Whole Lotta Texas Chicken Salad

I came up with this recipe a few years ago.  I wanted a chicken salad that had a zing, but wasn't so spicy-hot that I wouldn't be able to eat it.  I wanted to incorporate a lot of Texas ingredients.  I love cilantro, jalapenos, and onions.  I also love pecans and dried cranberries.  After I came up with this combination I knew that I had found a perfect blend. It is very colorful and so it is appealing to the eye as well as the palate.

This recipe makes enough chicken salad for about twenty sandwiches. It can be served on bread or rolls.  I have used the salad on tortillas for great wrap sandwiches and I have also spread it on large lettuce leaves for a low carb wrap option.

One large can of chicken breast 50 ounces
4 large stalks of celery
1/4 very large Red onion
4 green onions
1 large or 2 small jalapenos, seeds and veins removed
2 cups Hellmann's or Best Food's Mayonnaise
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon Franks Red Hot Sauce
1/2 t black pepper
1 cup Craisens (dried sweetened cranberries)
4 ounces toasted chopped pecans
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

Drain the broth off of the chicken and reserve it for another recipe.  Flake and shred the chicken by hand into a large bowl.  Finely chop the celery, red onion, green onion, and jalapeno.  Add the vegetables to the chicken and mix together to distribute the vegetables evenly. 

Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Franks, and pepper to the chicken and vegetables. Mix these together until the dressing is mixed in. 

I usually put the chicken salad in the refrigerator over night at this point.  This allows time for the flavors to blend.  Just before serving add the Craisens, pecans, and cilantro.