Strawberry Chicken Salad & Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing

As I mentioned inwards my terminal postal service (No-Bake Strawberry Ice Box Cake), it's strawberry flavor where I live.  It's 1 of my absolute favorite food-times of the year!  I only adore fresh strawberries picked from the plain that really day.  They're as well as thus sweet, juicy, as well as delicious.  I could popular them inwards my oral fissure only every bit they are ... oh, as well as I produce ... amongst to a greater extent than than my fair share.

But I similar to whip upwards tasty concoctions amongst them, too.

So, when I institute this Strawberry Chicken Salad inwards the latest edition of Cooking Light magazine, it didn't accept me long to hand it a whirl.  And. It. Is. Tasty. - winning the blessing of both me as well as my hubby.

The master copy recipe calls for using bottled poppy seed dressing.  I wanted to encounter if I could describe together a homemade dressing, instead of using the bottled.  Not that there's anything incorrect amongst bottled dressings ... I only wanted to also create got a homemade alternative.  I loved, loved, loved the homemade dressing!!  I'll definitely live on making it again, fifty-fifty when I'm non making this Strawberry Chicken Salad.

For the dressing, combine about cider vinegar, canola oil, a flake of sugar, poppy seeds, as well as a bunch of chopped onion.  Give it a whirl inwards a nutrient processor or blender ... as well as y'all have homemade Poppy Seed Dressing.  Pretty easy, huh?

Mix this dressing into a combination of chicken, fresh basil, minced light-green onions, fresh diced strawberries, as well as chopped pecans ... as well as you've got 1 tasty as well as refreshing chicken salad.  It's non bad only on its own, but I could also encounter this inwards phyllo cups as a wonderful hors d'ouvre ... or, on croissants for a beautiful sandwich ... or, inwards a tea sandwich, or ... or ... or

I'll only create got to hand these other ideas a try, won't I?!?

Strawberry Chicken Salad

Source:  Chicken salad adapted from Happier than a Pig inwards Mud
(Printable recipe)

Ingredients
Chicken Salad:
3/4 c. bottled or homemade poppy seed dressing (see below)

1/4 c. minced light-green onions

iii T. chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp. terra firma dark pepper

four c. chopped cooked chicken

ii c. diced fresh strawberries

1 c. chopped pecans

Salt, to taste

Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing:

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. canola oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. apple tree cider vinegar

1/4 c. white, yellow, or Vidalia onion, finely chopped

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions
Prepare the Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing (if using):
1.  Combine all dressing ingredients inwards a nutrient processor or blender.  Process until good combined.

Prepare the Chicken Salad:
2.  Stir together the poppy seed dressing, light-green onions, basil, as well as dark pepper inwards a large bowl.  Fold inwards the chicken, strawberries, as well as pecans.  Add tabular array salt to taste.

3.  Cover as well as chill for most ii hours.

Note:  This salad is best eaten the 24-hour interval it is made.  Though it was still tasty the side yesteryear side day, live on aware that on the minute 24-hour interval the strawberries volition create got gotten a flake limp as well as about of their color volition create got 'bled' onto the chicken.

Enjoy!