Chicken Salad with Sweet Fruit

This is the kind of salad I make when I want lunch sorted for the whole week. It started as a way to use up a rotisserie chicken and a bag of grapes that were getting a little too soft to eat plain, and it turned into something I now plan for. The fruit does most of the work. Gala apples keep their bite, red grapes add little bursts of juice, and the dried apricots and cherries bring a chewy sweetness that makes the chicken taste more like a meal and less like a sandwich filling.

A quick word on the apples. Leave the skins on. They add color and a bit of texture, and they hold their shape better than peeled fruit when you toss them through a creamy dressing. Dice them just before you mix, though, because cut apple starts to brown the longer it sits out. A squeeze of lemon over the diced pieces slows that down if you need to prep ahead.

The dressing is a half-and-half mix of light mayonnaise and plain yogurt, which keeps it creamy without making it heavy. Fold it in gently. If you stir too hard, the apples break down and the salad turns mushy. Chilling it for half an hour really does help the flavors settle, and I have found that the second day is often even better, as long as the apples are still crisp.

For storage, keep the salad in a covered container in the fridge and eat it within a few days. Give it a stir before serving, since the dressing can pool at the bottom. If it looks a little loose after a day, a spoonful of extra yogurt brings it back.

I like to serve this on butter lettuce cups, in a pita, or simply with a handful of crackers and some sliced cucumber on the side. It is also lovely as a filling for a warm panini with a little sharp cheese, if you want something more filling for lunch. If you are in the mood for a different kind of lunch wrap, this also works nicely in Creamy Tuna Salad Tacos. For a fuller plate, try it next to a bowl of roasted vegetables from the turkey breast roast with pan vegetables idea, or make a bigger spread with a chicken and mango salad with romaine for guests who like variety.