Quick and Healthy Chicken Salad

Are your evenings and nights super busy? It seems like we never have a slow day here on the farm, and I've found a quick answer to supper when we are hustling around: Quick and Healthy Chicken Salad.  With just a few tricks, you can have this salad made and ready to share in 15 minutes, and around here that's a very good meal!

Farm Report:  Corn is tasseling and the silks of the new ears are coming out, so that means there will be some pollinating going on out the fields.   Pollen falling from the tassel to the silks is how how the kernels are made on the corn cob.  You might say that there are a lot of babies being made out in the corn fields right now!  Watch for the silks to turn brown to know that baby corn is on the way!  So with the corn doing its thing, all focus around here is gearing up for the 4-H fair in about 12 days~!

When we are finishing up projects and working with our calves and checking the sweet corn for critters and to know when it is ready to eat, meals are not at the top of anyone's list until that moment we are all hungry, and everyone looks at me to see what the next meal is.  Crazy thing, I'm usually out there with them working!!!  This Quick and Easy Chicken Salad is a great go-to if you do a little prep work ahead of time.

To get ready for this meal, It's nice to have some chicken breasts cooked as you like them ahead of time.  It can be last night's leftovers, or what we sometimes do is use rotisserie chicken.  I'm kind of in love with rotisserie chicken, and if I am in a grocery store that offers them, I will usually grab one or two to take home.  At around $5.00 a chicken, it's a great meal in itself.  We all love the dark meat, so it's legs and thighs for supper, and the breasts are saved for the next day.

Alrighty!  Let's get this salad started. First, diced up your chicken breasts and put in a large mixing bowl. Do the same with your veggies. I love these little peppers because you get just as much as you want!

Red Gold tomatoes are grown right here in Indiana, and I love that the tomatoes and chilies are ready to go!  *I use referral links to products I love.

Ok, now your bowl should look like this:

Well, not quite....Sigh, Yes, I put my bowl in the dishwasher, so yes, it has that lovely milky-foggy look to it.  Any ideas on how to make it clear again?  I would love to know what you know about this.

This next part is a bit tricky because, as I always remind you my Peeps, I don't faithfully measure as I go..... Start with adding 3/4 a cup of Miracle Whip, the minced garlic, horseradish, and Farm Dust seasonings to the bowl of chicken and veggies.  Stir it up gently, taste, and see what ingredient you might want to add.

I have to stop here a minute, and tell you that this is a VERY Indiana-based recipe!  Besides the Red Gold tomatoes and chilies, Miracle Whip and horseradish are pretty much staples in Hoosier kitchens.  The Farm Dust has a great name, and it too is made in Shipshewana, Indiana!  This is an Amish family business and goes by Weaver's Dutch Country Seasoning!  It's delish on everything you put it on.  Amazon is packaging it with a spicy version I didn't know about so YUM!  and Yea Indiana!

When you have the salad tasting the way you like it, add a lettuce leaf to a plate, grab yourself some water or Sweet Tea, and enjoy!

Printable Recipe here:

Quick and Healthy Chicken Salad

Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast, diced
• 1 1/2 C. peppers green, yellow, red, diced
• 1 C. celery, chopped
• 1 Can Red Gold Petite Diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 3/4 C. Miracle Whip or mayonnaise of choice
• 1 T. garlic, minced
• 1 T. horseradish
• 1-2 tsp. Farm Dust or seasoning of your choice

Cooking Directions

1. Chop or dice chicken breasts, and add to large mixing bowl
2. Chop or dice vegetables. May also add onions and radishes if desired. Add to mixing bowl.
3. Start with 3/4 C. Miracle Whip and add to bowl.
4. Add rest of ingredients.
5. Gently stir together. Add more Miracle Whip or other seasonings to suit your taste.
6. Refrigerate any leftovers immediately.