Baked Chicken Salad

- 3 tablespoons bacon drippings or vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, moderately coarsely chopped
- 2 large celery ribs, trimmed and moderately coarsely chopped
- 1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- One 12-ounce can evaporated milk (use “light,” if you like)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup firmly packed mayonnaise-relish sandwich spread
- 4 cups bite-size pieces cooked chicken or turkey
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley
- One 4-ounce jar diced pimientos, well drained
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1½ cups moderately fine soft bread crumbs tossed with 1½ tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions:
This ain’t no casserole! This is baked chicken salad!
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spritz a shallow 2-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat the drippings in a large, heavy skillet over moderately high heat for 1 minute, add the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Blend in the flour and cook and stir for about 1 minute.
- Add the evaporated milk and broth and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Set off the heat and mix in the sandwich spread, then the chicken, parsley, pimientos, salt, and pepper.
- Scoop into the casserole, spreading to the edge, then scatter the buttered crumbs evenly over all.
- Slide onto the middle oven shelf and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until bubbling and tipped with brown.
- Serve at once as the main course of a casual lunch or supper. Or do as that Watauga County farm woman did and make it your contribution to a potluck supper.