Apricot Chicken Salad

This unique apricot chicken salad was a runner-up in our Chicken Salads contest. It’s a simple combination of flavors that has a secret ingredient. When we prepared Susan’s recipe, here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Blend apricot preserves with mayonnaise as the base for the dressing. Lemon juice brightens the flavors and a shot of cayenne pepper mitigates the sweetness of the preserves.
• Sliced almonds add crunchy texture and a mild, pleasing bitterness to the salad. Toast the nuts in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned for the best flavor.