Simply Satisfying Celery Chicken Salad

You've probably caught on to the fact that I like to use up the foods I already have in the fridge or freezer. It just takes a moment of "being in the here & now" with your fridge before you realize what a lovely concoction you can create...and be totally satisfied with!

Tonight's creation was all about prepping something easy to have for lunch for the week ahead. My schedule is never the same each day, so when I need to eat lunch, I need to do right then- no time to flounder about making something healthy, and no one wants to eat a Lean Cuisine all the time! My simple yet satisfying Celery Chicken Salad will keep you full of healthy protein & fresh veggies, and maybe even wishing that every meal was lunchtime!

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 3 trimmed chicken breasts, poached/boiled in salted water (I also stir in about 1/2 tsp. of celery seed for more flavorful chicken), then shredded
• 1/2 medium white onion, chopped finely
• 3 celery ribs, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup of mayo (I like the mayo made from olive oil- a little healthier and great taste)
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 tsp. of the lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 tsp. dried chives
• dash of caraway seed (optional)
• S & P to taste

Once you've poached and shredded your chicken, set it aside and let it cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the onion, celery, mayo, lemon juice, lemon zest and seasonings together. Toss your chicken into the bowl, combine well and give it a taste- add a little more S & P if you like, or add some depth by tossing a dash of the caraway seed. Let the chicken salad chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so all the flavors combine together before serving.

I bought some awesome onion-rye bread to make open-faced sandwiches on, so when I assembled my sandwich, I layered a ton of baby spinach on the bread, followed by a a few slices of tomato, and then smothered the chicken salad on top! Grab a spicy garlic pickle and a a few pretzel rods and you have an amazing, and protein filled lunch!

You Could Also Try...

• Make this sammy ahead of time! Since there is very little mayo in this recipe, it won't make your bread soggy, so wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and bring it to work for lunch
• Add in 1/2 cup of slivered almonds to the mix for an added crunch
• I'm personally not a black-olive lover, but many people enjoy adding 1/4 cup of chopped black olives into the mix for a greek style chicken salad
• Use 1/4 cup of sour cream instead of mayo for a creamier salad
• Add 12-15 green or red seedless grapes (halved), for a sweet taste
• Don't forget you could use my Cajun Roasted Chicken Breast recipe to prep your chicken instead of poaching!