Chicken Salad

I have just eaten the most delicious homemade chicken salad I have ever tasted. Suprisingly, it is made basically the same as all other chicken slads with only a few differences. Perhaps, some of you would wish to try this, too. Unfortunately, I am not a cook but my co-workers are. So, I am sending you this wonderful receipe. It is so easy that even I can do this, I think!!

CLAUDIA'S CHICKEN SALAD
1 rotisserie chicken
1 medium onion
3 celery ribs (stalks?)
2 tbsps of zucchinni relish
1/2 c of chopped almonds
1/4 c of mayo
salt and pepper to taste

Take off all chicken skin, pull from bone, chop in food processor
Dice onion and celery, toss into the food processor, add relish, almonds, mayo, salt & pepper, mix well. Store in fridge overnight, the next morning add more mayo, if needed before serving.

That's a good recipe except for one thing: I would chop the chicken with a knife instead of using a food processor which will smoosh the heck of the chicken! Another nice addition to chicken salad is some halved seedless grapes.

Yes, I agree that halved grapes are great, but they make it hard to make sandwiches unless using a croissant.

quote:

Originally posted by panther

Yes, I agree that halved grapes are great, but they make it hard to make sandwiches unless using a croissant.

I'll bite. Why do halved grapes make it hard to make sandwiches, and what difference would using a croissant make? For that matter, why would you want to use a croissant to make a sandwich?

I make my chicken salad with roasted skin-on,bone-in chicken breasts. I just salt & pepper the breasts & roast. After roasting & cooling the chicken, I remove the meat,separating the tenderloins from the rest of the breast meat. I coarsely chop the tenderloins and gently pulse the remaining breast meat in a food processor. That way I ge both a salad that holds together and also has chunks of chicken.

I do not have an exact recipe- I squeeze a lemon over the chicken,lots of diced celery(not to finely diced),diced onion(finely diced, about 1/4 the amount of diced celery),fresh or dried dill,mayo,sour cream(4:1 mayo & sour cream). GENTLY stir together, if too dry I add heavy cream to moisten.

I make stock out of the chicken bones, skin & pan drippings(don't forget to deglaze the roasting pan.

Michael,
Croissants may be split on one side and are more user friendly for those who prefer chicken salad with grapes. For those who prefer the cheaper sandwich bread as well as a sandwich which will stick together while eating lunch at a busy workplace, grapes definitely need to be excluded. When I have the luxury of retirement and the leisure to dine, I certainly will prefer my chicken salad with more ingredients. But, for a poor working girl, I guess I will stick to Claudia's chicken salad!!

I'm not biting that either Michael.
The grapes are split and mixed into the salad. They're not sitting on top waiting to roll off the chicken salad.

Now, I will say, that there's nothing wrong with a Croissant for certain sandwiches, like ham and swiss with honey nustard, and yes, even chicken salad. But a croissant doesn't necessarily keep the ingredients in the sandwich any better than regular white bread. In fact, I would say the opposite effect is true.

Now, a pita can keep the ingredients in better. Though, when it splits at the seems when you bite into it, that arguement goes right out the window too.

At Noonie's Deli, in the Marbleworks in Middlebury, Vermont, where they make and sell the best chicken salad sandwich in the whole wide "Woild," I've found that this delight is best enjoyed either on their particularly thick-sliced rye or their like sliced sourdough."

Screenbear,
I will be spending Thanksgiving in Middlebury,Vermont, so I will dfinitely try Noonie's. Thanks for the suggestion. And for all of the other suggestions for Chicken Salad, I will try to broaden my horizons to include more chicken salad options than what my hometown farming community here in southern Indiana has to offer.

I would normally turn my nose up at canned chicken, but there was a tasting demo at Sam's Club Saturday for chicken salad made with canned chicken, finely cut celery and onion, and some low fat Ranch salad dressing instead of mayo to hold it together.

I forget the brands of Ranch and canned chicken they were pushing, but the salad actually tasted really good. I was thinking about trying Ranch dressing next time we make tuna or chicken salad, although the chicken will come from leftovers, not out of a can.

Panther:
Here are some other Vermont suggestions I previously recommended on another post. Enjoy, and say hi to Vermont for me.


Drive over to Plainfield, Vermont, and have any of three meals at the River Run (Google it...you'll be amazed); traipse over to Noonie's Deli in the Marbleworks, Middlebury, Vt., for the World's Best Chicken Salad sandwich for lunch the next day; or, go to the Good Times Cafe in Hinesburg, Vermont, for superior pizza (and that's a Jerseyan speaking) either for lunch or dinner.

