California Chicken and Grape Salad (Free of Top 8 Allergens and Sesame)

When my husband and I first started dating, he was keen on introducing me to his family. He told me his sister lived in the suburbs with her husband and their two kids. I was a little nervous the first time I met them since making an impression was important. Fast forward 12 years later, my SIL's home feels like a second home for us. We feel right at home hanging out with them and their happy-go-lucky puppy, M who turned 4 in early December. (We were at their house the day they brought M home 4 years ago; how fast time flies!)

Over the course of 12 years, we have eaten countless meals at my SIL's. She is a gracious host who makes fabulous meals. You never leave her house hungry. Many years ago, my SIL made a chicken and grape salad that was so delicious that I went home and made it right away. I would often make it every few weeks when the craving hits.

The original recipe has nuts (pecans) in it. Clearly, this recipe needed to be adapted so my nut-allergic little man can eat it. Also on the ingredients list was mayonnaise, which is something people who have egg allergies need to avoid. In lieu of mayonnaise, I substituted in ripe avocados which offers the same creaminess of mayo but is much healthier for you! I was pleasantly surprised that the salad tastes just as good without the nuts and mayonnaise. The water chestnuts offer a bit of crunchiness which is something I always love in a salad. For those who are gluten-free, you can serve this salad either in a lettuce leaf or on gluten-free bread.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced into cubes
1 cup grapes, sliced in half (you can use red or black grapes)
2 avocados, mashed
1 can water chestnuts, drained and roughly chopped (FYI: water chestnuts is not a tree nut)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Mix all the ingredients together. Serve over bread of choice, crackers or over a lettuce leaf.

Source: Frugal Allergy Mom