It’s getting warmer (albeit much more slowly than normal in Atlanta) and so that’s got me thinking about recipes and things to cook in a whole new way. One thing I love to do in the warmer months is use my crockpot instead of the oven to cook meats, especially chicken. It doesn’t use as much energy and it doesn’t heat up my whole apartment, saving me on the cooling bill.

While I never have a problem figuring out what to make with my whole chicken for the initial meal, I sometimes struggle with what to do with the leftovers. The chicken is usually flavorful and tender, making it perfect for a variety of uses. I started experimenting and came up with a chicken salad recipe that is a perfect use for this extra roasted chicken.

I recently made a Curried Chicken Salad that’s very yummy, but I wanted something that was a bit more basic and easy to alter. This chicken salad is light, fresh and very versatile: you can add many different kinds of nuts, veggies and/or dried fruits to it and it will still be divine. It’s great in a sandwich, on a bed of lettuce, on crackers, or even as a dip with some fresh vegetables. And it’s so easy! I love having a go-to recipe that is simple, delicious and full of fresh ingredients. I’ll definitely be making this for upcoming summer events like cookouts and pool parties. 

I paired this batch with Mary’s Gone Crackers – Onion Flavor and homemade flaxseed crackers from R. Thomas Deluxe Grill in Atlanta.