Southwest Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is a classic dish in the South. So many people make their own versions and they are all so good. I like to put a spin on the classic chicken salad all of the time. This recipe is one of those spins. I typically serve this as a sandwich on homemade bread, but you can serve this as is or on a bed of greens and veggies. I will leave some ideas on how to serve this below.

This is a great summertime dinner or lunch and it never lasts more than 2 days in our home. It travels well so you can take this to family gatherings. Keep in mind that this does have mayo in it so keep it cool and covered.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Chicken Breast
Salt And Pepper – to taste
1 C. Black Beans – drained and rinsed
1 C. Corn – thawed and drained or if using canned- drained and rinsed
1/4 C. Onion – diced small
3 Tbsp. Parsley Or Cilantro – chopped
3/4 – 1 C. Mayonnaise – I use dukes or homemade
1 Celery Stalk – diced small
2 Green Onions – Diced
1 C. Tomatoes – I use grape or cherry
4 Tsp. Southwest Seasoning Blend (see recipe on the blog)
1/3 C. Cheddar Cheese – grated

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400*. Line a small sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. Place the chicken on the prepared pan and season both sides with a neutral oil, salt, pepper, and southwest seasoning blend. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until cooked through and a meat thermometer reads 160*. The temp will rise to 165* as it rests. Remove and let cool until it is cool enough to handle.
3. Shred the chicken and place it in a large bowl.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well making sure that the mayo is well distributed throughout. Add more mayo if need and check the seasoning and adjust to your taste.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
6. Serve as desired.

• I typically serve this on homemade bread. I make bread at the start of the week so I have it on hand during the week. Just add your favorite condiments, pile on the chicken salad, top it with the top piece of bread, and serve with chips, tots, or fries.
• Slightly char a burrito-style tortilla on the stove, and add some lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and chicken salad. Wrap one side over the center, fold over the ends, and roll up to make a chicken salad wrap.
• Place a bed of mixed greens or iceberg lettuce down on a plate or bowl, top with cucumber, onions, jalapenos, and other vegetables of choice, and the chicken salad. Add your favorite dressing of choice and enjoy.
• After shredding the chicken add it to a food processor and blend until it is a fine crumble. Add to a bowl and blend all of the ingredients together. Add 1/2 block to 1 block of cream cheese (Softened) and mix well. Place in a greased baking dish and bake for 25 minutes or so or until the mixture is bubbly. Remove and serve warm with chips or crackers. Can omit the cream cheese and serve cold as a cold dip.
• Keep covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.