Chicken Fruit Salad

This chicken salad is wonderfully cool and refreshing. It is an easy main dish to prepare for the evening meal or lunch during these hot summer days. The combination of pasta, fruit, fruit juice and ginger make this recipe very different from the traditional flavors usually found in chicken salad. The salad can be put together in advance as long as the dressing is not added until just before serving. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 tablespoon finely minced onion, preferably red onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup seedless grape halves

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 can (15 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup cooked elbow macaroni (approx. 3/4 cup uncooked)

In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion and salt; mix well.  Add remaining four ingredients; stir gently to mix.

Dressing:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Pour over salad and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Tip: After draining mandarin oranges, spread them on paper toweling to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Any excess moisture will dilute the dressing.