Chicken Salad

E.~ being a granny for several years and being a great southern cook, i have a recipe that may help yopu. Lol.
People buy chicken in a can which works but i prefer the real thing.
I take the chicken and boil it for 45 minutes~ place it on a large platter or a cutting board to cool. Meanwhile cut up celery stalks (really depends on how many will be eating)green peppers, diced small onion or green onions,sweet pickles(relish ok), chopped chicken pieces, mayo, sugar, salt to taste. Can go with any type of garnish. Add shredded carrots,too. Enjoy.

This is a recipe a friend of mine makes and she always serves it on cresent rolls.....it is so yummy.

2 c. chicken, chopped
1/2 c. Mayo
1/4 c. Sour cream
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. seedless green grapes (sliced in half)
1/4-1 c. chopped celery (depending on what you like)
1/4-1/2 c. sliced, toasted almonds

Mix ingredients togehter for sauce. Add to chopped chicken, celery, grapes and almonds.

If that doesn't work for you go to www.allrecipes.com
it is a great site to find any recipe you want.
Jen

we have a recipe that everyone loves... including the kiddos...
you can prepare the chicken however you prefer... if you use the real thing or can...

the key is use the mayo only on the chicken...

so ..

about 3 large tablespoons of mayo mixed with just the chicken in a bowl add in salt and pepper to taste...

then in another bowl add chopped apples, grapes, nuts, celery... next to this bowl add one container of cool whip stirring lightly only to mix in ...

then combine the two... put in the frig. for about an hour allowing the flavors to "get to know one another" ; )

you can also use light mayo and light cool whip if you want to cut down on calories...

i use a rotisserie chicken (already cooked at the grocery). peel all the chicken i can off of it; add mayo; cut up some grapes (we prefer red) and that's it. i like it with wheat thins; hubby and daughter like it with a fork!

check out allrecipes.com...they have awesome recipes with reviews from other cooks, often with good advice on altering the original recipe. one for chicken salad that i love is Tara's Sweet and Chunky Chicken Salad...i do change and add a few things...

sweet pickles for dill
toast the sunflower seeds to add flavor
add chopped celery
add chopped hard boiled egg
add a little sweet/hot mustard
add a little black pepper
use red onion for the onion

i also use boiled chicken breasts or leftover baked chix instead of canned but i'm sure with all the other flavors going on it would be good either way! i also bet this recipe would be great with the added apple and/or grapes...might have to try that next time!

there are a bunch of others on there that i have saved to try but whenever i make chix salad now i always want this one! good luck!

K.

Very good question. I would love some new ideas for that as well.

Leave out the egg, chop up the apple and celery, halve the grapes, use the craisins. Add mayo, and taste. You may want to add paprika or other favorite spice. I do a curry chicken salad (cold) that is yummy with pecans, carrots, celery, golden raisens, grapes and mayo. It always gets raves.

Oh, I also just use the grocery store rotisserie chicken - sometimes if you go late in the day they are marked down.

Good luck and experiment. ( :

Check out All Recipes (www.allrecipes.com). They have so many variations on the most basic recipes. Happy cooking.

You can just throw in whatever you like:
Shredded cheese
Boiled eggs
onions
mustard
Miracle Whip/Mayonaise
Pickle relish

I cook chicken breasts in the microwave. Place in a glass baking dish (round, preferrably) with the heaviest parts toward the outside. Cover w/wax paper and cook 8 minutes per pound (unless frozen, then add a minute or two/lb). Let it set for 1/4 of the total cooking time after cooking to finish cooking.

Type in 'Chicken salad recipe' on yahoo or google search and you'll come up with several recipes.

