Sweet & Tangy Autumn Chicken Salad

In preschool, I was the fussy eater. Our lunches were always prepared food and whenever it was tuna fish salad or bologna with mayo on white bread, I made them scrape off the mayonnaise and the tuna, so I wasn’t left with much…

Fast-forward several years and I’m a much more adventurous eater than I once was. There are so many flavors and taste sensations out there to experience! This was my first time using mayonnaise in a recipe, so I had to taste at every step to make sure I was “doing it right”, but at the end I was more than happy with lunch.

Sweet & Tangy Autumn Chicken Salad

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

• 1lb pulled chicken or turkey
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise*
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 Tablespoons apricot jam
• 1/3 cup diced dried apricot(optional)
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons mustard

*You can make this recipe fat-free by using a fat-free Greek yogurt like Chobani, or make it vegan/cholesterol-free by using Nayonaise and a soy protein

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, pumpkin, apricot jam, vinegar, and mustard until emulsified. Toss in the diced apricots if using and fold them in.

Make sure your chicken or turkey or other protein is in bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, fold together the protein with the salad mixture. Serve between 2 slices of bread or however else you wish.

I’m happy to say my first taste of mayonnaise after such a long time was a good one. I foresee this recipe getting used a lot with Thanksgiving leftovers.