Tara's Chicken Salad

I created this recipe about 4 years ago and have used it at numerous bridal showers and luncheons. A catering friend back in Wilmington, NC now uses it as part of her menu for clients. This recipe makes a TON of chicken salad and has a lot of fat, however, you can only eat a little at a time so try not to think about all of the Calories! Enjoy! (I went to take a picture and realized that my camera doesn't have any batteries..so there is no pic for this recipe...)

4 cups cooked chicken (2 cups diced, 2 cups shredded)
1.5 cups crumbled bacon
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced red onion
3/4 cup raisins
2 tbsp relish
1 cup sliced almonds
2 cups mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Put everything minus the almonds, mayo, salt and pepper into a large bowl. In a small bowl mix mayo with salt and pepper and pour on top of the ingredients. Mix together until well combined. Set the bowl aside. On medium heat toast almonds by placing them into a non-oiled skillet until they begin to turn a light golden color. Watch them as they can burn very quickly. Immediately dump on top of salad. Gently fold in almonds until well combined. Pour salad into a container with a lid and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

*I used the leftover chicken I had from Sunday nights 40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken. Feel free to use leftover chicken from one of your recipes or roast some chicken. You'll want to salt and pepper the chicken and place on a baking sheet and roast it until there is not pink in the center. Let cool before trying to pull the chicken pieces off.

*I love serving this salad in giant pieces of lettuce, on crackers or whole wheat bread.