I once had the chicken salad wrap at Arby's and was hooked. I ended up figuring out an even better copycat of that recipe. Here is how I made it:

1}1-2 large store-bought rotisserie chickens, de-boned and skinned; meat cubed or shredded (I go with the italian-style herb-roasted flavor)I like to have at least 4 cups of meat

2}about 1 to 1&1/2 cups red grapes, halved

3}about 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves or pieces (I use pecan pieces)can substitute chopped hazelnuts for richer flavor; see below for directions for toasting nuts

4}1-2 stalks celery from the heart thinly sliced, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup depending on your taste and how much crunch you want (I like about 1/2 to 3/4 cup and I include the celery leaves, very finely chopped, as well)

5}1 small to medium unpeeled Pink Lady or Gala (or other slightly tart but firm) apple, cut into small cubes

6}Light Mayo (can use regular)

7}sea salt to taste

8}fresh ground black pepper to taste

1-To toast the nuts, put them into a clean and dry (do not add oil or water to the skillet) NON nonstick skillet (I do not use a cast-iron skillet) and place the skillet on a cold burner (start with the burner turned completely off). Turn the burner on to medium low. As the burner warms, shake the skillet gently every 10 seconds or so to keep the nuts from sticking or toasting unevenly. If they are not warming enough on medium low after about 45 to 60 seconds, while continuing to shake the skillet, increase the heat in small incraments, allowing the burner to heat completely to the new setting each time. DO NOT burn the nuts, that will make them very bitter. You will smell when the nuts are perfectly toasted, they shouldl not have ANY bitter smell to them at all, but a pleasant, and very slightly oily fragrance (slightly oily from the natural oils present in the nuts). Remove from pan immediately.

2-gently fold ingredients 1 through 5 together (You can add salt and pepper at this point instead of at step 4 if desired).

3-fold in a small amount of mayonnaise (I start with three or four tablespoons). The goal is just to bind the ingredients together, and not to use the mayonnaise as a base for the salad. Increase the amount of mayo in small incraments until the salad is the desired consistency. You can have a "dry" salad and it would still be absolutely delicious, but it would be difficult to use in sandwiches or wraps. The goal is to have a salad that is not dry, but is easily used on a sandwich without ingredients in the salad falling out, or mayo dripping from the bread. Be careful not to add so much mayonnaise that the salad is weighed down by it. You want the flavor combination of the ingredients (other than the mayo) to be the focus.

4-If desired, salt and pepper to taste.

5-Refrigerate. Can serve immediately, but the flavor improves after a few hours in the refrigerator.

bake chicken, then shred in food processor, add mayonaise to desired consistency. (I do not like a lot of mayo in mine) add salt and pepper to taste. Add grapes either whole or halved. Then add celery. Then take almonds (slivered or sliced) place in a small frying pan with about 1-2 tbsp of sugar on low- med heat. Watch for the sugar to melt then stir the carmel on the almonds and place on a plate to cool. Place almonds on top of the chicken salad. Also taste good with fresh pineapple on the side! Taste good on salad or in a wrap! I do a scrapbooking workshop once a month and this is requested several time!

These all look great! I have a more simple recipe that is good if you don't have a lot of time to prepare. I use 1 large or 2 small cans of chicken breast (you can cook your own chicken but it adds a lot more prep time). Mix about 3/4 cup of mayo or miracle whip (I use light miracle whip) in with chicken. Add 1-2 tbsp of sweet pickle relish, mix. Then add 2 boiled eggs (I use the whites only for less fat), chopped, and 1/2 cup of finely chopped celery. Flavor with onion powder and garlic salt to taste. You can also add apples or grapes if you want.

Try this one-Cook a whole chicken in the crock pot w/salt/pepper and minced onion. It will absolutely just fall apart when done.
Cut up.
Add pickle relish, chopped celery and Miracle Whip.
To fancy it up add red grapes and pecans.
My kids even love it!

I make my chicken in the crockpot. Let it cool in the stock, and it makes the chicken really moist and you can use less mayo. (Can use Miracle Whip, or Mayo--or both--I use whatever I have on hand. Although I did find the light stuff doesn't taste quite as good.)

I then just finger shred the chicken, add mayo to taste, and an apple. (Depending on the amount--usually one apple for 2-3 chicken breasts). I have available raisins, craisins and pecans. If it is just for family, I add them all in. If it is for company, I have them in bowls, and each person can add them as they desire. I have gotten many many compliments on this when making it for guests. I don't add the celery and onions, because I prefer a sweeter taste. It can be eaten on bread, crescents, rolls, lettuce, or by itself. My kids love it. I had it at Arby's once, but there's not one close, so I just made up a recipe about a year ago, and it has been great. Hope it helps!