Lemon Chicken Salad

I'm not usually a fan of creamy chicken salads; rather, I prefer those dressed with vinaigrette and instead of breast, are made with thigh or leg meat.  I like juicy, flavorful chicken and don't care a whit about whether breast meat has less fat.  Meat that is further from the bone (or has none at all) usually isn't very good. 

But here's a creamy chicken salad that I've come to really like.  I still use thigh meat instead of breast but since most people prefer breast, that's how I'll write it up.  Cook the chicken using two or three thin slices of ginger in the water of a double boiler.

1 lemon
8 cooked boneless, skinless breast halves
1 bunch green grapes, seedless
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise, fresh is preferred
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 cup blanched, slivered almonds
2/3 cup sugar

Grate zest from lemon, juice the lemon, and reserve both the juice and zest separately.

Cut chicken into large cubes.  In a large bowl, combine chicken, onions, zest, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix lemon juice with mayonnaise, then mix into the chicken, coating evenly.

In a sautee pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add almonds, mixing well.  Sprinkle sugar over almonds and coat them thoroughly by mixing.  Increase heat to medium-high and brown the almonds while caramelizing the sugar.  When golden, spread onto a cookie sheet to cool.  Break into pieces.

Mix almonds into the salad or sprinkle on top.  Serve with grapes.  Or cherries.  Or both.