For many years, one of the most popular lunch- menu items at many American restaurants has been, and still is, chicken salad. This light and refreshing dish is also a favorite item for many home cooks to prepare, often utilizing leftover, cooked chicken. In its simplest form, chicken salad usually consists of diced or chopped chicken, mixed with celery, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Through the years, however, this dish has been creatively- interpreted and modified, by restaurant chefs everywhere.
Some of the restaurant- style variations on chicken salad include; Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese versions, often made with fairly exotic ingredients, a host of examples which utilize fresh fruit and many more. Quite often, American restaurants will offer chicken salad as a topping with garden and caesar salads, as well as part of a chicken- salad, or dieter’s plate, served with salad greens, tomatoes and cottage cheese. At some upscale restaurants, chicken salad is served inside a folded lettuce leaf, in the form of a “purse”, which is sometimes tied with a decorative garnish, such as a thin strand of sliced scallion. Of course, the traditional chicken salad sandwich is still the most common form of presentation for this tasty dish. Besides being served on various types of breads and rolls, chicken salad sandwiches are routinely served on bagels, croissants and rolled- up in tortilla wraps. Presented here, are four restaurant- style chicken salad recipes that are quick and easy to prepare and are also quite economical. Each of these recipes is based upon the use of two cups of cooked chicken, which yields approximately 3- 4 sandwiches.
Basic Chicken Salad
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or chopped
1- 2 ribs of celery, diced
1 Tablespoon onion, diced (optional)
1/3- 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and chill for 1- 2 hours before serving. This version of chicken salad is light, easy on the stomach and is the universally- accepted version of this dish.
Zesty Chicken- Nut Salad
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or chopped
1- 2 scallions, sliced- thin (or 1- 2 Tablespoons onion, diced)
1- 2 ribs of celery, diced
1/4- 1/3 cup of canned, spicy nuts (peanuts, cashews, pecans,etc.), ground in food processor, or pulverized
2 Tablespoons of yellow mustard
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1/8- 1/4 cup of plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and chill for 1- 2 hours before serving, allowing the diverse flavors to interact.
Tarragon- Chicken Salad
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or chopped
1- 2 ribs of celery, diced
1- 2 scallions, sliced- thin, or 2 Tablespoons onion, diced
1 1/2 Tablespoons of apple- cider vinegar
1/4- 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of dried tarragon, or equivalent amount of fresh tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and chill for 1- 2 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to interact.
Chicken Salad with Nuts and Grapes
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or chopped
1- 2 scallions, sliced- thin, or 1- 2 Tablespoons onion, diced
1 Tablespoon of apple- cider or red wine vinegar
1/4- 1/2 cup of sliced grapes (any type)
1- 2 ribs of celery, diced
1/4 – 1/2 cup of almonds, pecans or walnuts, broken into bite- sized pieces
1/4- 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 packet of artificial sweetener, or 3/4 of a teaspoon of sugar (optional)
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and chill for 1- 2 hours before serving.
