Hot.Chicken.Salad

One of the dishes I remember both of my grandmas making is this hot chicken salad.  I have always liked it, because it has potato chips in it.  Everyone has that one (or 7) food item that they can not stop themselves from eating.  For me, potato chips top the list.  I will eat them until there are no more to be eaten. I cannot stop. The fact that this dish has potato chips in it, on it, and all around it makes me one happy girl with a hefty NaCl intake.  The original recipe involved water chestnuts, which I have no use for.  They just take up space that could be filled with something more worth while. I have adapted it just a bit, and now its perfect. 
My kids like to cook, and I am happy to let them.  Just a few weeks ago, my daughter wanted to be in charge of preparing this hot little number.  She told my mother-in-law all about her plans to feed our family, and to my surprise, my mother-in-law had never known the bliss that is Hot Chicken Salad.  I told her I would bring her some. I lied. (because I ate it all.) This dish doesn't re-heat well.... unless you top it with more potato chips. Then its lovely. Really. I'm not just saying that.
This will feed 6-ish people depending on their appetites.  -and its easy.

Hot Chicken Salad
what you need: Stock pot with salted water, 9x13 casserole dish, mixing bowl, cutting board, sharp knife, slotted spoon, wooden spoon, 350 oven

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 Cups when chopped)
1 Cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, small dice
1 small jar pimentos
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayo
1 Cup chopped pecans (ugh. or water chestnuts if you want.)
2 Cups smashed potato chips
2 Cups  more smashed potato chips (that's 4 Cups yall)

Bring salted water to a boil in the stock pot (high heat).  How much salt? eh. Enough to make it salty like the sea. This is to flavor your chicken, but remember there will be lots of salt in the potato chips. Don't go crazy. Drop the chicken breasts in to boil, place a wooden spoon over the top of the pan to keep it from boiling over and reduce heat to medium high. Chop celery, onions and nuts.  In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients except potato chips and wait for the chicken to finish its boiling process. When the chicken has been boiling for 10-12 minutes, remove it from the water with a slotted spoon and dice it up to add to your mixture. Incorporate the first 2 Cups of potato chips into the mixture and transfer from the mixing bowl to the baking dish.  Spread evenly in the dish and top with the remaining 2 Cups of chips.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on how brownish you want your chips to become.  Remove from the oven and serve it up. Prepare for overflowing love and thanks from the folks you serve this to. -and be ready to make it again for your mother-in-law who may or may not have received a portion this time 'round.