I don’t care what the world thinks of me, chicken salad is delicious. My mom used to make chicken salad, but she also made chicken salad. So whenever we’d ask what was for dinner and she’d answer “chicken salad,” the follow-up question would always be, “Chicken salad or salad with chicken?” Both excellent dinners, but completely different mindsets were needed for each.
Surprisingly, the chicken salad goes great with a little bit of sweetness. Add chopped apples or grapes for extra crunch. In this case, the extra sweetness (and extra nutrients) come from the super easy to make cherry preserves.
Want to learn more about these mysterious nutrients cherries contain? Who wouldn’t?! Check out week seven of the Top 10 Foods for Runners series. I talk berries and all the wonderful things they do for us runners and humans.
Cherry chicken salad pitas
Ingredients
- 11/4 cup cherries, chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked
- 3/4 cup celery, diced
- 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled
- 1/4 cup mayo
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 2 whole wheat pita pockets, halved
Instructions
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In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine cherries and lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a jam-like substance is formed. Remove from heat.
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Shred chicken and dice eggs. Mix together with celery and mayo in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
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Spread cherry jam inside each pita pocket. Stuff with spinach and chicken salad. Enjoy!
