Smoked Chicken Salad with Dried Cherries & Basil

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This is a fabulous salad!  You can change it to suit your tastes.  I've already adapted it from the original recipe which I found on The Food Reference Website.

2 cups diced smoked chicken (more or less is OK)
3/4 cups diced celery, diced 1/4 inch (I used 2 stalks)
1 small-medium diced sweet onion, diced 1/4 inch (original recipe called for over 1 cup which I thought was excessive)
1 cup chopped dried tart cherries (I didn't bother to chop them)
3/4 cups toasted pecan pieces (I didn't have time to toast them--they were fine without)
1/4 cup minced fresh basil--this is essential
1 cup mayonnaise (can be light)
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh orange peel
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground

Combine chicken, celery, onion, cherries, and pecans.  Make the dressing separately and add to the chicken mixture--basil, mayonnaise, orange juice, orange peel, and pepper; stir gently until combined.  If it isn't quite tart enough add a little white wine vinegar or lemon juice.

This would also be good on sandwiches with lettuce.

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