If you’re looking for a light, refreshing lunch option that will you stretch your dollars, look no further than chicken salad (the spreadable, mixed version.) There are in fact, dozens of chicken salad variations, utilizing all sorts of ingredients. This recipe is light and chunky, and can be enjoyed in a number of ways. Here’s what you’ll need…
The “Stuff”
Pre-cooked chicken breasts
(1) Cucumber
Dry dill weed
Dry mustard
Mayo (lite)
(1) Baby carrots
(1) Small onion
(1) Granny Smith apple
The “Hard” Part
Clearly, the most involved part of this recipe is actually cooking the chicken. I prefer breast meat. But some prefer meat from all over the chicken. In any event, you may boil, grill, or sauté your chicken. I find that seasoning, sautéing the meat, and letting it simmer in its own juices works quite well. Put the chicken in the refrigerator to chill for awhile. The bottom line is that you’ll want the chicken cooled enough to chop or shred for your salad. Once the meat has been chopped, dump it into a big salad bowl.
“Chunkify” the Salad
Now, you’re ready to add the crunchy ingredients to the chicken. Depending upon how much chicken you’ve prepared (this is an easy dish to ration) chop your cucumber, green apple, and onions into small pieces. Make tiny slices out of the baby carrots. The salad can be as fine or as chunky as you’d like. Just remember that the finer the mixture ends up, the easier it will be to spread on breads or rolls.
A Little Half-N-Half
Many chicken salad recipes call for mayonnaise only. But I have found that blending sour cream with the mayonnaise provides a much lighter taste and consistency. Whereas mayonnaise can “weigh down” ingredients, sour cream gives the salad a kind of fluffy appeal. If you’re worried about calories and such, opt for light versions of both. Overall, the salad should be heavy on lean protein and vegetables, and light on heavy fats.
Blend the mayo/sour cream into the mixture of chicken and vegetables. Once blended completely, add about 2 teaspoons of dry dill weed. Then add about 2 teaspoons of dry mustard. The addition of dill to the recipe provides a slightly tangy, aromatic presence, while the addition of dry mustard gives the entire salad a mildly spicy punch. Again, depending upon your tastes, you may choose to add more or less of either ingredient.
Lunch, Dinner, and Everything Else…
If you’ve prepared a large bowl of this salad, be ready to enjoy the dish in any number of ways. Stuff a pita shell with spinach and tomato and spoon a few tablespoons of the salad into it: here you have a great, lunch that won’t leave you feeling too heavy.
Grab some rye (or marble rye), spread the chicken salad, and place a slice of cheddar cheese on top. Grill this sandwich on a Panini-maker (or George Foreman grill) for a warm, toasty version of the typical chicken salad sandwich.
Another great thing about chicken salad, is that it tastes wonderful by itself, or nestled within the leafy greens and veggies of a typical tossed salad. Serve this as a brunch item with fresh fruit or pastries.
Pita chips, wheat crackers, and flatbreads are great for snack trays. Put a chilled bowl of this salad in the center, with several of these breaded varieties for dipping at parties. Or, make an entire tray of H’ors deurves with the chicken salad spread. Get creative with crackers, olives, pickles, cheeses, and other toppings. This chicken salad is a great dish that can be stretched quite well.
SOURCES:
www.momscooking.info
www.foodnetwork.com
www.amazon.com
