Guest Post: Jackie's Tropical Chicken Salad

My friend Jackie is one of my favorite people in the world. She's awesome in about a million ways. We have been friends since college, and even though I never see or talk to her as much as I'd like, we always pick up right where we left off. This is us before my wedding two years ago.

I'm so excited she wrote a blog post to share with you all, enjoy!

Sorry to all you New Englanders... I am clutching to the last bit of summer down here in good ol' Tennessee with one of my personal favorite recipes. This simple chicken salad is fantastic on reduced-fat Wheat Thins or (my preference) straight out of the bowl. :)

The Jackie's Tropical Chicken Salad

1 whole chicken, cooked
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
3 stalks green onion, chopped
1 can chopped pineapple, drained
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
chopped cilantro to taste
salt & pepper to taste

I always use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store - partly because I'm lazy, and partly because I like they way they season it. I know I would never use that much salt if I cooked it on my own, but since I can't SEE how much they put into it, it's okay to me. And oh so yummy. I strip the meat from the carcass, discarding the skin and bones and congealed fat. Use the whole chicken - white and dark meat - and break it up into bite-sized pieces.

The rest is easy: in a large bowl, mix the chicken pieces, all the fruit and veggies, cilantro, and mayo. I always go light on the mayo, so once it's all mixed together, feel free to add more if you like yours a little wetter. Add salt and pepper, mix and taste again... check to see if you need more cilantro. I use a lot - you really can't have enough of the stuff as far as I'm concerned.

This chicken salad is delicious right away, but I like to pop it in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors blend together. ENJOY!!

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