The Previously Alluded to Chicken Salad

In a previous post I made mention of a favorite Chicken Salad recipe...
...and then just left you guys hanging...

This is a recipe...
I use that word loosely because I'm not sure it was ever written down and I'm sure it's been modified a few times since...
that I got from my friend Michelle Anderson at a MOPS retreat
(MOPS=Mother's Of PreSchoolers)...at least I think it was Michelle that made/brought this the first time???
and has since become a MUST have at our annual Summer retreat...

(that I will not go to ever again because I am "graduating" from MOPS since Wilson will be in Kindergarten next year!  GASP...I've been in MOPS for 9 years!)

Okay...focus...this post is about a recipe not about my baby that's all grown up, almost...

BLOG WARNING...PHOTO MONTAGUE....

oh, yeah I was posting a recipe...focus Kiera, focus...

Now, the measurements for this recipe are all pretty vague...just mess with it until you get something that you like...Don't know if there's a name for this recipe so I'll call it

Apple Poppyseed Chicken Salad

Cooked Chopped Chicken, about 1 inch pieces (2-3 cooked chicken breast feeds about 6-8 people, or you can use a rotisserie chicken or left over chicken/turkey...see what I mean about vague)...just enough for however many people you're wanting to feed

apple or two, cored and cubed  (I use a Fuji...and the amount depends on how much you like apples and how many people)

chopped Celery

Chopped white onion (not too much or it will over power the salad maybe 1-2 Tbs)

about 1 cup of red seedless red grapes (cut in half)

a handful or two of dried cranberries (or raisins...I actually use the cherry flavored cranberries)

Cashews...or pecans...or pine nuts...about 1/4-1/2 cup (toasted)

1-2 Tbl of poppy seeds

2-3 Tbs mayo

Mix together and serve on croissants if you're feeling decadent...or on a toasted whole wheat English Muffin or in a pita pocket, or just on a plate with a fork and some crackers...You can also make a bed of lettuce and serve it on top of that...

When I'm making this for a group of people I might not be familiar with I mix JUST the chicken, apple, celery, grapes and mayo together and put everything else in bowls and make it more of a Chicken Salad Bar and then they can add or leave out whatever they want...

It's also a good recipe to make and have everyone bring a piece of the salad...have someone bring the nuts, someone bring the cranberries, the grapes, etc...

Serve with fresh fruit, this is so good with strawberries and pineapple on the side...and even had some people add the strawberries to the salad....

Oh, avocados are also really good on/with this salad...