Cranberry-Almond Chicken Salad

I'm not usually into heavy "salads" laden with mayo or dense dressings, but every once in a while I get the craving and end up buying a Waldorf chicken salad at Agata & Valentina (my favorite grocery store on the Upper East Side). There's something about the savory-meets-sweet combination of chicken with grapes and walnuts that made me want to make a version of it - my way - at home. 

Try the resulting combo. 

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a ​Ingredients

⅔ cup slivered almonds (can sub for pecans or walnuts) 
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries
2 celery ribs, diced
½ small sweet onion, diced
¾ cup Greek yogurt 
1 tablespoon Greek seasoning (oregano, dill) 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 15 minutes).
You can also toast the almonds on the stovetop on low heat for about 7 minutes, making sure they don't burn in their own oil. 

Step 2
Stir together almonds, chicken, dried cranberries, and remaining ingredients; serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 24 hours.

Step 3
Serve with your favorite bread, in a lettuce wrap, on top of a salad or as a side dish. Can also function as a dip with cucumbers, celery and other veggies.