Chicken Salad with Loquats, Walnuts, Dates and Chard Confetti

I was curled in the ball on the edge of a cliff, hiding behind a small tumbleweed which was my only form of shade. I wanted to die. I could not possibly go on. This “romantic couples hike to a waterfall” had been a very bad idea. Then I heard it… The soft whir of a rescue helicopter that rose from the cliff.

 I was saved!

I laid there staring eye to eye with the helicopter pilot. “Please wave your hand in the air if you are ok and do not need to be rescued” said the pilot over the loudspeaker.

Hubs jumped up and down waving his hands in the air.

“Not you sir, the woman on the ground, please raise your hand if you do not need to be rescued” he repeated.

There are moments in one’s life that define you. This may have been mine.

On one hand, I desperately want to get off this mountain. Who was I kidding? I am no athlete. I am no Hubs. I should have brought lots more water and far less wine. I had thought we were on a “picnic hike” to a waterfall. This was a real hike. It was hotter than hell and there was no shade. I was severely dehydrated and wasn’t sure I could get myself back up the canyon to the car.

However, there was the matter of my dignity. Plus, there was this man I had hoped to marry, thinking I was the wimpiest human being on Earth…and, the fact that I am terrified of flying in a helicopter.

Maybe my rescue vehicle was the final kick in the pants I really needed. It seemed like an eternity but slowly, slowly…I raised my hand, and the helicopter flew away.

I learned a lot of things that day. Water is a better choice for a picnic hike than wine. And, if Hubs and I are going to make it, we are definitely never hiking again. Oh yeah, and chicken salad always tastes fab, even under a tumbleweed.

Roasted Chicken Salad with Loquats, Walnuts and Chard Confetti

My inlaws have a loquat tree at their house, I had never had them before. Most recipes on the internet involve making them into jelly or jam. I decided to toss the halved loquats into my weekly baked chicken and see how it goes. It was good, but better the next day when made into this chicken salad.

For the Roasted Chicken-

1 cut up chicken, skin on

1 bottle island soyaki

10 loquats, halved, seeds removed

Pre-heat oven to 350 degree. Place cut chicken in a baking dish and cover with soyaki marinade. Cut and seed loquats, I left the skin on. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

For the Chicken Salad-

1 bunch chard stems, diced

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup medjool dates, chopped

1 cup of 0% Fage Greek Yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

Once the chicken has cooled remove skin and discard. Pull meat from bones and chop chicken and loquats.  Combine with diced chard stems, chopped walnuts, dates and greek yogurt. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for one hour.