Who makes chicken salad anymore? Deliberately?Well, blame it on the summery weather, but when Cranky suggested bringing home half a rotisseried chicken from the farmers market, I immediately wanted chicken salad.
Trust me, I'm not even sure if I've ever made chicken salad before.
But I got this idea. Chicken chunks with cucumber chunks. Couldn't get it out of my head.
Maybe a delicate application of mayonnaise? And some tarragon, for sure.
Please try this! If you ran a charming seaside cafe with nice food, your customers would not let you take this off the menu. It's that good.
Listen here, beady eyes: No vinegar, no mustard. There were little curls of mild onion, briefly soaked in water to make them more mild. Salt, yeah, sure.
I will tell you soon how much I want to buy a half chicken every week. Well, I will tell you why.
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18 comments:
OBAMA IS CHILL
I just made chicken salad last night - something I NEVER do. But fresh blanched peas, some baby spinach, spring onions, leetle mayo, leetle red wine vinegar, snipped fresh herbs. Oh, and the chicken. YUM.
If only this plate were sitting in front of me...
I must admit that I frequently make chicken salad. Usually mayo, green onions, pecans, tarragon, golden raisins. Recently tried recipe from Sunset. Mixture of mayo and Greek yogurt. Cumin, coriander, lemon juice. Topped with roasted cashew pieces.
Dahlia: What are we? 1950s housewives? Yours sounds great. Peas!
Denise: Well, we could do lunch.
Kailyn: Wow, you too? That's a lot of recipe, frankly. Please try this simple cucumber version. It's kind of Meg Ryan "I'll have what she's having."
Ah chicken salad, one of my favorites. You are so right not to drench the salad in vinegar but perhaps a tiny sprinkle of chives along with the mayonnaise and tarragon wouldn't be amiss. Bobby Flay - and more importantly MOI - have used this dressing: olive oil, red onion, lemon juice, honey, cayenne, garlic and mayo. Serve on a bed of butter lettuce and if you want some starch, a little Israeli couscous on the side.
I adore chicken salad! Always have. Wait till those wine grapes come along and throw some of them into the mix. With walnuts..... Yes. ...I remember the lady-sandwiches of chicken salad on toasted white bread (no crusts, natch). Never anything but mayonnaise -- often homemade -- and an obligatory leaf of lettuce inside. With iced tea. Or a Coke in a tall glass with lots of crushed ice... If you got this at the soda fountain in the drugstore, it always came with potato chips on the side. Yum.
I made chicken salad, too! Which I never do! Used a chicken breast I'd marinated in tequila & lime juice and grilled on the 4th of July. Mine had celery, apples, cilantro & sliced almonds. I used a bottled dressing (Annie's sesame/ginger, or some such) and a squeeze of Meyer lemon juice & served on a bed of baby spinach & arugula. Finished the last of it at my desk today. Yum.
Yours sounds simpler, and I take your word for its deliciousness!
Chicken salad is a staple for a reason - everyone loves it and there are a myriad of ways to make it. Try fresh dill next time - so summery.
Nancy: I like your permutations. I hope you will think about this cuke version; it was heaven.
Kudzu: Yep, that would be the old- fashioned version that I was trying to go beyond. Still, I respect the old recipes. So dreamy.
Those wine grapes!
Cheryl: Yeah, that's a bit of complicated. Sounds divine, of course. Funny how many chicken salad recipes call for nuts.
Zoomie: Dill would be great. But I insist you try tarragon. :)
oh chicken salad. how many pounds of this have i made and sold...in a lovely little spot in the middle of Nashvegas for oh so many years. Our version....granny smith apples with a hint of lemon, toasted pecans and a dash of cayenne for some southern heat...
you just can't go wrong with chicken salad!
Gosh, I must be hopelessly outmoded then, because chicken salad is standard with the remains of a roast chicken dinner. With mayo. My favorite secret ingredient? Diced fennel in lieu of celery, add the frondy bits for greenery. Also, sometimes it has to be curried chicken salad with scallions, celery and golden raisins. I've even been known to put peeled broccoli stalk in for the crunch.
Chicken salad in the house! Seems like a blast from the past. Long time no make.What appeals to me is the lowered mayo idea.
Mary: You will have noticed that everyone's take on it is just a little different. Yours sounds spanky!
Kate: Well, it fell off my radar screen. But it might be back in heavy rotation now. Jeez, fennel in there? That's inspired. Very like.
Greg: It's not your momma's chicken salad. And it was superior with minimal mayo.
Um, I make chicken salad? I do. Really. I like it.
Hungry Dog: You probably make a really nice one. I was just tired of the cornball, cliched version. I like it, I do!
I am crazy for chicken salad! I make it umpteen ways. But my two favorites are blending Alison McQuade's fantastic habanero chutney (it's not hot and mostly flavored with curry spices and apples) with chicken, celery and mayo. The other way is chicken, tarragon, grapes, pecans (or walnuts), mayo. An oldie but a goodie.
Amy: Your oldie-but-goodie is so quaint, so good. So exactly what I was trying to avoid for some reason!
Alison's chutney in your other version... what a great idea.
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