Sometimes the simplest is also the tastiest.

The perfect example is this recipe for traditional chicken salad. Pick-up a rotisserie chicken from your grocery store’s deli, mix with a handful of almonds, some grapes (purple or green) and you’re pretty much guaranteed a fast and delicious meal.

A few musts: Toast the almonds. It doesn’t take long and the payoff in taste is huge. Definitely cut your almonds and grapes in half. Again, it’s a minimal time investment that makes a difference.

I don’t use the chicken skin in my salad because it’s just so greasy. Flavored chicken wouldn’t hurt, but I would steer clear of anything barbeque or mesquite—just doesn’t seem right.

Serve wrapped in Boston leaf lettuce pieces, between bread, in a croissant or by itself. Make this in advance and keep refrigerated for an extra fast dinner. Easy!

Basic chicken salad
Ingredients:
½ c. reduced-fat mayo
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
¾ C. unsalted almonds, sliced in half
1 C. grapes, sliced in half
1 rotisserie-cooked chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces

Directions:
Bake almonds until lightly toasted. Then, mix ingredients well, adding chicken in last. Serve on lettuce leaves, croissant, bread or alone.