A Note from Miss Kay■ Makes 8 to 12 servings
Cooking spray
7 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 to 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (see Note)
1 jar (4 ounces) diced pimento, drained
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup (4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese
11/2 cups crushed buttery crackers, such as Ritz
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mist a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Pour into a large bowl.
3. Stir the soup, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper into the cooked vegetables. Stir in the chicken, pimento, almonds, and cheese. Scrape into the baking dish.
4. In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Toss the cracker crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the chicken mixture.
5. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
A Note from Miss Kay
Not everyone loves pimentos, so feel free to leave them out if you want to. A plain rotisserie chicken is a great way to get cooked chicken to use in recipes. One chicken yields about 31/2 cups of meat.