Fruity Chicken Salad Sandwiches With Helpful Chicken Boiling & Shredding Tips

I am notorious for making food that is not "in season."  While the rest of the country is making comfort foods, I am busy in my California home preparing summer picnic dishes like chicken salad sandwiches and lemon bars!  This chicken salad is one of the most flexible recipes I make, and it's great to have on hand for quick lunches.  Here's what you need to have a taste of summer all year long:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, boiled & shredded - see below for tips (I boiled enough chicken for this and my enchilada recipe...  Yay for a time saver!)
mayonnaise (or greek yogurt - thanks to my dear friend Kerry for that idea!)
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 apple, thinly sliced & chopped (the size of the pieces matter only to your palate)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

salt
pepper
garlic powder
your favorite bread

1. Put the shredded chicken in a bowl and mix in mayonnaise about a Tbs full at a time (I end up using about 3 Tbs) until the chicken kind of sticks together.  If you like your salad really moist, you'll want more mayo.  
2. Add the celery, apple, and cranberries, and stir until mixed.
3. Add salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste.  (I probably use 1/8 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of pepper & 1 tsp of garlic powder...  We love garlic, what can I say?!)
4. Grab 2 pieces of your favorite bread, spread a little mayo on (if you like), and put the salad in between!

There's your sandwich!

When grapes are on sale I like to use them instead of cranberries.  Also, if I know we won't be around other people after we eat, I add some thinly chopped onion too.  The garlic alone is enough to keep even our closest friends away!

Chicken Boiling & Shredding Tips: 

A little hint on the chicken...  I buy a 10 pound bag of frozen chicken from Costco every few months.  I stick how ever many frozen chicken breasts I need for my meal into my largest saucepan, and fill it with water until the chicken is just covered.  I put the saucepan over high heat and let it boil until the chicken is no longer pink.  It takes about 30-40 minutes depending on how many chicken breasts I'm cooking.  If is starts to boil over, I pour in about a tsp of olive oil, and/or turn it down to medium high (salmonella scares me, so I don't usually turn it down unless I need to go out of the kitchen).  Once the chicken is cooked, dump it into a colander and rinse it under cold water for a moment.  Take two forks and use them to pull the breasts apart in opposite directions.  Do this until the chicken is shredded to your liking.  If the chicken is too hot to handle and you're not planning to eat it for a few hours, or until the next day, stick it in the fridge!  Or better yet, make extra & freeze it for next time :)

Enjoy!

A Whole Chicken, It's What's For Dinner!

I know I've mentioned before that my mixer is one of the appliances I fear in my kitchen, but my Crock-Pot is a very close second!  Since I'm apparently into facing my fears these days, I looked up a chicken recipe to try out in the ol' slow cooker (I have a feeling that I will become a frequent reader of this Crock-Pot blog).

My mom used to cook up whole chickens when I was young, and they were on sale for 77¢ per pound during my last shopping trip, so I thought I'd give it a shot.  Ooh, giblets for gravy!  Chicken gravy did not turn as tasty as turkey gravy, but it worked.  I also made a salad consisting of baby spinach, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, celery, goat cheese, and ranch dressing.  I sliced up some potatoes with the slicer that my grandma gave us for Christmas, and boiled them up to make mashed potatoes for the gravy.

It was a pretty yummy meal, and pretty inexpensive too.  I have leftover chicken for sandwiches now since a five pound bird is a little much for two people!

My Secret "Burritolada" Ingredient Unveiled

I had a great roommate a few years back who got this secret ingredient from a friend of hers, and now I just can't not put it in my enchiladas.  It just sounded wrong when she first told me she put it in this Mexican dish, but it tastes so right.  It adds amazing flavor, and once they're cooked, you wouldn't even know it's in there...  Drum roll please? ...... Ranch Dressing!  Ta Da!  Can you believe it?  Here's my ingredient list for all to enjoy:

10 soft taco flour tortillas (we stock up at Costco)
1 can refried beans (I like the vegetarian kind... because... that's what my mom always used!)
2 chicken breasts, boiled & shredded (another cooking experience gifted by the same roommate)
Ranch dressing
2 C cheddar or colby jack (or both) cheese, shredded
1 large can green enchilada sauce
1 can olives, sliced in half long ways

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F
2. In a 9x13 pan pour about 1/4 of the can of sauce into the pan.  Spread the sauce around to form a thin layer.
3. Place your first tortilla in the sauce, and fill it with a spoonful of beans, a handful of chicken, a thin layer of ranch dressing, a sprinkle of cheese, and 4 olive halves.
4. Roll the tortilla so it gets nice & gooey with enchilada sauce.
5. Repeat steps 2&3 and pack those "burritoladas" into the pan.  If you find yourself running out of sauce pour a little more in.
6. Once you have all 10 tortillas used up, squish any leftover chicken in between your burritoladas.
7. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the contents of the pan & make sure the ends of all the burritoladas are tucked in.
8. Sprinkle remaining cheese & olives over the top of the burritoladas.
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling.

Here are some pics of my process in case the steps are confusing: