Chicken Salad with Cherries and Walnuts

As you all know a great way to use left over chicken is to make chicken salad. When I decided I would use the left over chicken and make chicken salad I really didn't want the same salad I've spun out over and over through the years.

Spotting some fresh cherries in the refrigerator that were at a rock bottom $2.99 per pound at the store last week, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. The freezer held two bags of nuts I try and keep on hand for baking purposes so it all came together.

And the final thought was I wanted this salad on a roll instead of bread and felt that a buttery croissant would be the best platform to present the sandwich and enhance the overall taste. I was right. It was delicious.

Many years ago I gave my husband a cherry pitter because he loves cherries and I thought it made a great stocking gift. As the years went by and the cherry pitter wasn't used often and in the act of weeding and cleaning kitchen drawers he convinced me to let it go bye bye. Yesterday I could have really used that cherry pitter. Isn't that always the way? You hang on to things for years on end without using them and then when you toss them you find at some point down the road that you really could use that item!

• 2 cups left-over chicken - diced up
• 1/2 cup celery - small dice (leaves also)
• 1/2 cup cherries - small and medium dice
• 1/4 cup onion - small dice
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
• salt and black pepper to taste.

1. Dice up the chicken, celery, onions, walnuts and cherries.
2. Combine everything in a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
3. Add in the mayonnaise and stir to combine.
4. Using a serrated knife cut your croissant. Place some lettuce on the bottom half, then chicken salad and top off with slices of tomato. Season the tomato with some freshly ground black pepper and top with the top of the croissant and you are ready to enjoy this sandwich.