I regret my picky days. (When Dustin met me I told him seafood was gross, and now I crave it, love it!) We’re only alive so long and can only eat so much. I wish I’d spent those years with a more open mind, but alas I’m playing catch-up now; a (formerly) culinarily self-deprived young lady working her way through a world of exquisite tastes.

Cherry Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or half mayonnaise, half plain Greek yogurt)
1 Tbsp. buttermilk (or freshly squeezed lemon juice)
1/2 cup apple. cubed
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve as a sandwich or over a bed of greens.

Serves 2-4.

(Adapted from All Recipes)