Chicken Salad with Bacon & Mandarin Oranges

I love this chicken salad.

I love it's savory sweet flavors, 

I love that it's easy to make, 

and I love that is consistently a hit at any gathering I serve it. 

It's a great salad.

Like many great family recipes, it doesn't really have an exact recipe, just more of a make it how you like it kinda preparation.  

To make this salad you will need the following ingredients:

I start by baking ten slices of bacon in the oven at 400 degrees until crisp.  If you prefer to fry your bacon in a skillet--feel free ;-) Set aside to cool.

Remove meat from a whole Costco rotisserie chicken (discarding skin and bones) and place bite size pieces in a large mixing bowl.

Add desired amount of Best Foods Mayo and diced celery.

Add 1/4 tsp Onion Salt, 1/4 tsp White Pepper & 1/2 tsp Poultry Seasoning. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Crumble reserved bacon in bite size pieces and stir into salad.

Drain Mandarin oranges (I use one can or half of a large plastic container) and VERY gently fold them into the chicken salad.  Be careful not to break up the orange sections.

This salad is excellent served on croissants.  If I'm hosting a party, I serve it on mini croissants.  It also tastes wonderful served up on a buttermilk biscuit. 

So Tasty.

Chicken Salad with Bacon & Mandarin Oranges

1 whole Costco rotisserie chicken, meat removed and broken into bite size pieces.

10 slices bacon, baked or fried crisp, then crumbled into bite size pieces.

Desired amount of good quality mayo, such as Best Foods

Desired amount of diced celery

1/2 tsp Poultry Seasoning

1/4 tsp Onion Salt

1/4 tsp White Pepper

1 can or 1/2 large plastic container of Mandarin Oranges, drained. 

Serve on croissants

Bake ten slices of bacon in the oven at 400 degrees until crisp.  If you prefer to fry your bacon in a skillet--feel free ;-) Set aside to cool.

Remove meat from a whole Costco rotisserie chicken (discarding skin and bones) and place bite size pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add desired amount of Best Foods Mayo and diced celery. Add 1/4 tsp Onion Salt, 1/4 tsp White Pepper & 1/2 tsp Poultry Seasoning. (Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your taste). Crumble reserved bacon in bite size pieces and stir into salad. Drain Mandarin oranges (I use one can or half of a large plastic container) and VERY gently fold them into the chicken salad.  Be careful not to break up the orange sections. Serve on croissants.

Enjoy!

~The Lemonista

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Chinese Chicken Salad

I love this Chinese Chicken Salad!  It's so light and yummy and always seems to hit the spot. The great thing about this salad is that you can pretty much use any kind of chicken you choose.  Whether it be homemade chicken strips as posted here http://thelemonista.blogspot.com/2011/03/loaded-fried-chicken-salad-cutest.html, a family order of Popcorn Chicken from KFC, a family order of Chicken Nuggets/strips from Chic-fil-A, meat from a rotisserie chicken, or chicken on the grill--it will work great in this salad.

You will need:


I get this dressing at Safeway (Vons) but if you can't find it at the grocery store, you can order it here.
http://soyvay.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=28400&cid=1251


Finely slice half a head of iceberg lettuce.


Combine in a large salad bowl with 4oz shredded red/purple cabbage, 1/2 cup sliced carrots and 3 sliced green onions.





Sprinkle drained Mandarin on salad (I do half of the big container, but you can add a much or little as you like).


Layer on Chow Mein Noodles, cashews and bite size chicken.


Toss with desired amount of Toasted Sesame dressing.


Enjoy!

Chinese Chicken Salad

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, finely sliced
4oz shredded red/purple cabbage
1/2 cup sliced carrots
3 green onions, sliced
drained Mandarin oranges, I do half of the large container.
1 cup Chow Mein noodles, or desired amount
1/2 cup Cashews
Cooked chicken, such as: KFC popcorn chicken, Chic-fil-A nuggets or strips, rotisserie or grilled chicken, use desired amount.
Soy Vay Toasted Sesame Dressing, desired amount.

Combine lettuce, cabbage, carrots and green onions in a large salad bowl.  Layer on drained Mandarin oranges, chow mein noodles, cashews and chicken.  Toss with toasted sesame dressing.  Serve.

~The Lemonista

A *Loaded* Fried Chicken Salad & The Cutest Lollipop Wreath

I really enjoy a great salad!  I especially love a salad that pleases men and woman alike.  I made my husband and sweet brother in law suffer through a taste test on this Fried Chicken Salad before finalizing the recipe for the blog.  They both gave it their seal of approval, so I hope it's a hit at your home as well.  The fried chicken strips made for this salad are a recipe staple for me.  They've got that delicious Southern fried chicken taste.
You can use them in any chicken salad recipe or just serve them up with dipping sauce. 

So here we go...
Make the dressing:
1 packet Hidden Valley Buttermilk Recipe Ranch
1 cup Mayo
1 cup Buttermilk

Prepare the chicken strips:
Heat about 1/2" of vegetable oil, peanut oil or canola oil in a skillet over med/high heat. You'll know the oil is ready when you sprinkle a drip of water into it and the water pops.

Place desired amount of chicken tenders in a zip lock bag with buttermilk and a dash of Tabasco.


Roll the chicken tenders in self rising flour seasoned with salt and pepper,


coating both sides of the chicken.


Gentle tap off extra flour and carefully place chicken tenders in hot oil.




Do in batches, if needed, so you do not crowd the pan.


Fry chicken until golden brown and then flip to fry other side.


When both sides are golden brown, the chicken is done.  Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.


