Chicken Ball

This is actually a family recipe that I got from my aunt, out of a church cookbook (Recipes and Reflections, Bethel Presbyterian Church, Clover SC, and you should probably track the cookbook down, because it's got a lot of delicious recipes in it.)

The recipe itself is sinfully easy, requires no cooking or baking whatsoever, and very little prep work. (And that's mostly waiting for the cream cheese to soften and finely chopping a couple of ingredients.)  

Chicken Ball

• 1 (10 ounce) can Premium White Chunk Chicken (the recipe calls for Swanson, but any brand will do)
• 8 ounces cream cheese (softened. trust me.) 
• 1/4 (one-fourth) cup finely chopped onion 
• 1/4 (one-fourth) cup finely chopped celery 
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 

Mix all ingredients well and roll in chopped pecans.

Q & A

1. Can I substitute?
Yes. You can use more or less celery or onion, but I wouldn't go above half a cup of either. And if you don't have Old Bay seasoning, you can certainly use salt and pepper (it's what I do.)

1A.  Do I have to use the pecans? 
You don't have to roll it in pecans if you don't want, but I've not tried using any other nut, so I can't vouch for it.

2. Does it have to be chicken?
Well, yes. It is called "Chicken Ball." I suppose you could sub in turkey, but I wouldn't recommend it because I've never done it.

3. Why does the cream cheese have to be softened? Because otherwise, it won't mix well. Trust me on this. Your best course of action is to leave it out on your kitchen counter for a few hours, or microwave it for ten to thirty seconds.

I recommend wrapping it in wax paper, or putting it in a Tupperware or Rubbermaid dish, and chilling it a few hours before serving. Ritz crackers or Club crackers are the tastiest, but you can also use pretzel crackers/chips, pita chips, or pretty much any other kind of cracker.