SOUTHWEST SMOKED CHICKEN SALAD

SOUTHWEST SMOKED CHICKEN SALAD image

Yield people

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 chicken breasts with skin and bone
1/4 toasted pine nuts
6 strips crispy bacon, chopped
1 cup good mayonnaise
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, rough chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 large fresh jalapeno, chopped - I keep the ribs and seeds for extra heat
1/4 cup jicama, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepared BBQ sauce - I prefer a savory flavor like Stubbs

Steps:

Smoke the chicken in a stove-top smoker according to the instructions with the smoker, using mesquite chips. In the meantime, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet on the stove over medium heat. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Cook the bacon to a crisp consistency and drain on a paper towel. Chop when cool. Save drippings for another use. (Cornbread is a good pairing, so the drippings can be used in a cast iron skillet for that preparation.) When the chicken is done, debone the meat, remove the skin and cut the meat into bite-size chunks. Combine in a large bowl with all other ingredients and chill completely - overnight is best. Serve with a drizzle of the BBQ sauce.