How can there be folks who have never had chicken salad? Hearing from several who had never had it surprised the heck out of me. I don’t know if it was the first time I had chicken salad, which was really turkey salad, but my dad used to smoke a turkey at Christmas and Thanksgiving. My mom would grind some of the leftover turkey and make turkey salad, which was more like a spread and it was so delicious. I looked forward to that turkey salad more than the main meal itself.
Chicken Salad
There are lots of ways to make chicken salad — some is creamy, more like a spread; some is chunky. Sometimes I use leftover roasted chicken and then my chicken salad is chunky. The way I like it best, besides the ground turkey salad my mom made, is using canned chicken. Most of the time I used canned chicken.
Canned Chicken
When using canned chicken, I drain it in a fine mesh colander, then mash it between paper towels, then shred it with my fingers.
I used boiled eggs and instead of chopping them, I put them into the mixing bowl first and mash them with a fork to break them up.
Otherwise, it’s pretty much straightforward and the same ingredients basically are used for tuna salad or ham salad. If using can, it makes at least 4 or 5 big servings. Chicken salad can be served on a bed of lettuce, or scooped on top of a chef’s salad, served in lettuce or a flour tortilla as a wrap, or in scooped into an avocado. It’s pretty versatile.
Chicken Salad
Shredded or chopped chicken
Mayonnaise
A combination of any or all of the following ingredients and use in the amounts that you like:
- dried cranberries – sweetened or unsweetened
- relish – dill or sweet
- boiled eggs
- jalapenos, minced
- toasted nuts – can be almonds, walnuts, pecans – whatever you like
- onions, chopped
- celery, chopped
- olives, chopped
Combine the “mix in” ingredients with the chicken and stir in enough mayo to get the consistency desired.
Lee says
It’s probably been years since I’ve had chx salad. At my bridal shower, my maid-of-honor made one which was so delicious, but I don’t have the recipe. I only know that it had chx, grapes, honey, and curry powder and possibly a couple other things but I don’t remember and neither does she 🙁
Sharon in Michigan says
I’m 61 and never had chicken salad until a couple of years ago. I love it! I put halved green grapes in mine.
carole says
When split chicken breasts are on sale, I stock up. The main part of the breast gets cut off to be used for entrees. The bone with a great deal of meat still on, gets braised and then made into soup. (no scum if you braise the meat first). When the chicken meat has done it’s thing to make the soup, it then gets taken off the bone and made into chicken salad. So many meals from blessed little chickie.
Carolyn says
In my email feed for your post it said ” chicken s” I thought I was going to read about your chicks being shipped! LOL chicken salad!!!! Love chicken salad.
Carolyn says
In my email feed for your post it said ” chicken s” I thought I was going to read about your chicks being shipped! LOL chicken salad!!!! Love chicken salad.
Diana says
We put grapes instead of cranberries; we have added pecans and cashews. mmmmmmm good !! LOL
Rebecca in SoCal says
The note on grapes reminded me that you can make to curried chicken salad. Probably you have had that from Chad!
I like to grate my onion for chicken or tuna salad. Capture the juices!
Nan, Odessa DE says
I buy the rotisserie chicken from the grocery, have it for dinner and use the leftovers for chicken salad. My ALL TIME favorite sandwich!!!!!!!
This works great if your family is down to two.
Pamj says
I’m from south Texas and we ate a lot of chicken salad… I still to this day eat it…in a fold over. I’m bad, no salt in the salad, cause I’m a Ruffles chip eater…so the chips compensate…even when our son’s were small, they’d eat it… Love it !!