Recipe: Rafferty's Sunshine Chicken Salad with Sweet Orange Dressing

RAFFERTY'S SUNSHINE CHICKEN SALAD WITH SWEET ORANGE DRESSING

FOR THE FRUIT:
1/2 cantaloupe, rind removed and flesh cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 honeydew melon, rind removed and flesh cut into 1-inch cubes
Juice of 1 lime
FOR THE CHICKEN SALAD:
3 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, drained
2 ribs celery, strings removed and diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chicken base*
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 pound red seedless grapes

FOR THE SWEET ORANGE DRESSING:
1 (6-ounce) container of frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup orange marmalade
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey

FOR SERVING:
1 large head Bibb or Boston lettuce, leaves separated and thoroughly washed and dried
Whole fresh strawberries
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare melon cubes. Toss together in a bowl with lime juice. Reserve.

Brush both sides of the chicken breasts with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, turning once, until chicken is cooked through.

Cool, then shred, or cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in large mixing bowl, and add the diced onion and celery and drained pickle relish.

In a small bowl, whisk together well the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard and chicken base.

Fold the mayonnaise mixture into the chicken mixture a little at a time, until the salad reaches the consistency you like. You might not need all the mayonnaise mixture. Fold in the chopped hard-boiled eggs and the grapes.

In a blender container, add the undiluted orange juice concentrate, marmalade, lemon juice, cream and honey. Blend well, until frothy. (It is best to do the blending just before serving.)

TO SERVE: Line individual salad dishes with 2 or 3 lettuce leaves. Place a scoop of the chicken salad on the leaves. Surround with the melon cubes. Drape the fruit with 2 tablespoons or so of the whipped orange dressing. Garnish with strawberries, and sprinkle chicken salad with chopped pecans, if desired.

*Chicken base is a concentrated chicken flavor essence. It can be found in groceries and specialty stores, either refrigerated or frozen.

Servings: 6
Source: Courier-Journal, Louville, Kentucky, 5/4/2005