Chicken Salad help...

[kimberino]

What is better tasting for a homemade chicken salad, boiled chicken breast or baked? And, is there a "secret" ingredient any of you use for a little flavor boost?

[Charski]

I use whatever leftover cooked chicken I have, so it doesn't matter to me whether it's poached, roasted, or from a Costco rotisserie chicken!

I like mayo, some jalapeno Greek yogurt (from Costco), green onion, sliced olives, a little garlic powder. The jalapeno yogurt has just enough of a little "kick" in it to make it interesting!

[pocahontas]

This is my favorite recipe for chicken salad. I use any kind of chicken I have but if I am cooking it just for this recipe then I typically roast a couple of chicken breasts with skin, on the bone. They produce the most flavor IMO.

Ingredients
4 cups diced chicken
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced or 1/4 cup sweet onion cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, scallions and herbs. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the chicken and mix gently until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve. We love it with tomato and avocado slices!

[Ann Lytle]

I'm with charski, whatever leftover chicken I have............ Ann

chopped chicken
s.f. pickles (chopped) or relish, if you can find it.
celery (Chopped)
onions (chopped0

Amounts vary with how much chicken I have.

Mix with enough Miracle Whip to moisten
add a squirt of mustard to taste and mix well.

[Tabbz82]

I generally use leftover chicken. My favorite chicken to use is leftover chicken from the rotisserie chicken that we get from the grocery store. It is SO good!!!

[LiRoGe88]

I semi poach mine in the oven in a little chicken broth.

I then chop the chicken in my mini food chopper, and add onion, celery, mayo, and every once in a while a packet of Arby's horsey sauce. I am not a horseradish fan, but the horsey sauce has a little tang too it that once it is in the chicken salad it is hard to ID exactly what it is.

[verbqueen]

I think it's better to poach rather than boil. Cover them with just enough water to cover (I like to add some stock base), bring to a simmer, cover, and keep the heat low enough to be at the slightest simmer until cooked. This keeps the meat velvety and tender.

I like chicken salad a la DANDR--mayo, toasted pecans, capers and green onions!

[kimberino]

Thanks all! Since I have some rotisserie chicken, I think I'll start there. I like mine w/ a few walnuts and mayo, but will have to try some of your suggestions.

[Melloshello]

This is my favorite recipe of all time. I also have substituted fried chicken with the skin/breading removed. Gives an amazing flavor boost!

1 Rotisserie Roasted Chicken (deboned & minced)
1/2 Cup Mayo
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 Red Bell Pepper (minced)
1 Cup Minced Bacon
4 Stalks of Celery (peeled & minced)
1 Cup Sliced Almonds (toasted)
1 Cucumber (peeled and diced)

Mix all together and enjoy!

[dawnyama]

I use whatever chicken I have on hand. I use mostly canned chicken though. My DD loves just chicken, mayo, mustard and onion powder. For me and my DH though......I do love using cooked chicken. I love adding hard boiled eggs to mine. Today I used Baconnaise in my chicken egg salad. Boy I love it!! If I don't have Baconnaise, I add bacon salt to my mayo and mustard combo. I love bacon and will add pieces of that in as well! I will add my pickle minced with a bit of Splenda. I make my own sf pickle relish because it would go bad if I bought a whole jar. We just wouldn't use enough. So many ways to prepare it, don't think you can go wrong.

[Annie75]

I use a mayo/cream cheese dressing with a bit of curry. Also put a small amount of chopped toasted walnuts in for some crunch!

[lonestarstamper]

subbing

[Speck333]

Actually, the best chicken salad I ever made was with leftover grilled chicken! I like to use mayo and sour cream as the dressing. Some chopped pecans are awesome, and if you can spare the carbs, a tiny bit of diced apple or a few quartered grapes makes it perfect. Celery is a great addition if you don't do any fruit.

[RVcook]

For a flavor boost, I like to add a teesy bit of curry powder. Mmmmm....!

[Hunnypot4Pooh]

Originally Posted by pocahontas

This is my favorite recipe for chicken salad. I use any kind of chicken I have but if I am cooking it just for this recipe then I typically roast a couple of chicken breasts with skin, on the bone. They produce the most flavor IMO.

Ingredients
4 cups diced chicken
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced or 1/4 cup sweet onion cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, scallions and herbs. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the chicken and mix gently until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve. We love it with tomato and avocado slices!

Vouch.

This is my favorite recipe for chicken salad, which I found on food network's site. My husband keeps eating it all, so I always make a large batch. They recommend you poach the chicken, but give instructions on doing so. I add chopped walnuts to it for more crunch.

Chicken Salad Recipe : Food Network Kitchens : Food Network

[goheels]

I cook mine in the crockpot for ease and it turns out great. No need to defrost, just put a few breasts in without water and cook for several hours on low, I usually cook overnight. Let them cool and they fall apart. I then sprinkle with seasoning, I use a garlic salt with pepper and refrigerate overnight. Then mix with chopped celery and purple onion and enough mayo to hold it together, I also usually add toasted pecans, very good.

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by goheels

I cook mine in the crockpot for ease and it turns out great. No need to defrost, just put a few breasts in without water and cook for several hours on low, I usually cook overnight. Let them cool and they fall apart. I then sprinkle with seasoning, I use a garlic salt with pepper and refrigerate overnight. Then mix with chopped celery and purple onion and enough mayo to hold it together, I also usually add toasted pecans, very good.

I do that with roasting chickens and yet thaw the breasts. I know what to do with them next time, don't bother defrosting, thanks!

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by dawnyama

I use whatever chicken I have on hand. I use mostly canned chicken though. My DD loves just chicken, mayo, mustard and onion powder. For me and my DH though......I do love using cooked chicken. I love adding hard boiled eggs to mine. Today I used Baconnaise in my chicken egg salad. Boy I love it!! If I don't have Baconnaise, I add bacon salt to my mayo and mustard combo. I love bacon and will add pieces of that in as well! I will add my pickle minced with a bit of Splenda. I make my own sf pickle relish because it would go bad if I bought a whole jar. We just wouldn't use enough. So many ways to prepare it, don't think you can go wrong.

Never heard of Baconnaise so I just looked it up. Wow, everything bacon, yum!!!

[Barbo]

Liking the recipes. MelloShello has a good one.

Rotisserie chicken as a good flavor to begin with.

I like a curry salad, and waldorf is good, use some chayote
for the crunchy apple, celery, toasted pecans. Mayo
sour cream or yogurt dressing.

Good ideas.

[Soobee]

I use jicama for the apple with a little apple drink mix thrown into the salad. It has fooled everyone.

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by Soobee

I use jicama for the apple with a little apple drink mix thrown into the salad. It has fooled everyone.

Oh boy, I have the chicken, apple drink mix, and I have jicama in my frig now. Got to make up some yummy salad. What a great idea!