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Wine Country Chicken Salad with Grapes
In 1967 a man named Joe Coulombe opened a grocery store in Pasadena, California. Inspired by a vacation in the Caribbean, he designed his store to have a South Seas motif. His target customers were college educated, well-traveled Americans who had gotten a taste for international cuisine. Tiki culture was all the rage in the 1960s, including the famous (and famously expensive) Trader Vic's in Beverly Hills. But Joe’s goal was to offer unique food products that were affordable too. So in an irreverent nod to the restaurant, he decided to name his store “Trader Joe’s.” You can still shop at the original in Pasadena, or any of their other 530+ nationwide locations. Wine Country Chicken Salad is a very popular prepared food item at Trader Joe’s. Our poppy seed dressing is a bit lighter and brighter, and we’ve swapped the dried cranberries for red California grown grapes. This recipe for chicken salad with grapes is equally delicious in a sandwich, in lettuce cups or scooped up with crackers. It travels well so it’s the perfect thing to take along to – you guessed it – a wine country picnic. Pair with a chilled glass of California rosé or Viognier.
Pairs With
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cubed cooked, skinless chicken breast (300g)
- 1 cup halved red grapes (130g)
- 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts (75g)
- 3 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley (12g)
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup light mayonnaise
- ¼ cup low fat greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For serving:
- Leafy greens or lettuce cups
Instructions
- Put the chicken, grapes, walnuts, celery, onions, and parsley in a medium bowl and toss gently.
- In a second medium bowl, whisk the mayo, yogurt, lemon juice and zest, mustard, honey, poppy seeds and sea salt until well mixed. Pour over the chicken mixture and toss gently until everything is evenly combined.
- Serve immediately in a sandwich or in lettuce cups or keep well-chilled until ready to serve. Eat within three days.
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