Sonoma Chicken Salad

Coming up for lunch ideas is a tough thing to do for us. For one, I am limited at work on microwave options... That will be changing soon, but regardless sometimes if you are warming up something that has a strong flavor you feel bad for stinking up an office!

Ryan will eat whatever for lunch, which helps out a lot! We usually buy chicken salad from Whole Foods or V.Richards, where the salad is already made up and ready to go! However, after wasting time one day on Whole Foods website, they posted our FAVORITE chicken salad.... Sonoma Chicken Salad! I was so happy because at $9.99 per pound of this stuff, you say to yourself, if only I could get the recipe! So, please enjoy this one, it is amazing and when you take out your lunch at work, you will feel important with this fancy looking and colorful salad!

Sonoma Chicken Salad:

From Whole Foods

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (love Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar)

5 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons poppy seeds (or less if you don't like too many poppy seeds)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted

2 cups organic red seedless grapes

3 stalks organic celery, thinly sliced

Method

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to

dress the salad. This can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover

with foil and bake 25 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove cooked chicken breasts from pan, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.

When the chicken is cold, dice into bite-size chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pecans, grapes,

celery and dressing.

It is really good to put on a bed of lettuce (preferably bibb lettuce) or put on a pita.