My Girl, Paula: Hawaiian Chik'n Salad

This week's My Girl, Paula! theme is FRUIT, which gave me the perfect opportunity to try out a recipe I've had bookmarked in my copy of The Lady & Sons, Too! for a while now: Hawaiian Chicken Salad.  With grapes, oranges, and pineapple, this fresh and crunchy salad is a welcome departure from the heavy stews and comforting foods of winter.  I halved the recipe and swapped out light mayo for regular, as well as a package of Morningstar Farms® Chik'n Strips for "real" chicken.  This stellar recipe would be fantastic with leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken too!  Plan on preparing and eating this within a day or so, because the mayo will break down and get watery (from all that fruit!) as the salad sits in the fridge.


Hawaiian Chik'n Salad  (Serves 4-5)
Adapted from The Lady & Sons, Too!

8 0z. pkg Morningstar Farms® Chik'n Strips (or 2 cups cooked diced chicken)
½ cup mayonnaise (I used light mayo)
½ cup sliced almonds
1 cup diced celery
½ pound grapes, sliced in half
11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
8 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained

Prepare Chik'n Strips according to package directions for salads, then chill and dice.  In a mixing bowl, combine diced chik'n (or chicken, if using), mayonnaise, almonds, and celery until well combined.  Fold in grapes, mandarin oranges, and pineapple.  Serve as a salad or use to fill sandwiches (croissants would be most excellent!).