Twisted Chicken Salad

 Here is today's twist on chicken salad.  It is too hot to do much cooking at 103 degrees!
 
4 large chicken breasts, skinned and boned
1 bottle Dr. Pete's Lemon Ginger Marinade reserving 2 tablespoons - http://www.dr-petes.com/
1 small sweet onion,  chopped fine-  I used Vadilia
4 to 6 strips bacon - cooked, chopped, and fat reserved
1 - 2 tablespoons cane sugar syrup or sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 dashes hot sauce
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons Dr. Pete's Lemon Ginger Marinade

Served with southern garlic cheese grits. Ok, I have never liked grits...except these!  We got them at http://www.carolinaciderco.com/.  While you are there get some of their peach or cherry cider...the tops!

Can cook up to one to two days before using.
In a crock pot, put chicken breasts and cover with Dr. Pete's Lemon Ginger Marinade,  reserving 2 tablespoons  dressing - http://www.dr-petes.com/ .   Cook until done.  Allow to cool reserving all of the chicken liquid.


Over medium heat in a skillet, fry bacon until crisp, reserving renderings (fat and bacon bits).  Remove skillet from heat and reserve.  In a saucepan, strain chicken liquid, cane sugar syrup or sugar, lemon juice, hot sauce, whole grain mustard, minced garlic, and Dr. Pete's Lemon Ginger Marinade.  Reduce liquid until there is about 1/4 cup left.  Return skillet with bacon renderings back to medium heat.  Heat until hot.  Add 1/4 cup of reduction.  CAUTION:  This will steam as it deglazes the pan!  Once incorporated, remove from heat.

Blot extra fat off of chicken.  Chop chicken into bite size pieces (about 1/2 inch). Chop onion into small pieces. Chop or crumble bacon into small pieces.  Add sauce to chicken mixture.  Incorporate well.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook grits according to package directions.  Serve with chicken salad.


Serving suggestions:
Over warm sourthern garlic cheese grits. http://www.carolinaciderco.com/
Romaine lettuce broken into bite size pieces
Over warm polenta
In a corn or flour tortilla, pita bread, etc.

Warming the chicken up for a meal would be nice also.

Enjoy!