Flying Farmer Chicken Salad

Flying Farmer Chicken Salad

5  Cups  chopped, cooked Chicken (broth reserved if using canned or if boiling is your preferred method of cooking)

1  Cup  uncooked Rice

2-1/4 Cups Chicken Broth (use reserved broth, adding water if needed to make amount needed)

1  20-oz.  Pineapple Tidbits, drained, juice reserved

1  11-oz.  Mandarin Oranges, drained, juice reserved

2  Tablespoons  Olive Oil

2  Tablespoons  Reserved Mandarin Orange Juice

1  teaspoon  Salt

1-1/2  Cups  Green Grapes, cut in half

1-1/2  Cups  diced Celery

1  Cup  Slivered Almonds, toasted

Mayonnaise, as need, to bind together

Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Lettuce Leaves or Pita Pockets, for serving

Cook Rice in Chicken Broth; cool.

While Rice is cooking, combine Chicken, Pineapple, Mandarin Oranges, Olive Oil, reserved Mandarin Juice, Salt, Grapes, and Celery.

When Rice is cool, stir into Chicken-Fruit mixture.  Mix in Almonds.  Stir in  reserved Pineapple and Mandarin Juices -or- Mayonnaise,  as needed, to moisten and bind Salad together.  Season with Black Pepper to taste.  Chill; serve on Lettuce Leaves or in Pita Pockets.  Makes 11 Cups.

"O Lord,

thou hast searched me,

and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising;

Thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compasseth my path and my lying down,

and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue,

but lo, O Lord,

Thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before,

and laid Thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high, I cannot attain unto it!"

Psalm 139:1-6

Recently I needed to prepare lunch for a gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free young man.  My intent was to prepare this with egg-free mayo--the original recipe called for 1-1/2 Cups!  By cooking the Rice in slightly more Broth (2-1/4 cups instead of 2 cups) and by stirring in extra Juice, I was able to eliminate the need for any Mayo.  I call this a win-win situation!  This young man said it was very good and wanted more when he came home with the boys from school.  If it passes critique of a teenager, it's good!  My Grandmother submitted the original recipe to the "Seasoned With Love" cookbook.  If you're looking closely at the photos and comparing to the recipe you'll notice I used Red Grapes (green grapes were a dollar more per pound!) and there are no Almonds.  I was out of them, but they do add a nice crunch.  Make sure you have some on hand--at least enough to sprinkle on top.

Sorry.

I had fun playing with my camera.
Again.