Tim's Brain: Stockton Deliciousness

If you're a regular user of Facebook and like to cook as much as I do, I'm guessing I'm about to describe a frustration you've experienced. Specifically, you come across a totally delicious looking and sounding recipe that ends with the words "Share this on your wall to save it." You do as instructed but, when you finally find the time to try said recipe, you're unable to find it again on your Facebook wall. To compound the frustration, even if you do find the recipe, you realize there's no way to print it!

In hindsight, it's pretty obvious to me (and to you as well, I'm guessing) that such tactics are simply a questionably ethical way to promote yourself on Facebook. Each delectably-enticing dish inspires shares and 'likes', followed by more shares and 'likes', followed by... Well, you get the picture.

Which brings me to tonight and my own little recipe. Being a native of Stockton, California (albeit an ex-pat living in exile in America's heartland), I grew up loving a Mexican dish called "Chili Verde." Chili Verde is a delicious main course made from tomatillos, green chilies, onions, lean pork or chicken, and spices, usually served with flour tortillas, refried beans and rice. Sound good? That's because it is! Unfortunately, it's also practically impossible to find west of the Rockies (e.g. I've yet to find a single restaurant here in the Chicago area that serves it). My chili verde cravings often cause me to cook up huge batches from scratch. Other times, though, I'm simply inspired to replicate that scrumptious chili verde flavor in new ways... Like tonight's chicken salad, a delicious chili verde-inspired concoction I hope you enjoy as much as I do... And which I'm posting to my blog and then sharing, so you can conveniently bookmark said recipe for future use or even print it off if you wish. Enjoy!

A Stocktonian's Chili Verde Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. Reduced-fat olive oil mayo
4 tsp. green chili powder (orderable from Spice Traveler in Prescott, AZ, if you don't live in the southwestern US)
2 small (4.5 oz.) cans chopped green chilies
2 tbsp. Costco Kirkland-brand dried, minced onion
1 tsp. Costco Kirkland-brand salt-free seasoning
2 12.5 oz. cans of Costco Kirkland-brand chicken, well drained

DIRECTIONS:
Open two small cans of diced green chilies (note: do not drain!), add one tbsp. dried minced onion to each can, gently combine in-can to re-constitute the dried onions and soak up the green chili juice, set aside. Measure one half cup of mayo into a mixing bowl, add four tsp. green chili powder, one tsp. salt-free seasoning (i.e. generic Mrs. Dash's) and the contents of the green chili cans, stir to combine. Add the well-drained canned chicken and flake chicken with a large fork while stirring to combine. After fully combining ingredients, divide into six equal portions and serve.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
On whole wheat thins with fresh spinach as a sandwich, on flatbread as a wrap, on Triscuits as hors d'ouvers, as a dip for celery.

NOTE TO READERS: If you'd like to share this blog and recipe via social media, here's a sample tweet: