Chicken Salad for Fifty People

This is Toodle's recipe for chicken salad, but I'm posting quantities to feed a crowd. I recently made this for a bridal shower. I had many requests for the recipe. You can make this the day before if you leave out the grapes and add them before serving. This makes about 50 large croisssants. It will make about 75 small ones. But what the heck, the left-overs are GREAT!!!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 50-75

Ingredients

• 5 (4 -5 lb)  baked whole chickens
• 2  quarts  chopped celery
• 1  lb  sliced almonds, toasted
• 2  quarts mayonnaise
• 8  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 2  quarts red seedless grapes, halved

Directions

1. Salt and pepper chickens, and roast @375F for about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs., or until you can easily pull the leg away from the cavity. Make sure the juices are clear. If bloody, cook longer.
2. Cool chickens and remove meat from the bones. Chop and chill.
3. Toast almonds in a heavy skillet. Stir and toss CONTINUALLY until nicely browned.
4. Combine chicken with remaining ingredients.
5. You can make this the day before by omitting the grapes and adding before serving.