Homemade Chicken Salad - Creative Cooking

This past Tuesday, I made Lemon Rosemary chicken in the crock pot (recipe HERE).  There was some chicken left over, and even though the original dish was awesome, I was ready for something different.  I didn't want to waste the leftovers, though, so I decided to use the remaining chicken to make chicken salad. 

I love Arby's chicken salad with pecans.  So I decided to make a semi-copycat chicken salad using what I had around the house.  It turned out extremely well, and it was exactly what my tastebuds were wanting. I also tend to be the type who throws in everything but the kitchen sink. You do not have to use chicken for this.  As a matter of fact, turkey or even tuna would also make an excellent version, and as long as a person sticks to the basic recipe, there could be several tasty variations. 

Chicken Salad: 

1-1/2 to 2 cups cubed/shredded chicken

2/3 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise (substitute nonfat plain yogurt for a lower-fat version)

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons relish (dill or sweet)

1-2 tablespoons chopped celery

About 1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup fruit (I used dried cranberries, but you could also use seedless grapes, chopped apples, or even chopped pineapple) 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Mix all ingredients together.  Serve on whole-wheat bread, wrapped in a tortilla, or with lettuce if you prefer just the salad.  Makes 2-4 servings, depending on how thick you spread the chicken salad.