By all means don't forget to scoot over to Hancock, Vermont, for a perfect breakfast at the Hancock Hotel (this, you have to see.) If you're still hungry, try the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) either in Burlington or Montpelier. Still hungry? Try dinner at Mary's at Baldwin Creek, heading toward Bristol, Vt., from Hinesburg. But you'll need appetizers, salad and dessert to fill you at this otherwise FINE restaurant.

And, since you're nearby, you may want to peek into the Bobcat Cafe, Bristol, to see if you'd like to try this gourmet destination the following night.

If you decide you're staying another day and still haven't made it to Cafe Provence in Brandon, Vermont., by all means rectify the situation to your delight. These are some of my favorite things.

Im looking for a hot chicken salad recipe I lost from a wonderful friend and cook years ago.

You boiled the chicken potatoes onions celery corn....*thinking hard*

You sliced iceberg lettuce mayo salt and pepper and cornchips

Drained the pot (deboning chicken) and then mixed it all together and ate with tortilla chips...It was the most disgusting sounding thing Id ever heard of until I tasted it...and ate the entire family portion in one sitting....laughs*
She thought I was starved...I told her no its THAT good!
I had it scribbled on a torn piece of envelope as we made two more batches...one for her family that night (since I ate it all) and one for my family....

Anyone know this style of recipe or the actual recipe itself?

In making chicken salad, what is the rule of thumb for ratios of celery, onion and mayo to chicken?

For example, I have three boneless chicken breasts, just cooked and weighing 1.5 lbs total, in the fridge. I want to make basic, everyday chicken salad. No mangos, no oranges, no Dijon extract of Bourdelais something or other. Basic, good, no foolin' around, everyday diner-type chicken salad.

How much mayo, onion and celery? Thanks.
The Bear

quote:

Originally posted by ScreenBear

In making chicken salad, what is the rule of thumb for ratios of celery, onion and mayo to chicken?

For example, I have three boneless chicken breasts, just cooked and weighing 1.5 lbs total, in the fridge. I want to make basic, everyday chicken salad. No mangos, no oranges, no Dijon extract of Bourdelais something or other. Basic, good, no foolin' around, everyday diner-type chicken salad.

How much mayo, onion and celery? Thanks.
The Bear

For mayo, I add small amounts at a time and stir gently so as not to bust up the chicken chunks. When it looks about the right moisture level, then that's it.

If you try a predetermined amount to start,, you can't remove the mayo if it's more than you would like. Same with celery...it's easier to add more than to pick it back out. Add a little, taste for crunch.

Mojo marinated rotisserie chicken from the Wallyworld Deli makes a great tasting chicken salad.
Little bit of Miracle Whip, finely diced onion and celery, lots of pepper, and voila..
(untoasted white bread with fresh spinach leaves, sliced tomato is optional-due to messiness)
Or a croissant.. love the butter flavor in a croissant.

Did somebody here just say "Miracle Whip"?

Love chicken salad and make a big bowlful every June for our son when he visits from Arizona. I always use Marzetti's slaw dressing for the dressing of the chicken salad. It goes so well with the grapes (or sometimes Mandarin orange sections), sweet/tangy taste. Haven't used mayo in chicken salad for years since I discovered how good it is with the slaw dressing.

I think Marzetti's is probably available nationwide. They make very good salad dressings.

Donna

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Did somebody here just say "Miracle Whip"?

Yah, that was moi!
I admit it...
Marzettis is decent also. I used to use it all the time for my coleslaw, unti I found out that I like mine better with "MW", (oops, I said it again!)--and some horseradish sauce instead.
(and pineapple chunks)

Oooh, Roossy, that Marzetti slaw dressing is wonderful. Tangy and sweet. I've used it as a base condiment in my chicken salad too. I also think it would make a great dippin' sauce for fries....

I agree that I don't measure the mayo. But DO add the spritz of lemon juice. It will make your taste buds dance! I like my chicken salad fairly finely chopped with celery, pecans, mayo, a dash of lemon juice, some Nature's Seasons. If I'm being fancy, maybe a little Granny Smith apple. I like this on rye or wheat, but it's pretty good just by itself.

I use fried chicken tenders from Publix supermarkets, they have a very nice crispy crust. Chill them in the refrig for an hour or so then cut up with celery, red oinion, mayo, S&P. It's great on rye bread with lettuce.

John

This recipe is really good but if you add crispy bacon,macademia nuts chopped instead of almonds,scallions, instead of an onion,golden raisens marinated in creme sherry,1/2 sour cream-1/2 mayo,you REALLY have a fantastic chicken salad.