Lazy Woman's Chicken Salad Courtesy of Gabby

As most of you know, before I retired, I was an executive chef, and as such was a total snob about taking short cuts in cooking. I have certainly found out in retirement that it's a totally different thing when you don't have prep chefs waiting to do your bidding. LOL! I have been cured.

Carole, one of our most faithful OFL's introduced me to canned chicken during the cold months, because she would make chicken soup with it. I tried her soup, and it certainly was good and so nice to have something finished so quickly! During this awful hot Florida summer, I still have to cook for the Colonel, but for the low carb stuff for me, I take short cuts any time I can get them! Especially those that don't involve using the stove. So here is a semi-recipe for chicken salad. I say semi, because, you can add or subtract as you wish, depending on food preferences.

Lazy Woman's Chicken Salad

1- 6 oz. can of white meat chicken, drained well (if you have a cat, they will thank you for the juice!)
1 or 2 boiled eggs diced
1 snall stalk of celery with leaves finely diced (I really like to use the inner tender stalks for this)
1/4 small red onion finely diced (optional)
1 tablespoon dill relish (if you don't want dill relish, use sugar free sweet relish)
3 to 4 fresh basil leaves chiffonade style ( this is, put the leaves together, roll them up tightly, and slice as thin as you can get them) This is one time that dried basil is really not good.
1 to 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
3 tablespoons very finely chopped pecans or nuts of your preference (optional)

Mix all ingredients together well, and refrigerate for an hour or so. Serve on a bed of lettuce and enjoy. I prefer Romaine, but any lettuce will do.

Note: I can see tossing in any leftover veggies into this salad to use them up and add veggies to your daily menu. This is also good with leftover crumbled up bacon.

Note2: If you think canned chicken is expensive, check the food section of your dollar stores. I get a really nice white meat chicken in Dollar General for only a dollar! I usually buy cans and stock them.