Almond Poppy Seed Chicken Salad Sandwiches

05.07.2016

Almond Poppy Seed Chicken Salad Sandwiches | Cooking Classy

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there! I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing day because it comes just once a year. Let everyone else make you breakfast, scratch your back and get you drinks and stuff :). I’m already using it on Saturday saying to my kids “it’s almost Mother’s Day so could you get me some snacks please.” My 5 year old did it. She got me some cupcake flavored goldfish crackers and some water. Kids are the best, really! I’m so grateful to be a mom! Now if your kids are old enough maybe you could get them to make you some of this delicious chicken salad.

Summer is practically here so that means you’ll need to be ready with plenty of chicken salad recipes, right? I love chicken salad for lunch on a hot summer day because it’s served cold, I also love it because it’s perfect for picnics and get togethers plus it’s something my whole family loves. Another thing about it is that always leaves me craving more with all the different flavors and textures. You get the nutty, crunchy goodness from the almonds, the creaminess of the dressing (which has a wonderful blend of sweet, salty and tangy), a juicy sweet bite from the grapes, and of course the delicious hearty flavor from the tender chicken breasts. This time around I decided to do an Almond Poppy Seed Chicken Salad and we had ours as sandwiches (actually I did one sandwich, one lettuce wrap. Everyone else went with sandwiches). I served it on croissants but if you want to keep things healthy go the lettuce wrap or whole grain bread route. Try it soon, this stuff is delicious! I’m already thinking I need to make it again for lunch this week.

Almond Poppy Seed Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Yield: About 5 - 6 servings

Ingredients

Chicken Salad

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked, chilled and diced into small cubes*
1 1/3 cups red grapes, halved
3/4 cup small diced celery
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup chopped green onions (green portion only)

Dressing

2/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt (I used Fage for this since it has a thicker consistency)
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Directions

For the dressing:
Mix all dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl until well combined.
For the salad:
Add all chicken salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl or a salad bowl. Add dressing and toss to evenly coat. Store in refrigerator. Serve within 1 - 2 hours for best results (it's still good for another day but the almonds soften a little and the grapes juices run into the dressing).
*To cook the chicken, I lined a rimmed baking sheet with foil. I pounded chicken to an even thickness and brushed both sides of the chicken lightly with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper and roasted in a preheated 425 degree oven until center registered 165 (this will take anywhere from 15 - 25 minutes depending on thickness of chicken breasts). Then let chill through in the fridge.
Recipe source: Cooking Classy