Chimichurri Chicken Salad

The other night, I made a wonderful chimichurri sauce (credit to The Refined Chef) to go over flank steak.  The sauce had an incredible flavor and did the meat just right.  I ate it again the next night and when the meat was gone, I wondered what to do with the leftover chimhicurri sauce.  I also happened to have some leftover roasted chicken so I decided to whip up Chimichurri Chicken Salad.  It's a twist on traditional chicken salad and the unexpected flavor pairings make this a memorable recipe.

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Ingredients:
4 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
1 apple (I used honey crisp, but fuji or granny smith would work too), peeled and chopped
1/4 - 1/2 cup sliced, roasted almonds
3/4 cup paleo mayonnaise
1/4 cup chimichurri sauce (see recipe below) or to taste
fresh pea shoots or salad greens
lime wedges

Chimichurri Sauce (From the Refined Chef website)
1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar (I love Vom Fass vinegars)
1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 t. dried crushed red pepper
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.  Set aside.


Directions:

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In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and chimichurri sauce and mix well.  In a large bowl, add the cooked chicken, chopped apple and roasted almonds.   Toss with the mayo/chimichurri sauce until creamy and the consistency you prefer.
Serve atop fresh pea shoots or mixed greens.  Garnish with lime wedges to squeeze over the top. 

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