Prepare the salad:
Combine 1 head chopped Romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup fresh corn, 1/2 cup canned black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 chopped tomato and 2 chopped green onions in a big salad bowl.


Right before serving, add shredded cheddar jack cheese (I do a generous handful) and toss with desired amount of ranch dressing.
Cut fried chicken strips on the biased into bite size pieces and place on salad.  Drizzle your favorite BBQ sauce over the chicken and then sprinkle Fritos corn chips over the whole thing.
YUM!


Now dig into this scrumptious salad and think to yourself, this is better than my favorite restaurant!


The Lemonista's Fried Chicken Salad

Dressing:
1 packet Hidden Valley Buttermilk Recipe Ranch dressing mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup Best Foods Mayo
*Prepare the dressing per the instructions on the packet.

Chicken:
1 package boneless, skinless chicken tenders
self rising flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
buttermilk, seasoned with 1 dash Tabasco
Oil for frying
*Heat about 1/2" of vegetable oil, peanut oil or canola oil in a skillet over med/high heat. You'll know the oil is ready when you sprinkle a drip of water into it and the water pops.
Place desired amount of chicken tenders in a zip lock bag with buttermilk and a dash of Tabasco.
Roll the chicken tenders in self rising flour seasoned with salt and pepper,coating both sides of the chicken.
Gentle tap off extra flour and carefully place chicken tenders in hot oil.
Do in batches, if needed, so you do not crowd the pan.
Fry chicken until golden brown and then flip to fry other side.
When both sides are golden brown, the chicken is done. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.

Salad:
1 head Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup fresh corn
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tomato,  chopped
2 green onions, chopped
Shredded cheddar jack cheese
*Combine 1 head chopped Romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup fresh corn, 1/2 cup canned black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 chopped tomato and 2 chopped green onions in a big salad bowl.
Right before serving, add shredded cheddar jack cheese (I do a generous handful) and toss with desired amount of ranch dressing.

Topping:
BBQ sauce
Fritos corn chips
*Cut fried chicken strips on the biased into bite size pieces and place on salad. Drizzle your favorite BBQ sauce over the chicken and then sprinkle Fritos corn chips over the whole thing.



Guest Blogging for me today is my fashionista neighbor, Stephanie.

 
Steph has the most adorable lollipop wreath hanging on her front door.
 
Here's her tutorial on how to make this amazingly cute wreath:
 

Lollipop Dum Dum Wreath

The Dollar Tree store is basically a 99 cent store and I went and bought a Styrofoam green

round wreath for 99 cents. Michael's sells them for like $4.00. I also bought three

one pound bags of Dum Dum lollipops to complete the wreath. I have seen this done with

the wrappers taken off so you can see the pretty colors of the candy. I kept the wrappers on

so the guest could grab a lollipop on there way out. I have decided to keep it up for Easter since

it's so decorative and happy!

Items needed:

3- one pound bags of Dum Dum's

1-Styrofoam round circle wreath

1- ribbon that is decorative to hang the wreath

How to:

Cut sticks so there is about an inch to the stick, so you can stick into the foam. I went around the

diameter, then spiraled into the middle, and finished the outside edge last. If you have the

lollipops close together without gaps they will stay in place. The door is where I have mine

and a few have fallen off, and I just re-stick them. I guess if you have no intention of eating them

you could spray an adhesive to help them stay.

It was a hit at my daughters 8th birthday party, which had a craft theme tied to it.

Thanks Holly Hobbie!!!

Have a great week, everyone!  I'm off to Disneyland tomorrow with my family.

~The Lemonista

Ramen Noodle Slaw Salad

I had such a craving for this salad one day.  I posted on the chat boards for recipes and got several different versions.  I ended up trying them all and then taking what I liked best out of all the recipes to make this one.  I really enjoy the Asian tangy sweet flavors in this salad but I think what I love most of all is the crunch. 

You will need

*my salad oil looks white because I keep it in the frig--oil gets rancid quick here in AZ ;-)

In a large bowl combine canola oil, sesame seed oil, sugar, vinegar, seasoning packet from Ramen and sesame seeds.


this is the vinegar I use (I photographed the wrong bottle in the ingredients above)


Whisk together.


Add I bag coleslaw (I get the one with the purple cabbage and carrots shredded in it because it looks pretty~but the grocery store was out, so no pretties today), 4 chopped green onions and sunflower seeds.  Toss to combine with dressing.  Cover and refrigerate.


In a skillet melt butter.  Add almonds and crushed Ramen noodles. 



Saute, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.  Keep a close eye on these as there is no cure for burnt.


Right before you are ready to serve combine the slaw mixture with the toasted almonds and Ramen.

I sprinkled a little edemame on top since I had some left over.

Happy Salad eating from The Lemonista :-)
Ramen Noodle Slaw Salad

1 bag Coleslaw mix (with shredded carrots & purple cabbage)
4 green onions chopped
1 package Ramen noodle, Asian flavor
1/2 c. sunflower seeds (I get the ones roasted with sea salt at Safeway)
1  2oz package slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup canola or peanut oil
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup Rice Vinegar
2 Tbls butter
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. black sesame seeds

In a large bowl combine canola oil, sesame seed oil, sugar, vinegar, seasoning packet from Ramen and sesame seeds. Whisk together.  Add I bag coleslaw, 4 chopped green onions and sunflower seeds. Toss to combine with dressing. Cover and refrigerate.
In a skillet melt butter. Add almonds and crushed Ramen noodles.
Saute, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted. Keep a close eye on these as there is no cure for burnt.
Right before you are ready to serve combine the slaw mixture with the toasted almonds and Ramen.