For some reason, chicken salad always makes me think of showers. Not the kind that bring the rain, but the ones before babies come or before wedding days. Why is it that chicken salad is such a common food at bridal and baby showers? Or is it just a Utah thing? Regardless, I don't mind, because I love chicken salad. In fact, I get excited whenever I am invited to a shower because chances are that they will have chicken salad on croissants. But whether or not the chicken salad is a good one, now that's the question.
I actually didn't intend on making this chicken salad for dinner this week, because it's not the chicken salad that I normally enjoy. You know - the kind with mayo, cashews...ooooh, I really like grapes in it, too. (Don't knock it until you've tried it!) But I accidentally brought the wrong RR magazine with me to work to make a grocery list from, so I had to choose something. And this is what I chose. Mainly because I didn't really feel like cooking, and how much easier does it get than a rotisserie chicken?
I'm so glad I ended up with this recipe instead of the one I was going to make. Because this is my idea of the PERFECT summer meal. No cooking, full of fresh veggies, and done in 15 minutes. And tasty, I might add. In fact, I may just give up that mayo-laden version for awhile, because I really loved all of the veggies in this. My surprise favorite - the cucumber. I would have never guessed that cucumbers would be so good in chicken salad!!
Chicken Salad with Yogurt-Ranch Dressing
from Every Day with Rachael Ray August 2010
serves 4
total time: 15 minutes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped and pasted
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1 cup reduced fat or fat free Greek yogurt
a small handful each finely chopped dill, parsley and chives
a few dashes hot sauce
1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded and meat shredded, or 1 pound cold cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/3 seedless cucumber, chopped
2 ribs celery from the heart, thinly sliced on an angle
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 flatbreads, warmed
In a large bowl, combine the EVOO , garlic, lemon juice and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the yogurt, herbs and hot sauce. Add the chicken, bell pepper, onion, cucumber and celery; season with salt and pepper. Top the salad with the tomatoes and serve with the flatbreads.
Saturdays with Rachael Ray rules:
- You can link any blog post, present or past, as long as it is a Rachael Ray recipe.
- Your blog post must link back to this post, mentioning Saturdays with Rachael Ray.
I can't wait to see what you've made!











