I remember how much chicken salad I would eat in college. If I had the opportunity, I would eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With fresh Amish rolls, I had mini sandwiches, other times I would just grab a fork and dig in. Chicken has the ability to take on flavors, which makes it ideal for a variety of dishes. After all, in this week’s recipes, chicken has taken the place of lettuce in three dynamic and delicious salads.
Perhaps my love of chicken salad started long before college, but it was during those four years that I met new friends and learned how many ways chicken salad can be made. One friend and her mother introduced me to their family chicken salad recipe after I ate my serving in record time. I promptly made a few gallons of the Philadelphia Chicken Salad and it has been a staple in my summer salad rotation ever since. The classic salad of the Waldorf~Astoria Hotel in New York City is adapted to befriend chicken in the Waldorf Chicken Salad. It is such a well-known recipe in its original form and enjoying many variations in kitchens worldwide, so why not add this one to the list too. Apples once again make an appearance in Curry Chicken Salad. This too is one of those salads that had me hooked from the first bite. After eating an embarrassing amount, everyone at the table knew I would be asking for my friend’s recipe. Not included in this post because I posted it earlier this month is Deli-style Chicken Salad with Grapes.
In the following recipes, I did not specify a particular marinade or method of cooking for the chicken used. Each recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken breast. I recommend using meat that has been either roasted or baked. If you wish to bake your own chicken for the dish, place the meat in an oven-safe dish with a pinch of salt and enough lemon juice to fill the bottom 1/2-inch of the dish. Bake it at 350 degrees for 30 to 50 minutes (depending on how much meat you are making at once). To make these recipes without heating up your kitchen by using the oven, I suggest you buy already roasted chicken from the grocery market. There are brand versions of this, but certainly local markets carry fresh roasts in the deli department.
I also have several other posts focused on sandwich recipes, including tuna salad and chicken salad. Take a peek in my ‘sandwiches’ tag.
Philadelphia Chicken Salad
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red sweet bell pepper
1 tablespoon grated carrot
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the chicken, celery, and bell pepper.
2. In a smaller separate bowl, blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Add the black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and grated carrot. Stir the ingredients to create the salad sauce.
3. Add the contents of the smaller bowl to the large mixing bowl. Blend the sauce with the chicken mixture.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes to chill before serving. This can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
5. To serve on individual salad plates, spoon a portion on top of a lettuce leaf and garnish with the chopped nuts or serve as a sandwich filling. Or serve family style at the dinner table.
Waldorf Chicken Salad
(inspired by the Waldorf~Astoria Hotel, New York, NY)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup peeled and diced apple
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
1 cup diced celery
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 lettuce leaves
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
1. In a large bowl, place the apple pieces and squirt the lemon juice over them to deter them from turning brown.
2. Add the chicken, celery, and mayonnaise to the bowl and mix.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill before serving (up to 24 hours).
4. To serve on individual salad plates, spoon a portion on top of a lettuce leaf and garnish with the chopped nuts or serve as a sandwich filling. Or serve family style at the dinner table.
Curry Chicken Salad
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)
1/2 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup peeled and chopped green apple
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1. Combine the chicken, celery, walnut pieces, and raisins in a bowl. Stir in the apple pieces that have been coated in the lemon juice to keep them from browning.
2. In a small mixing bowl, blend the sour cream, brown sugar, onion flakes, curry powder, pepper, and salt. At this point, you can store the contents of each bowl refrigerated in separate air-tight containers and do the final assembly just prior to serving. They can be safely stored in this manner up to 24 hours.
3. Once the sauce ingredients have been blended thoroughly, add the mixture to the first bowl of ingredients. Stir them together. Cover and chill until serving time.
4. To serve on individual salad plates, spoon a portion on top of a lettuce leaf and garnish with the chopped nuts or serve as a sandwich filling. Or serve family style at the dinner table.