With the warmer weather upon us and picnics, bridal showers, baby showers and light suppers, it’s time for deliciously cool chicken salad. The good thing about chicken salad is how many variations you can make from a basic recipe. Plus, while chicken salad abounds in the fast food industry, there is nothing comparable to fresh, homemade chicken salad. I keep hearing a small voice in the back of my head, sounds a lot like my 94 year old grandmother, saying to always eat FRESH chicken salad. In fact, she would always give me “the look” when I ordered chicken salad out. Of course, refrigeration and health codes have improved from her tea room days, but I still hear “the voice.” If you are in a hurry, yes, please pick up a rotisserie chicken and use it to save time; but when you cook your own chicken, you’ll have that delicious chicken broth to use as a side to your salad or for other recipes. And, there’s the new instant pots which make things easier. (Yes! We will be sharing recipes for those gadgets in the near future!)
Basic Chicken Salad
2 cups of cooked, cubed, cooled chicken
1 ½ cups chopped, diced celery (make sure to string it!)
3 Tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon scraped onion (on fine grater)
2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise (Hellmann’s or Duke’s)
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ cup of cooked salad dressing (see below)
In a large bowl, toss the chicken, celery, parsley and onion together. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Then add the cooked dressing and mayonnaise, blending all well. Chill until ready to serve. Optional add-ins could be cut up grapes, pecans, or you may wish to add sirachi for a spicier salad. Have fun, experiment. This salad can be used in a sandwich, a stuffed fresh tomato, or served with crackers. Like a classic little black dress, this can be used as a fancy dish or as a work day supper!
Cooked Salad Dressing for Chicken Salad
2 eggs, beaten well
½ cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of French’s yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon of butter
Put all of the ingredients except the butter in a heavy saucepan and cook over very low heat until the mixture has thickened. Be sure to stir constantly, but gently to prevent the eggs from scrambling. (I use a whip for this…and gently stir.) After mixture thickens, stir in the butter until it melts…and you should have ½ cup of dressing when you are finished.
Enjoy!
