The Best Chicken Salad

I thought I'd post a recipe today that has been tested over and over and is always a hit. I first had this chicken salad at a baby shower in Tennessee. I was pregnant at the time and had been on a chicken salad kick. I had tried several recipes on my own. They were all good but none were hitting the spot. The chicken salad at the shower was just what I had been looking for. My friend Kelly was gracious enough to pass along the recipe, so I thought I'd pass it along to you. Let me know what you think!

4 cooked chicken breasts, cubed; or 2 cans of all white meat chicken breast (@2 C. chicken)
1/2 C. celery (optional)
1/2 C. sweet pickles, chopped (I like to use bread and butter)
1/2 C. toasted almonds or pecans (sometimes I use both)
1 C. seedless grapes or apples, chopped up
1/2 C. mayonnaise
3/4 C. cool whip
salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken, celery(opt), pickles, nuts, grapes or apples, & s/p in a bowl and mix well. Mix the mayo and cool whip together. Add to the chicken and mix to coat evenly. Try to mix gently so that some of the chicken keeps its shape. Refrigerate and serve.
Tip: This can be served immediately, but the flavors are better when it sits in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
I like to serve the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce with croissants. This works well for a ladies get together with a green salad and your favorite soup served in a small decorative coffee cup or you could go with a fruit salad. I hope you enjoy!