Chickpea & Pineapple Chicken Salad

​Score: 1 for Mom, 1 for the kids. That's how I feel about this chicken salad pita recipe! I'm fully aware of the benefits of eating a well balanced diet and I really strive for my family to be as healthy as we can be. Now that doesn't mean that I'm a health fanatic, what I mean is that when you eat a balanced diet full of vitamins, minerals and fibre there's room for some treats too. This tropical inspired chicken salad has delicious pineapple and a secret ingredient too, chickpeas. Yes, you read that right - chickpeas, also popularly known as garbanzo beans. The chickpeas blend right into the dressing, hidden between bites of pineapple and chicken. I think it's the fact that these little chick peas are so sneaky, they're similar in color to the chicken and pineapple that the kids don't even see or taste them. It's a sneaky dose of goodness coming their way! To make these sandwiches a little more fun and easier to eat I scoop the chicken salad into little pita pockets. And there's extra fibre points for you if you use whole wheat pita shells. Score!

This recipe calls for canned pineapple because it's what most people have readily on hand. But you can use fresh pineapple too! Fresh pineapple is usually sweeter and juicier than canned pineapple so you can easily substitute it. Because it's juicier you won't need the 2 tbsp of pineapple juice, just use the fresh pineapple and it will be delicious!

Chicken salad is the ultimate use for leftover chicken. Make this salad in the morning when you're puttering around in the kitchen and it'll be ready to make sandwiches at lunch time!


INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup of cooked chicken, shredded by hand - alternatively you can chop it up
- 1 cup chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 carrot shredded
​- 1 green onion chopped fine
​- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp pineapple juice from the can of pineapple
- pinch of kosher salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- lettuce
- small pita bread pockets


DIRECTIONS

1. Take the pineapple from the can and keep some of the pineapple juice aside
2. In a bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, pineapple juice, and salt and pepper
3. In another bowl stir the chicken, chick peas, chopped pineapple, grated carrots and chopped green onion all together
4. Add some of the dressing to the chick pea chicken mix and stir. Add more dressing until it suits your taste, some like a really saucy chicken salad while others prefer less dressing
5. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve
6. Put together in pita pockets with lettuce and enjoy!


Makes 3 cups of chicken salad