Mardi Gras Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 – 5 lbs. bone-in chicken breasts, split
• Butter or margarine
• Salt and pepper
• 2 (3 1/4 -oz.) pkgs. slivered almonds
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 tbl. curry powder, optional
• 2 tbls. soy sauce, optional
• 2 tbls. lemon juice
• 2 cups celery, sliced
• 2 (6-oz.) cans water chestnuts, sliced
• 2 lbs. seedless red grapes
• 1 (15-oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
• Boston or Bibb lettuce

Directions

1. Brush chicken breasts with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil and seal edges tightly.

2. Place in a shallow pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Cool, de-bone and cut into bite-size pieces. There should be 2 quarts of boneless cooked chicken.

3. Coat almond slivers with melted butter and spread on cookie sheet. Roast in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until they are a mellow brown. Spread on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and set aside until just before serving. All of these steps can be done a day in advance.

4. A few hours before serving, mix mayonnaise with curry powder, if desired; soy sauce, if desired; and lemon juice. Combine with chicken, celery, water chestnuts, grapes and pineapple chunks. Chill until time to serve.

5. Arrange lettuce leaves around edge of large platter or large wooden salad bowl. Mound chicken salad in center. Sprinkle almonds over all.

Source: The Advocate – Baton Rouge, La