Loaded Chicken Salad—YUM!

Serve this Loaded Chicken Salad in a pita or wrapped in lettuce, and you have a meal perfect for lunch or a picnic outing. Start by cooking the chicken in the slow cooker (be sure to use the bones for homemade chicken stock!), and then mix everything together for a tasty, easy to serve lunch.

Ingreadient

• 4 1/2 pound whole chicken (I used organic chicken, cooked (see instructions below))
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (I like “cleaner” brands such as Chosen Foods or Primal Kitchen)
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans (lightly toasted)
• 1 apple (cored and diced. I like honeycrisp or gala (red delicious will brown too quickly))
• 1 cup red grapes (diced)
• 2 stalks celery (trimmed and cut into small dice or slices)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• Havarti cheese (or cheddar)
• lettuce
• 8 whole-wheat pitas

Step by step

1. Cook the chicken in the slow cooker according to directions for "The Best Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot" recipe as follows:Cut an onion in half and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.Combine 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper in a small bowl.Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken and place on top of the onion. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, until the chicken is falling off the bone.
2. Shred the chicken with a fork and add it to a large mixing bowl. (Don't forget to save the skin and bones to make Overnight Chicken Stock in your slow cooker!)
3. Mix in the mayo, pecans, apple, grapes, celery, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well combined. If you don't use the recommended seasoned chicken for this recipe then you may need to add more spices for better flavor.
4. We like to toast whole-wheat pitas in a pan with a little butter and then add the chicken salad along with a slice of havarti or cheddar cheese and some big crunchy pieces of lettuce. Serve and enjoy!