"Lazy Chicken" Salad

I made this recipe Wednesday.  Have I mentioned how crazy it is to get Little One back on schedule after being gone?  Oh yeah, and we're moving in a few weeks.  Why do I like to do all the crazy life events at one time?  Haha!  Anyway... I was wanting something light, quick, and easy.  So this recipe hit me and it is in honor of Auntie Lo.  We were talking about chicken salad while we were at home and she likes hers with grapes.  I didn't have any grapes on hand, but I certainly substituted an alternatively sweet fruit... apples.  Hope you enjoy this crazy easy, refreshing, sweet and savory recipe! Homemade, gourmet chicken salad - and it couldn't be easier! "Lazy Chicken" Salad My own creation - pardon all the non-technical measurements and times! 2 frozen chicken breasts water 1 dried bay leaf red pepper flakes, to taste chopped garlic, to taste 1/4 onion, diced 3 - 4 celery stalks, diced 1 sweet apple, diced handful of pecans, chopped 1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonaise, to taste (Makes 3 generous servings - you can easily make more by adding more chicken to the crockpot) This recipe starts with a variation on the lazy chicken recipe.  I filled my crockpot up with water this time.  You could have used chicken stock as well, but water is all I had on hand.  I added a dried bay leaf, a tablespoon of chopped garlic, and some red pepper flakes to the water.  I put in two frozen chicken breasts and cooked it on low. (I don't remember how long it was - my bad! Next time, I'll take better notes in case it takes me half a week to actually blog about it!!)  If you follow the directions on the lazy chicken recipe it will lead you to perfectly cooked chicken every time. While that was cooking, I prepared my vegetables and apple.  I added 4 stalks of celery, 1/4 of an onion, and a small apple - all diced about the same size.  My celery happened to be very small ones, so I used 4.  If they were larger, normal sized, I would have used 2 or 3 since I'm not usually too big on a celery taste. When the chicken is done, let it cool for a bit and then dice into cubes.  Now, I must admit - I could probably easily be a vegetarian because the sight of raw (and in this case, cooked) meat turns my stomach sometimes.  In this case, poaching the chicken (cooking it in water in the crockpot) creates a film on the chicken.  I rinsed the chicken under cool water before I diced it.  You don't have to do that, but it made me feel better ;)  And it actually worked out because it cooled the chicken down some so I could more easily handle it.  I was a little impatient and didn't plan ahead! I added a handful of chopped pecans to the mix too.  I combined the diced chicken, celery, onion, and apple.  Then I added the mayonaise.  First I added a 1/4 cup and the mixture was too dry, so I added another 1/4 cup and it was too mayonaise-y.  Sooo... I would suggest somewhere between 1/4 and a 1/2 cup of mayonaise.  Real technical, I know :) I didn't plan ahead to make it early enough to refrigerate it beforehand.  But for lunch the next day, it was really refreshing served very cold (so I'd strongly suggest it! :))  I served it with some good old fashioned Ritz crackers.  It made for a wonderfully light dinner... just what the long day required! The Verdict I was sooo excited to try the lazy chicken recipe this time in a new way!  I will definitely be keeping this recipe.  I could throw the chicken on around lunch and come back to it when I had some time to finish putting together dinner.  A great way to work a busy afternoon.  I used some chicken I had frozen in the fridge and "used up" the celery, apple, and onion I had in the fridge.  I love recipes like that - ones that are easily "use-it-up" recipes and customizable.  Next time, though, I will definitely use my advice and use less mayo (somewhere between a 1/4 and a 1/2 of a cup).  Oh yeah... and I'll also use 3 chicken breasts next time so this yummy salad will last a little bit longer!  We devoured it! I would have loved to have make this a true salad and serve it on a bed of lettuce, but alas I had none in the fridge :(  Next time, I will be serving it that way!  This would make a great toasted sandwich on two slices of wheat bread.  And of course, courtesy of Auntie Lo, it would be fantastic with some grapes! Happy wedding season!  I love this time of year.  New birth, new beginnings.