Whip It Up: Hot Chicken (or Turkey) Salad

There's no getting around it - this recipe is so NOT LA. There's a mountain of mayonnaise in it, it has an actual cheese layer...hell, this thing is crusted with potato chips. Therefore it shouldn't be too surprising that its original source is an early edition of the Three Rivers Cookbook, a collection of recipes frequently involving kielbasa, bacon, and strangely delicious Jello/pretzel combinations that hails from the Rust Belt city of Pittsburgh. Hot Chicken Salad may not be chock full of antioxidants, but hey, the temperatures dipped last weekend and we needed something cozy and comforting to warm us up. We promise that despite the calorie overload, you'll be singing the Hallelujah Chorus once you bite into this wintery, crunchy casserole. Best of all, sub in turkey and this makes for a great post-Thanksgiving feast!

Hot Chicken Salad

1 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Tsp. Grated Lemon Peel
2 Tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tsp. Finely Minced Onion
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2-3 Cooked, Diced Chicken Breasts (Confession: We used pre-cooked chicken from Trader Joe's and it worked just fine.)
1 Cup Chopped Celery
1 Cup Sliced, Toasted Almonds
3/4 Cup Grated Sharp Cheddar
1 Cup Crushed Potato Chips

Blend mayonnaise, lemon peel, onion, salt and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Mix in chicken, celery, almonds, and 1/3 of the cheddar cheese. Transplant mixture into a 6-cup or 1.5 Liter casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese and potato chips on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until piping hot.

Serves 4 if paired with sides, 2 if you load up your plates and get after it.