Amaretto Chicken Salad in Pineapple Boats

Elegant luncheon dish. Adapted from Best of the Best of Georgia. If you don't have time to carve out pineapple boats, you can subsitute an 8 1/4 ounce can of crushed pineapple, (drained well) and serve on top of salad greens. Fresh pineapple is much, much better though. There is no actual cook time - it is chilling time.

• Ready In: 24 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  fresh pineapple, halved,cored
• 2  cups  cooked chicken breasts, diced
• 3⁄4 cup mayonnaise (must be full fat)
• 3  tablespoons Amaretto, to taste (almond flavor liqueur)
• 1  teaspoon salt, to taste
• 2  tablespoons  toasted  slivered almonds, plus
•  more toasted  slivered almonds, for garnish
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped celery

Directions

1. Hollow out the pineapple halves, leaving behind 4 pineapple boats.
2. Crush enough of the pineapple flesh to make 1 1/4 cups (use a potato masher or pulse briefly in a food processor)- it should be the consistency of canned crushed pinepple; if there is any extra pienapple flesh, reserve for another use.
3. Drain crushed pineapple well over a bowl- save juice for another use.
4. Combine chicken with just 1/4 cup of the mayo, the drained crushed pineapple, 1 Tbsp of the amaretto, the salt, nuts, and celery.
5. Combine remaining 1/2 cup mayo and 2 Tbsp amaretto (or to taste) in a separate small container; cover and chill overnight.
6. Fill pineapple boats evenly with chicken salad mixture, then cover and chill overnight (or at least 6 hours).
7. Before serving, pour dressing over each pineapple boat and sprinkle with additional nuts, if desired.