Sonoma Chicken Salad

This is my all-time favorite chicken salad. I love the crunchiness of the pecans and the celery mixed with the sweetness of the grapes. It's from the Whole Foods Market Cookbook (2002).

The Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

4 tsp cider vinegar

5 tsp honey

2 tsp poppy seeds

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

The Salad

2 lbs. boneless and skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted

2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half

3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl and put into refrigerator while preparing the rest of the salad. The dressing can be made 2 days prior to mixing the salad.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2 cup of water. Cover the dish with foil, and bake the chicken for 35 minutes, until completely cooked. Remove the chicken breasts from the pan, cool slightly at room temperature, and then completely chill, lightly covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. When the breasts are cold, dice them into bite-sized pieces, and transfer the pieces into a large bowl. Alternatively, cook the chicken on a George Forman grill or barbeque during the summer.

Combine chicken with the pecans, grapes, celery and dressing. Enjoy!