This is one of my MOST FAVORITE chicken salad recipes. My grandma made it often & I LOVED it every time. My grandma made the most delicious food. Her food was always simple and yummy. Anyways, I could eat this salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Really! I could!! My husband thinks it's strange to have fruit, veggies, pasta, etc. in one dish - and he lovingly (*wink *wink) refers to this salad as "shower food" cause I make it a lot for bridal and baby showers. He thinks it's only a food girls would like. He's weird! Serve the salad with warm, homemade rolls and jam, a glass of lemon water and a sugar cookie and you've got yourself a perfect menu for any "GIRL" gathering...
Here's the recipe:
I got it from my grandma, OraLee, who received it from a dear friend, Helen Bauer.
Chicken Salad
Boil 8 chicken breasts with salt, pepper, onion, covered well with water. Cook for 1-2 hours until chicken is well done. Remove chicken from broth, cool, remove skin and bones, and cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Cook 4 cups raw bow-shaped pasta in boiling salted water for about 12 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and cool. Makes 4 cups cooked pasta. DO NOT OVERCOOK!
Put in large bowl:
8 cups cut up chicken
4 cups bow-shaped pasta
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp chopped green onion
2 8 oz. bottles Kraft Cole Slaw Dressing
2 cups mayonnaise (Best Foods)
2 dashes thyme
2 pinches ginger
Stir the above carefully so pasta will not be broken, refrigerate overnight.
Before serving add:
2 cups diced celery
4 cups unpeeled diced apples
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
4 cups red grape halves
2 20 oz. cans Dole pineapple tidbits, drained.
Stir together carefully, and serve on lettuce leaf. Makes 24 cups of Salad.
Will serve 32 servings 3/4 cups each.
(I usually always make half the recipe, and I always use boneless skinless chicken breasts...)
