Mixed Fruit Chicken Salad

This week one of my friends came over for lunch and I made a recipe I found in Southern Living a few months ago: Mixed Fruit Chicken Salad.  It was really fresh and delicious and healthy ... I can't wait to make it again.

I served the salad with thin breadsticks and placed a serving size of dressing at each place setting {I love these tiny glass containers from Crate and Barrel ... they're perfect for individual portions and I love using them as teeny vases}.

The salad recipe includes a recipe for a jalapeno-spiked Orange-Raspberry Vinaigrette but I went simple and used a storebought raspberry vinaigrette {I used Annie's Naturals} ... but I'll definitely try making the recommended dressing one of these days.  I'll bet the jalapeno gives it a great little kick.

Mixed Fruit Chicken Salad

Makes 7 1/2 cups

1/4 cup chopped pecans

4 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts {I grilled mine}

2 cups seedless red and green grapes, halved

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple or 1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

raspberry vinaigrette

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 7 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

Toss together chicken and next five ingredients in a large bowl.  Add vinaigrette; toss to coat.  Sprinkle with pecans, and serve immediately.

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